Strategic Sourcing Manager - Mechanical Components

** Strategic Sourcing Manager - Mechanical Components*
* ** Southeastern Wisconsin / Northern Illinois*
* ** Help Build the Supply Chain Behind a Growing Advanced Manufacturing Leader*
* Our client is a global manufacturer of industrial automation, motion control, robotics, power management, and advanced manufacturing technologies serving some of the world's fastest-growing industries. As the organization continues a major North American expansion, they are seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager - Mechanical Components to help strengthen and scale a critical supplier network supporting future growth and innovation.

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* Why This Role?:

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* This is far more than a traditional commodity management position. You'll have the opportunity to:

+ Own a strategic portfolio representing approximately $75M in annual spend.

+ Influence sourcing strategy, supplier selection, and supply base development decisions that will support the company's long-term growth objectives.

+ Partner directly with leaders across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Product Management, and Supply Chain.

+ Play a visible role within an organization making significant investments in manufacturing expansion, automation, technology, and operational excellence.

+ Help shape the supplier network that will support the next decade of growth.

+ Make meaningful business decisions that impact quality, delivery performance, customer satisfaction, and profitability.

If you enjoy understanding how products are made, solving complex manufacturing challenges, developing suppliers, and driving measurable business results, this is the type of role where your work will have a direct and lasting impact.

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* The Opportunity:

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* The Strategic Sourcing Manager will lead sourcing strategy for a portfolio of fabricated and machined components that are critical to manufacturing operations.

This individual will evaluate supplier capabilities, analyze manufacturing processes, identify capacity constraints, negotiate commercial agreements, drive cost improvements, and develop supplier strategies that support aggressive business growth plans.

Success in this role requires someone who can move comfortably between strategic planning, supplier development, operational problem-solving, and cross-functional leadership.

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* Key Responsibilities:

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* ** Strategic Sourcing & Commodity Leadership*
* + Develop and execute sourcing strategies for mechanical components and assemblies.

+ Evaluate supplier capabilities, capacity, quality systems, and cost competitiveness.

+ Lead supplier selection, onboarding, development, and rationalization initiatives.

+ Negotiate contracts, commercial agreements, and pricing strategies.

+ Drive cost reduction and cost avoidance opportunities across the supply base.

** Supplier Development & Performance Improvement*
* + Build strong relationships with strategic suppliers and manufacturing partners.

+ Analyze supplier operations and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, capacity, and responsiveness.

+ Lead supplier improvement initiatives and performance reviews.

+ Support long-term supplier capability planning and growth initiatives.

** Manufacturing & Process Analysis*
* + Evaluate manufacturing processes, production constraints, and cost drivers.

+ Utilize process mapping, value stream analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies to support decision-making.

+ Assess supplier capacity and scalability to support future business requirements.

+ Support new product introductions and supplier readiness activities.

** Cross-Functional Collaboration*
* + Partner closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Product Management, Finance, and Supply Chain teams.

+ Help resolve supplier-related challenges affecting production, quality, and delivery performance.

+ Influence strategic decisions and drive alignment across stakeholders throughout the organization.

** Qualifications &

Experience:

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* ** Required*
* + Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Business, or a related discipline.

+ 5+ years of experience in Strategic Sourcing, Commodity Management, Supplier Development, Procurement, Manufacturing Engineering, or Supply Chain within a manufacturing environment.

+ Experience sourcing fabricated, machined, stamped, forged, or engineered mechanical components.

+ Strong analytical, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.

+ Ability to evaluate manufacturing processes, supplier operations, and cost structures.

** Preferred*
* + Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or another highly technical background.

+ Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, APQP, PPAP, or Continuous Improvement experience.

+ SAP, ERP, Ariba, or advanced sourcing systems experience.

+ Experience assessing supplier capacity, production flow, and operational performance.

** Who Will Excel Here?*
* The strongest candidates are typically individuals who started their careers in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or process…