Strategic Sourcing Specialist

Job description

Overview

The Strategic Sourcing Specialist is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that improve supplier performance, reduce costs, mitigate supply risk, and strengthen QES's overall procurement capabilities. This role works closely with Purchasing, Engineering, Product Management, Planning, Quality, Receiving, Logistics, and strategic suppliers to evaluate spend, identify sourcing opportunities, develop supplier strategies, and deliver measurable business results.

The position will initially focus on learning QES products, manufacturing processes, ERP and purchasing workflows, engineering drawings, BOM structures, quality standards, suppliers, and current purchasing practices. The role will then develop and execute commodity strategies, competitive sourcing initiatives, supplier performance programs, cost-reduction opportunities, and supplier risk-management plans.

Key Responsibilities
- Company, Product & Supplier Assessment
- Complete onboarding and required training.
- Learn QES products, manufacturing processes, ERP systems, and purchasing workflows.
- Review engineering drawings and BOM structures.
- Learn QES quality standards and supplier expectations.
- Meet with Purchasing Agents to understand existing suppliers.
- Review the top 80% of annual spend.
- Identify strategic suppliers based on spend, lead time, and risk.
- Review supplier performance, including on-time delivery, quality, lead times, price history, and sole-source items.
- Build relationships with Engineering, Product Management, Planning, Quality, Receiving, and Logistics.
- Schedule introductory meetings with key suppliers.
- Complete a supplier risk assessment, spend analysis by commodity, and identification of top sourcing opportunities.

Commodity Strategy & Competitive Sourcing
- Develop sourcing strategies for commodities and prioritize commodities for review.
- Issue RFQs to alternate suppliers.
- Evaluate supplier capabilities.
- Build an Engineering-approved alternate supplier list.
- Develop supplier scorecards measuring cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, capacity, and financial risk.
- Identify cost-reduction opportunities through supplier consolidation, volume leverage, standardization, material substitutions, freight optimization, and long-term agreements.
- Standardize RFQ templates, bid comparisons, sourcing recommendation templates, and supplier selection criteria.
- Develop commodity sourcing strategies and complete competitive bids.
- Identify and present annual cost-savings opportunities to leadership.

Strategic Execution & Supplier Management
- Complete strategic sourcing initiatives that produce measurable business results.
- Negotiate improved pricing.
- Qualify alternate suppliers.
- Execute supplier agreements.
- Reduce lead times and increase supplier capacity.
- Develop supplier improvement plans.
- Implement quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with strategic suppliers.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic suppliers.
- Develop risk-management plans for single-source suppliers, long-lead-time materials, capacity constraints, and tariff exposure.
- Establish and monitor KPIs including annualized cost savings, cost avoidance, supplier on-time delivery, lead-time reduction, supplier responsiveness, and number of qualified alternate suppliers.
- Develop an annual sourcing roadmap, supplier scorecard dashboard, and quarterly supplier review schedule.

Knowledge and Experience Requirements
- Understanding of purchasing, sourcing, supplier management, and procurement processes.
- Ability to learn and understand QES products and manufacturing processes.
- Ability to understand ERP purchasing workflows.
- Ability to review engineering drawings and BOM structures.
- Ability to analyze supplier spend, pricing, lead times, quality, delivery, capacity, and risk.
- Experience or demonstrated ability to conduct competitive sourcing and RFQ processes.
- Ability to evaluate supplier capabilities and develop alternate supplier sources.
Understanding of supplier performance measurement and scorecards.
- Ability to identify and execute cost-reduction and cost-avoidance opportunities.
- Ability to develop and implement sourcing strategies by commodity.
- Ability to identify and mitigate supplier and material risks.
- Ability to work with Engineering, Product Management, Planning, Quality, Receiving, Logistics, Purchasing, leadership, and external suppliers.
- Ability to establish and monitor sourcing and supplier-performance KPIs.

Core Competencies & Skills
- Strategic sourcing and commodity management.
- Supplier relationship management.
- Competitive bidding and RFQ management.
- Supplier evaluation and qualification.
- Cost analysis, negotiation, and cost reduction.
- Spend analysis and data-driven decision making.
- Supplier performance management.
- Risk identification and mitigation.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and relationship building.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to prioritize sourcing opportunities based on spend, lead time, risk, and business impact.
- Strong organizational and project management skills.
- Ability to develop standardized processes, templates, scorecards, and sourcing tools.
- Ability to communicate sourcing recommendations and opportunities to leadership.
Results-oriented approach focused on measurable cost savings, cost avoidance, supplier performance, lead-time improvement, capacity, and supply continuity.
Continuous improvement mindset.

30/60/90-Day Success Expectations

First 30 Days - Learn and Assess

Complete onboarding and required training.
Develop knowledge of QES products, manufacturing, ERP, purchasing workflows, engineering drawings, BOMs, quality standards, and supplier expectations.
Review the top 80% of annual spend and identify strategic suppliers and sourcing opportunities.
Assess supplier performance and risk.
Build relationships with key internal departments and suppliers.
Deliver a supplier risk assessment, commodity spend analysis, and prioritized sourcing opportunities.

Days 31-60 - Develop the Strategy

Develop commodity sourcing strategies.
Prioritize commodities for review.
Conduct competitive RFQs and evaluate alternate suppliers.
Develop Engineering-approved alternate supplier options.
Establish supplier scorecards.
Identify cost-reduction opportunities.
Standardize RFQs, bid comparisons, sourcing recommendations, and supplier selection criteria.
Complete the first competitive bid.
Develop an annual cost-savings pipeline and present sourcing opportunities to leadership.

Days 61-90 - Execute and Deliver Results

Complete initial strategic sourcing projects.
Negotiate improved pricing, qualify alternate suppliers, execute supplier agreements, reduce lead times, and/or increase supplier capacity.
Establish supplier improvement plans and QBRs.
Develop plans for single-source suppliers, long-lead-time materials, capacity constraints, and tariff exposure.
Establish sourcing KPIs.
Complete the first sourcing project.
Develop an annual sourcing roadmap, supplier scorecard dashboard, and quarterly supplier review schedule.