Procurement / Sourcing Manager - hybrid

Sourcing Manager

Sunnyvale, CA - Hybrid - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in the office

Strong candidate with a software negotiation background - SaaS deals, support or licensing deals, Google Cloud deals would be great

Some enterprise Ai experience would be great

Technology and procurement background

Interview process : initial screening with manager (virtual), then panel style interview with multiple team members (onsite)

Bachelor's degree is required

Job Description

Primary Function of Position

The Sr. Manager of Technology Sourcing will lead and manage our digital technology strategic sourcing projects within Global Enterprise Procurement (Indirect). Reporting to the Global of head of Strategic Sourcing & Category Management, this role is key in developing and implementing sourcing strategies that align with business goals, support company innovation, while ensuring cost efficiency and supplier performance. Preferred candidates will have significant experience sourcing and negotiating emerging digital technologies, cloud services, AI and automation platforms.

The Sr. Manager will collaborate with stakeholders across the organization to optimize the digital technology purchasing and supply chain. This role requires domain expertise, independent leadership, strategic influence on spending, and effective collaboration with Intuitive's digital technology, contracts, legal, finance, and business teams.

Essential Job Duties

1. Supplier Relationship Management :

Build and sustain strong supplier partnerships to promote collaboration, trust, and mutual success.

Act as the main liaison for suppliers concerning performance and strategic initiatives.

Regularly review supplier performance, evaluate capabilities, and implement plans to boost performance and reliability.

Set global standards to evaluate supplier performance and minimize business risks.

2. Strategic Sourcing :

Independently manage the RFx or strategic sourcing process for complex projects, from initiation to completion.

Analyze spending patterns and conduct market and supplier assessments to uncover cost-saving and innovation opportunities.

Lead cross-functional teams to develop category strategies aligned with business goals and market trends.

Optimize buying channels and create strategies for assigned spend categories, considering Procure to Pay (P2P) requirements.

Work with IT & Digital portfolio owners to establish and execute legacy renewals and maintenance strategies.

Provide comprehensive financial analysis for bid comparisons and alternative proposals.

3. Contract Management :

Negotiate and manage supplier contracts, ensuring compliance with company policies and industry standards.

Monitor contract performance and compliance with terms and conditions.

Possess in-depth knowledge of terms and conditions included in IT & Digital contracts.

Identify opportunities for contract optimization or consolidation to enhance cost efficiency and reduce risks.

Secure favorable terms, focusing on long-term agreements, quality, service compliance, and discounts while minimizing company risk.

4. Category Management :

Establish a baseline for current spend categories and define future success criteria considering business goals and market conditions.

Analyze market trends, risks, and potential new suppliers.

Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the health of managed spend categories.

Implement spend treatment plans for all levels of spend and risk within the category.

Work with suppliers and stakeholders to execute the category strategy.

Required Skills and Experience

12+ years of experience, with at least 10 years in a procurement role.

Proven experience sourcing technology categories and their contracts with specific expertise with CSP (AWS, Azure, GCP etc.), SaaS (e.g. JFrog, Github, OpenAI etc.).

Exceptional negotiation skills, capable of guiding teams through complex and ambiguous situations.

Knowledgeable in CSP demand management, usage / optimization, resource management, etc.

Strong conceptual thinking abilities to navigate and resolve intricate challenges.

Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, suitable for engaging with team members and senior management.

Superior analytical skills to quickly assess situations, perform root cause analysis, and draw meaningful conclusions.

Extensive experience in managing change across diverse stakeholder groups.

Proven ability to influence senior leadership on strategic directions, value propositions, and sourcing recommendations.

Strong skills in contract and vendor negotiation to secure favorable outcomes.

Ability to build consensus and act as an impartial mediator to achieve sourcing objectives without compromising service quality or increasing risk / cost.

Expertise in concurrently managing multiple projects and tasks, with a solid understanding of business requirements and project management methodologies.

Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy with minimal supervision.

Proficient in listening, understanding, and communicating effectively with employees at all levels.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within Intuitive and with suppliers.

Required Education and Training

Minimum Bachelor's Degree Required (Business, Supply Chain management, Finance, or related Discipline preferred)