Strategic Sourcing Manager

Company Overview

At Northern Tool + Equipment we get up every day to serve the tradespeople who keep our country running strong and the weekend warriors who want to work like them. It’s our mission to make sure they have the right tools for the job, and an easy, hassle-free experience at our store so they can get in, get out and get on with the job at hand.

Your top priority is to play a critical role in ensuring a resilient, cost‑effective, and high‑quality supply base for NTE’s manufacturing facility in Faribault, Minnesota. This role goes beyond transactional purchasing—focusing instead on long‑term supplier strategy, risk mitigation, and cross‑functional collaboration to support both current production and new product development.

You will be responsible for sourcing key components, developing supplier partnerships, negotiating long‑term agreements, and ensuring that materials and parts meet engineering specifications and production requirements. This position is central to maintaining uninterrupted operations, improving gross margins, and strengthening the company’s competitive advantage.

Your positive, professional, roll‑up-your‑sleeves‑to‑help attitude contributes to our winning culture and makes sure we leave a lasting impression.

This role will require 2‑3 days/week onsite at our Faribault, MN manufacturing facility.

• Identify, evaluate, and qualify domestic and global suppliers for critical components, including electronics, raw metals, and custom‑engineered parts.
• Develop and maintain a supplier portfolio that supports cost, quality, and capacity objectives.
• Lead supplier onboarding, audits, and performance evaluations.

• Use Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) models, should‑cost analysis, and market intelligence to drive cost reductions without compromising quality.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to support gross margin improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings through consolidation, alternative materials, or design changes.

• Monitor geopolitical, logistical, and capacity‑related risks across the supply chain.
• Develop contingency plans and dual‑sourcing strategies to prevent production disruptions.
• Assess sub‑tier supplier dependencies and proactively address vulnerabilities.

• Work closely with Engineering during New Product Development (NPD) to ensure components are manufacturable, cost‑effective, and available in the global marketplace.
• Collaborate with Quality, Operations, and Planning to align supplier capabilities with production needs.
• Provide sourcing input during design reviews and early‑stage product planning.

• Lead negotiations for Master Supply Agreements (MSAs), long‑term pricing, and service‑level commitments.
• Establish clear expectations for quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Manage ongoing supplier relationships to ensure alignment with business goals.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM or CSCP preferred.

• 5+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or global sourcing within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven success managing suppliers for engineered components or technical materials.

• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and bill of materials.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in cost modeling and market analysis.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and sourcing tools.

• Strong negotiation and communication abilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, operations, and leadership teams.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive approach to problem‑solving and risk management.

Northern Tool + Equipment is a family business with roots stretching back three generations to Minnesota’s Iron Range, where our blue‑collar work ethic and commitment to serving the people who do the tough jobs was born. Our mission is…