Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Strategic Sourcing Manager
A Strategic Sourcing Manager is a professional who develops and executes sourcing strategies. They draft and negotiate supplier agreements and implement strategies to drive supply chain flexibility and risk mitigation. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Strategic Sourcing Managers.
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Main Responsibilities of Strategic Sourcing Manager
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Strategic Sourcing Manager:
Apply
Apply a disciplined methodology and procurement policies to the procurement of goods and services.
Apply project management concepts to the planning and execution of the sourcing process.
Apply risk management expertise in executing sourcing strategies.
Approve
Approve and oversee costs managed globally related to service provider(s).
Assist in
Assist in the development of strategic plans.
Assist in the timely resolution of safety and quality issues raised by customers or staff.
Build
Build a culture of continuous improvement and long-term productivity.
Build and sustain strategic supplier / vendor relationships.
Build change management plans of varying scope and type.
Build transparency of Supplier spend and key risks related to our suppliers.
Close
Close engagement and interaction with strategic Contract Manufacturers and Supplier.
Coach
Coach and develop other positions as necessary.
Coach BU contract owners to drive performance and compliance of contracts.
Collaborate with
Collaborate effectively internally and with suppliers to gather data and develop analytical insights.
Collaborate internally at all levels and with suppliers.
Collaborate in the management of sourcing category initiatives end-to-end.
Collaborate to build best spend management practices and technology trends.
Collaborate with suppliers and business to drive process improvements and demand management.
Collaborate with teams across the globe to speed up innovation.
Communicate
Communicate with Business Partners, coworkers and management in a clear, concise and timely manner.
Communicate with stakeholders to reach objectives in a timely manner.
Conduct
Conduct analysis to inform strategic recommendations.
Conduct independent analysis and assessment to resolve strategic issues.
Conduct periodic visits to supplier work locations to evaluate vendor performance.
Conduct regular market and spend analysis programs to drive cost savings and supplier improvements.
Conduct regular Supplier Performance and Alliance Relationship review meetings.
Conduct spend, specification, demand and market analysis to identify / evaluate value opportunities.
Conduct strategic sourcing process including, RFQs, RFIs, and RFPs.
Conduct training and information meetings where needed.
Coordinate
Coordinate workforce planning to maximize productivity while meeting project demands.
Create
Create, maintain and manage robust procurement activity plan for the site.
Create, modifies, renews, terminates contracts as required.
Create Quarterly Playbooks.
Create strategy documents and present for sourcing opportunities.
Cultivate
Cultivate systemic understanding of organizational goals, objectives, and requirements.
Define
Define and review Supplier Action Plans.
Define concepts for cost price minimization.
Define the market, cost structure and suppliers.
Demonstrate
Demonstrate efficient and effective use of strategic sourcing and Procure-to-Pay processes.
Design
Design and produce regular and ad-hoc reports, and dashboards.
Develop
Develop a decision matrix to drive objective business recommendation to departments & stakeholders.
Develop and communicate in-depth knowledge of key material market suppliers and cost infrastructure.
Develop and execute sourcing strategies.
Develop and Implement contract negotiation strategy for assigned suppliers.
Develop and implements strategies to proactively manage down costs.
Develop a team of professionals by cross-training, coaching, and mentoring.
Develop business cases to assess opportunities.
Develop Category Management Framework and Sourcing Strategy.
Develop effective multi-year negotiation strategies to enable success.
Develop effective multiyear sourcing and negotiation strategies to enable success.
Develop innovation partnerships.
Develop multi-year commodity strategy which fully reflects requirements of the stakeholders.
Develop of a strategic sourcing strategy for assigned categories.
Develop off-shore supply base by identifying, evaluating, and selecting second source suppliers.
Develop processes and systems to support Global Procurement Excellence.
Develop, recommends, and implements outsourcing programs and procedures.
Develop sourcing strategies, build a scope, stakeholder map, sourcing approach and spend analysis.
Develop strong cross-functional stakeholder support for assigned category of spend.
Develop trust based relationships with department stakeholders.
Direct
Direct and coordinate activities, forecasting, and performance of all vendors.
Display
Display positive attitude toward all protocols, procedures, and systems.
Draft
Draft and negotiate supplier agreements.
Draw
Draw upon the analysis of others and makes recommendations that have a direct impact on the company.
Drive
Drive and establish sourcing process and methodologies.
Drive and implement the signed agreements for sourcing decisions.
Drive contract and bidding management process.
Drive positive change in the world while working with the best and brightest.
Drive end to end execution of sourcing category initiatives.
Drive Technology decisions and selection with Design Engineering based upon Commodity Strategies.
Employ
Employ advanced program and project management tools, solutions and techniques.
Employ strong knowledge of key industry players, competitors and market dynamics.
Employ strong knowledge of key Supply Chain industry players, competitors and market dynamics.
Ensure
Ensure compliance to sourcing and contracting policies and procedures.
Ensure performance objectives are clearly defined and articulated.
Establish
Establish, manage, and execute sourcing strategies for Plastics Division.
Evaluate
Evaluate and select Supplier.
Evaluate supplier core competencies and competitive positioning using industry cost models.
Execute
Execute all activities associated with Source-to-Pay.
Execute the RFP process, solution selection and negotiations to achieve the desired results.
Execute work to deliver timely, accurate, and efficient service.
Facilitate
Facilitate negotiations of supply agreements with assigned suppliers.
Help
Help determine business priorities and best sequence for execution of business / group strategy.
Help determine business priorities and best sequence for execution of sourcing strategy.
Identify
Identify, document, and implement opportunities for continuous improvement.
Identify emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.
Identify internal customer requirements for new product development phases and serial production.
Identify unique sources for data and information to leverage in category strategy and influencing.
Identify and capture cost savings and operational improvement opportunities.
Identify, create and manage relationships with key internal stakeholders.
Identify key benchmark suppliers in RF-x efforts.
Identify unique sources for data and information to leverage in category strategy and influencing.
Identify value / savings opportunities, process and service enhancements.
Implement
Implement new and renewed contract terms and services, coordinating with related teams.
Implement strategies to drive supply chain flexibility and risk mitigation.
Improve
Improve and rationalize supply base on an ongoing basis to improve usage and spend.
Influence
Influence and negotiate to achieve business objectives.
Interface with
Interface with Finance and departments to ensure compliance and savings flow though.
Keep
Keep those ambitions in sights and imagine where JLL can take you....
Lead
Lead and conduct negotiations with suppliers.
Lead and conduct the negotiations with suppliers.
Lead and drive the sourcing cycle leveraging learnings and expertise to accelerate and win deals.
Lead and support sustainability initiatives.
Lead by example and models behaviors that are consistent with the company's values.
Lead complex, cross functional sourcing projects.
Lead discovery and research of new vendors / technologies.
Lead measuring supplier performance, root cause issues, and driving improved performance.
Lead RF (x) activities for the assigned spend categories.
Lead team of sourcing professionals to strategic outcomes.
Lead the contract negotiation process with internal partners and suppliers.
Maintain
Maintain a high level of ‘Customer Focus' attitude.
Maintain and update supplier scorecards and address supplier performance issues.
Maintain knowledge of leading procurement practices and promote adoption of procurement standards.
Maintain strategic vendor alignment with goals & initiatives.
Maintain strategic vendor alignment with Operations and Global Procurement goals & initiatives.
Make
Make your mark in the fight against cancer.
Manage
Manage all aspects of new supplier bring-up and execute to project timelines / schedules.
Manage multiple programs / projects simultaneously and resolve conflicting priorities and objectives.
Manage Retail Merchandising budgets (National Programs, Regional Programs & Innovation).
Manage sourcing category / supply chain initiatives end-to-end.
Manage the contract life cycle of all spend categories for the Restaurant Division as assigned.
Manage the contract life cycle of complex categories as assigned.
Manage the contract life cycle of complex Store Design categories as assigned.
Manage the execution of the strategic sourcing processes.
Manage to budget / sub budgets and ensure that there is zero waste.
Measure
Measure, report and action cost improvement as compared to market pricing.
Mentor
Mentor and coaches team members to further develop competencies.
Mentor / educate suppliers through meetings.
Mentor other Supply Chain staff on best practices and procedures.
Monitor
Monitor industry trends and developments and update category strategy as needed.
Negotiate
Negotiate and drive component costing, and ensure continuous cost reduction.
Negotiate and minimize excess and obsolescence (E&O) and improve availability.
Negotiate commercial and contract terms with suppliers.
Optimize
Optimize and manage the existing strategic supplier alliance program.
Oversee
Oversee our Accessory (spin shoes, pedals, heart rate monitors, etc) supplier partners.
Own
Own all aspects of supplier performance.
Own and control spend for all direct and indirect purchases.
Own the interface to and lead engagement with suppliers for all RFI, RFP and RFQ activities.
Own the overall relationship with our key manufacturing partners in Asia / North America.
Participate
Participate and provide leadership to Preferred Supplier performance review meetings.
Participate in ongoing purchasing process improvement efforts.
Perform
Perform Initial Supplier Risk Assessment.
Perform periodic market trend analysis in the specific categories.
Plan
Plan and deliver on capacity planning for ramp and mass production.
Plan and conduct sourcing events (e.g. RFI, RFP, contract negotiation / renewal, etc.).
Plan and monitor appropriate staffing levels and utilization of labor, including overtime.
Prepare
Prepare and delivers performance appraisal for staff.
Prepare and present category business cases – ability to address and Executive audience.
Prepare budget information for all fixed regional and national contracts.
Prepare project plans and keep key stakeholders informed of the process and progress.
Process
Process Optimization and Internal Controls).
Promote
Promote a work environment that fosters creative thinking, innovation, and rational risk-taking.
Promote collaboration amongst the team.
Provide
Provide center-led direction on company practices, policy and procedure in the procurement area.
Provide coaching and support to others during the negotiation preparation phase.
Provide day to day oversight and drive for strong business results.
Provide end to end Supply Chain expertise and leadership.
Provide formal supervision to individual employees within single functional or operational area.
Provide insights and market perspectives to departments to support and enable their businesses.
Provide market assessment to identify preferred suppliers.
Provide specialized consulting, analytical and technical support.
Provide timely and comprehensive feedback on staff performance during review periods.
Recommend
Recommend and implement changes to achieve operating efficiencies and increase customer satisfaction.
Recommend and implement solutions based on analysis of issues and implications for the business.
Recommend staff recruitment, selection, promotion, advancement, corrective action and termination.
Report
Report analysis to Supply Chain and business stakeholders in a client ready form.
Report any issues that can impact the environment or the safety of the employees.
Research
Research and anticipate shifts in the negotiating power of suppliers.
Resolve
Resolve and / or escalate issues / risks quickly.
Review
Review, analyze and clarify vendor proposals and quotes to ensure equal comparison.
Review and analyze data to make effective business decisions.
Run
Run the execution of spend management projects that accomplish key objectives.
Secure
Secure access to supplier based technologies and innovation as required.
Seek
Seek and provide feedback and coaching to enhance performance.
Setup
Setup blanket purchase agreements with suppliers where appropriate.
Sign
Sign supplier contracts as per transferred Power of Attorney.
Support
Support budget information for all fixed regional and national contracts.
Support Category Management team's supplier relationship and performance programs with key suppliers.
Support e-procurement initiatives.
Support TPRM team in managing internal and external expectations during vendor risk assessments.
Support Vendor onboarding as needed.
Take
Take on additional responsibility when both big and small tasks need to be done.
Use
Use Account segmentation to inform investment / execution priorities.
Use performance measures to monitor and track performance, and address any issues.
Use performance measures to, monitor and track performance, and address any issues.
Utilize
Utilize continuous improvement initiatives.
Work with
Work closely with Physical Availability Team members.
Work Directly with Designated Activation Teams.
Work with assigned supply base to forecast material costs and develops standard cost lists.
Work with our Director of Business Intelligence to implement tools and dashboard reports as needed.
Work with suppliers to create value / savings and mitigate risk.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Strategic Sourcing Manager:
Sourcing
Business
Supply Chain Management
Procurement
Supplier Relationship Management
Business Ethics
Contracting Best Practices
Critical Procurement Legal Requirements
Sourcing Category Strategy
Supplier Continuous Improvement Programs
Category Management
Multi-Year Negotiation Strategies
Oracle
ERP Systems
Lean Initiatives
MS Powerpoint
Business Administration
Commodity Management
Contracting Trends
Cost Modeling
Cost Savings
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Strategic Sourcing Manager:
Written and oral communication skills
Analytical ability
Interpersonal skills
Negotiation
Problem-solving attitude
Organizational capacity
Integrity
Change management
Successfully manage complexity and multiple priorities
Collaborative
Leadership
Self-motivated
Teamwork
Meet cost targets
Presentation
Work ethic
Identifying
Influence
Lead teams in decentralized environment
Prioritizing risks
