Strategic Sourcing Specialist (IT and Technology Categories

Strategic Sourcing Specialist (IT and Technology Categories)

The Strategic Sourcing Specialist is responsible for leading sourcing and procurement activities across Engineering Lab Equipment, IT Hardware, Software, Cloud Services, Information Security technologies, technical products, equipment, electronic components, and related professional services. This role independently manages sourcing projects from business requirements through supplier selection, contract negotiations, and supplier management while delivering measurable value through cost savings, cost avoidance, risk mitigation, and operational improvements.

The ideal candidate is a self-directed sourcing professional who can manage multiple sourcing initiatives, develop strong stakeholder relationships, and effectively partner with Engineering, IT, Finance, Legal, and business leaders in a fast-paced technology environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Sourcing & Category Management

• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives for Engineering Lab Equipment, Test & Measurement Equipment, Validation Equipment, Lab Infrastructure, IT Hardware, Enterprise Software, SaaS, Cloud Services, Information Security solutions, and Professional Services.
• Develop sourcing strategies, competitive bidding events, RFQs, RFIs, and RFPs to identify the best commercial and technical solutions.
• Conduct supplier evaluations, market assessments, benchmarking analysis, and supplier selection activities.
• Lead supplier negotiations to achieve business objectives related to cost, quality, delivery, service levels, and commercial terms.
• Execute sourcing projects from requirements gathering through contract execution and supplier onboarding with minimal supervision.

Supplier Relationship Management & Risk Mitigation

• Identify, qualify, and develop suppliers capable of supporting Engineering, IT, and business requirements.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance to improve quality, responsiveness, innovation, and overall value delivery.
• Conduct supplier business reviews and performance assessments to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify and mitigate supplier risks including single-source dependencies, supply constraints, long lead-time equipment, cybersecurity risks, and business continuity concerns.

Contract Management & Commercial Negotiations

• Partner with Legal and business stakeholders to negotiate and execute contracts including NDAs, MSAs, SOWs, Software Licensing Agreements, Cloud Agreements, Hardware Purchase Agreements, Maintenance Agreements, and Professional Services Agreements.
• Ensure agreements contain appropriate commercial protections including service levels, deliverables, acceptance criteria, confidentiality, intellectual property ownership, indemnification, warranty provisions, and termination rights.
• Drive favorable commercial terms through effective negotiation strategies and market intelligence.

Cost Optimization & Financial Analysis

• Deliver annual cost savings and cost avoidance objectives through strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Analyze supplier proposals, pricing structures, market benchmarks, and total cost of ownership models to support business decisions.
• Track and report savings, spending trends, budget performance, and sourcing project outcomes.
• Develop business cases and sourcing recommendations utilizing data-driven analysis.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Engineering, IT, Information Security, Finance, Legal, Operations, and business stakeholders to align sourcing strategies with technical requirements and project timelines.
• Support procurement activities related to prototype builds, laboratory expansions, technology deployments, cybersecurity initiatives, cloud migrations, and infrastructure investments.
• Provide sourcing expertise and commercial guidance throughout project planning and execution.

Continuous Improvement & Market Intelligence

• Monitor industry trends, supplier developments, emerging technologies, licensing models, and market conditions to identify opportunities and risks.
• Drive procurement process improvements, compliance initiatives, supplier governance activities, and sourcing best practices.
• Prepare and present sourcing recommendations, supplier performance updates, savings results, risk assessments, and project status reports to management.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Finance, Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, supply chain, or supplier management.
• Experience independently managing sourcing projects and supplier negotiations.
• Experience sourcing one or more of the following categories:
• Engineering Lab Equipment
• Test and Measurement Equipment
• Validation and Prototype Equipment
• IT Hardware and Infrastructure
• Enterprise Software
• SaaS Applications
• Cloud Services
• Information Security Technologies
• Professional Services
• Strong negotiation skills…