Strategic Sourcing Manager

About the role

Avantor is looking for a Strategic Sourcing Manager who will oversee large-scale sourcing projects, including supplier selection, performance management, contract negotiations and risk mitigation. The role covers a supplier portfolio exceeding $150 million in cost of goods sold, combining market intelligence, spend analytics, competitive sourcing, contract negotiation and supplier relationship management. It works across global sourcing, portfolio teams, operations, commercial, quality, regulatory, finance and legal functions.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies aligned with business, growth, margin, quality and supply-continuity priorities.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives: opportunity assessment, market analysis, RFPs, competitive tendering, supplier evaluation, negotiation, selection, contracting and implementation.
• Use spend, cost, demand and market data to build business cases, set savings targets and drive benefits realization.
• Negotiate commercial agreements optimising total cost of ownership, service, quality, payment terms, capacity and risk protection.
• Build supplier relationships, set performance scorecards, run business reviews and lead corrective and improvement actions.
• Partner with stakeholders to turn business needs into sourcing strategies, and work with Global Sourcing to aggregate demand and find regional and global opportunities.
• Source chemicals and life-science products and company-branded manufacturing operations.
• Assess supplier, geopolitical, capacity, quality, regulatory and continuity risks and develop contingency and alternate-source strategies.
• Work with legal counsel so contracts meet company standards and compliance requirements.
• Lead annual price negotiations and monitor commodity, inflation and market trends.
• Update business leaders on sourcing pipelines, financial impact, supplier performance and risks, and lead sourcing professionals where applicable.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, finance, engineering, science or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Five or more years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, procurement or supply chain in a complex, global or regulated environment.
• Proven track record leading competitive sourcing, complex negotiations, supplier selection and contract implementation.
• Category experience in laboratory chemicals and life-science products, raw materials and similar areas.
• Experience managing significant spend portfolios and delivering savings, supplier performance and risk-reduction results.
• Professional sourcing or supply-chain certification (e.g. CPSM or CIPS) is a plus.

Required skills

• Spend analysis, cost modeling, market intelligence, benchmarking and financial business cases.
• Category management, supplier segmentation, performance management and risk mitigation.
• Proficiency with ERP, e-sourcing, contract management, supplier performance and data-visualization tools.
• Working knowledge of contract principles, international trade, procurement compliance and product regulations.