Manager, Soft Goods Materials, Global Suppy Management

Manager, Soft Goods Materials, Global Suppy Management

Cupertino, California, United States Operations and Supply Chain

Apple is seeking an experienced, strategic, and people-first leader to join our Softgoods Materials Global Supply Management (GSM) team. This specialized business group manages the end-to-end lifecycle of Apple's highly differentiated and unique materials—from initial sourcing and development through mass production and ongoing supply continuity. Our portfolio spans many different textiles, polyurethane films, and adhesives. Our world-class material supply chains must be unique, innovative, and specialized to enable Apple's rigorous performance and quality standards.

As the GSM Manager, you will lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing team of Global Supply Managers. You will bridge engineering innovation with business execution, drive the long-term material supply chain and vendor strategy, negotiate cost, execute supply, and manage executive-level partnerships with a network of global suppliers. You will ensure that Apple's material supply chains are resilient, responsive, and structured to support both current programs and future product roadmaps.

As the GSM Manager, you will lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing team of Global Supply Managers. You will bridge engineering innovation with business execution, drive the long-term material supply chain and vendor strategy, negotiate cost, execute supply, and manage executive-level partnerships with a network of global suppliers. You will ensure that Apple's material supply chains are resilient, responsive, and structured to support both current programs and future product roadmaps.

• Lead, Mentor, and Inspire
• People Development:
  Lead, mentor, and advocate for a team of GSM individual contributors to help them achieve their individual program milestones and long-term career goals. Create structured development plans and support continuous learning and technical depth in the group.
• Local Mentoring & Office Culture:
  Maintain an active onsite presence at Apple offices to foster a strong, engaged, and collaborative team environment. Provide immediate feedback, real-time coaching, and face‑to‑face support during critical program gates (such as Build/Ramp approvals, Executive presentations, and Cost Forums).
• Tools & Processes:
  Support identification and drive implementation of AI‑enabled tools and process improvements across the operations and cross‑functional teams.
• Formulate Strategy and Cost Governance
• Strategic & Cross‑Functional Alignment:
  Drive the team to develop, refine, and implement sourcing strategies for Softgoods Materials that align with Apple's overarching product roadmap and operations goals. Socialize and develop cross‑functional support of targeted initiatives or strategic decisions. Ensure that supply chain structures are designed for responsiveness and maximum flexibility to support changing product needs and volume demands.
• Portfolio & Project Allocation:
  Oversee the allocation of team resources and program assignments. Actively monitor team bandwidth, creatively restructure workloads when resource‑constrained, and prioritize or develop solutions to complex program challenges.
• Cost Governance:
  Provide strategic oversight for the team's cost strategies. Drive the team's cost‑negotiation framework, identify cost risks and opportunities, review and approve cost targets with cross‑functional teams and leadership, and lead high‑value negotiations.
• Cap Ex Management:
  Oversee capital expenditure planning and execution across the material supply base. Partner with suppliers and internal teams to scope, approve, and track Cap Ex investments required for new material development, capacity expansion, and plant qualification activities. Ensure Cap Ex commitments are aligned with program timelines and Apple's financial governance requirements.
• Contracts & Agreements:
  Support the team in executing commercial agreements with new suppliers or material development activities, and develop unique solutions as required.
• Cultivate Strategic Supplier Alliances
• Strategic Relationships:
  Establish, grow, and…