Position Overview:
The Commodity Manager develops and executes sourcing and commodity strategies for direct materials and third-party manufacturing partners supporting the medical device business. This role is responsible for identifying, qualifying, and developing external manufacturing and supplier partnerships that align with business needs, strengthen supply continuity, support price stability, improve supplier performance, and deliver measurable cost reduction. The Commodity Manager leads sourcing events, executes RFQs, negotiates supply and manufacturing agreements, and works cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, Finance, Legal, and Supply Chain to ensure sourcing decisions support business growth, compliance, quality, and total value.
What you will do:
- Develop and execute direct materials commodity strategies that support business objectives, total cost improvement, quality, regulatory compliance, price stability, and supply continuity.
- Identify, evaluate, qualify and develop third-party manufacturing partners and strategic suppliers to align with capacity, technology, quality, cost, and growth requirements.
- Participate in cross-functional project teams supporting new product introductions, outsourcing initiatives, supplier transitions, and lifecycle management activities for assigned commodities and manufacturing partners, ensuring alignment across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, and Supply Chain functions.
- Lead end-to-end sourcing processes, including market analysis, supplier discovery, RFQ/RFP development, bid evaluation, supplier selection, award recommendations, and implementation.
- Negotiate contracts, supply agreements, pricing structures, commercial terms, service level expectations, and long-term partnership frameworks with direct material suppliers and contract manufacturers.
- Identify and execute cost reduction opportunities through negotiation, outsourcing, design-to-cost initiatives, value engineering, supplier productivity improvements, and supply base optimization.
- Partner with Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Legal to ensure sourcing plans meet product, process, quality system, compliance, and business requirements.
- Monitor supplier performance, capacity, risk, cost drivers, market trends, and business continuity risks; develops mitigation plans to protect supply and support production needs.
- Maintain commodity roadmaps, savings pipelines, supplier scorecards, sourcing documentation, and regular stakeholder communication on sourcing project status and results.
- Represent the company positively and builds supplier partnerships that support quality, innovation, compliance, and long-term business value.
Skills for Success:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, or related field.
- 5+ years of experience in direct materials procurement, commodity management, strategic sourcing, supplier management, or manufacturing sourcing, preferably in the medical device, life sciences, or other regulated manufacturing industry.
- Experience with direct materials sourcing, commodity management, supplier development, and third-party manufacturing within a regulated medical device or life sciences environment.
- Strong understanding of strategic sourcing, total cost of ownership, contract negotiation, supplier qualification, and supplier performance management.
- Ability to analyze cost structures, market dynamics, capacity constraints, supplier risk, and make-versus-buy opportunities.
- Experience collaborating with Quality, Regulatory, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, and Supply Chain teams to support compliant and effective sourcing decisions.
- Strong negotiation, analytical, project management, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to influence cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and drive results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Proficiency in ERP, procurement, and data analysis tools such as QAD, SAP, Ariba, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Project
- 25% Travel - may include supplier visits, audits, business reviews, and manufacturing partner assessments.
