Strategic Sourcing Manager

Description

G.S. Precision is a global leader in the manufacture of critical components for the Aerospace and Defense Industries. We are a team of 700 dedicated people in facilities totaling 230,000 square feet in four integrated locations. We leverage our 60+ years of experience along with investments in the latest technologies to engineer processes that yield consistent and competitive results with superior quality.

Our culture is based on our Company Values which include Transparent Accountability, Humility, Customer Focused, Empathy, and Inclusiveness. These values guide all levels of the organization when communicating with our customers and each other. They help us to reach our goals and grow our business and to hire great talent!

We offer a competitive benefits package, which includes but not limited to:

• Comprehensive Health, Dental and Vision Care Coverage
• Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance
• Company Paid Short-Term Disability
• 401 (k) Matching Retirement Plan
• Employer Funded Health Reimbursement Account
• Flexible Spending Account
• Paid Holidays
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Dependent Care Spending Account
• Employee Assistance Program
• Educational Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Safety Shoe Allowance
• Prescription Safety Glasses Program
• Shift Differentials for 2nd and 3rd Shifts
• Bereavement Leave

Location: On-site in Brattleboro, VT

Strategic Sourcing Manager

The Strategic Sourcing Manager provides category management leadership for a multi-plant aerospace and defense manufacturing organization. The role develops and executes sourcing strategies across multiple spend categories, leads critical sourcing initiatives, negotiates long-term supplier agreements, manages supply risk, and drives cost, quality, delivery, and cash performance. The Strategic Sourcing Manager is a technical and commercial mentor to the procurement team, and a trusted partner to Operations, Engineering, Quality, Programs, Sales, and Finance.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Category and Sourcing Strategy

• Own sourcing and cash management strategies for all assigned categories, including raw metals, castings, forgings, special processes, machining, hardware, or indirect spend.

• Lead sourcing, supplier selection, and negotiations for critical, high-value or high-risk categories.

• Develop and execute annual cost-reduction plans.

• Define which categories and spend levels Procurement Agents source on their own, and set the strategy, pricing targets, and approved supplier base they work within.

• Serve as the escalation point for agent-led sourcing decisions that affect supplier strategy, single-source risk, or long-term commitments.

• Lead total cost of ownership initiatives across the procurement organization.

• Consolidate spend across plants, rationalize the supplier base, and set sole-, single-, and dual-source strategies based on risk.

• Lead RFQs and competitive sourcing events for new programs, re-sourcing, and make-vs-buy decisions.

Negotiations and Contract Management

• Negotiate and draft long-term agreements (LTAs), pricing, raw material surcharge and index mechanisms, capacity reservations, and consignment programs.

• Work with Finance and Suppliers to improve terms and conditions.

• Build should-cost and total-cost-of-ownership models to support negotiations and customer quotes.

Supplier Performance, Risk Management, and Continuity

• Own supplier delivery, quality, and cost performance across all categories, using scorecards covering OTD, quality, responsiveness, and cost.

• Conduct periodic business reviews with strategic suppliers and own improvement plans.

• Lead resolution of major and chronic supplier delivery and quality problems, including root-cause analysis (8D), on-site improvement plans, supplier probation, and resourcing decisions.

• Plan and carry out supplier exits and transitions without disrupting production.

• Partner with Quality and Supplier Quality on source approvals, supplier audits, SCAR closure, and Nadcap/customer approval status.

• Monitor and mitigate mill lead times, allocations, and capacity for long-lead materials such as titanium, nickel alloys, and castings.

• Identify single points of failure, and develop mitigation plans: alternate sources, safety stock, and bridge buys.

• Track commodity markets, tariffs, and geopolitical factors, and brief leadership on cost and availability impacts.

Quality Compliance

• Ensure agreements and purchase orders carry the correct AS9100, DFARS (specialty metals, counterfeit parts), ITAR/EAR, and customer flow-down requirements (DPAS, AOG, etc.).

• Validate supplier compliance with specialty metals melt requirements, and material traceability

• Maintain and own the Approved Supplier Listing aligned with customer-approved source lists, including special processors and Nadcap status.

• Verify that key suppliers flow requirements to their own subtiers and use only approved sources.

• Support customer, registrar, and audits of the purchasing process, flow-downs, and source approvals.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong commercial judgment.

• Confident, prepared, and action-oriented negotiator who holds suppliers accountable while protecting relationships.

• Analytical and data-driven on cost and risk.

• Credible influencer with suppliers, business leadership, and executives.

• Detail-oriented on compliance without slowing the business down.

• Strong understanding of contract drafting, negotiations, and technically complex products.

• Strong technical aptitude, with the ability to quickly learn new tools and technology.

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, engineering, or a related field.

• 5+ years of procurement experience in manufacturing.

• Proven track record negotiating long-term supply agreements and delivering cost savings.

• Demonstrated success resolving supplier delivery or quality problems, including resourcing.

• Advanced business tool skills and ability to develop cost models.

• Proficiency with an ERP systems.

Preferred

• 7-10+ years of procurement experience.

• Commodity expertise in aerospace metals (titanium, Inconel/nickel alloys, A-286, PH stainless, aluminum plate) and NADCAP special processes.

• Experience supporting a multi-plant or centralized procurement organization.

• ISM or APICS certification.

• Experience mentoring or leading procurement agents.

We are looking for people who are highly motivated with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Must be a professional with strong work ethic and comfortable working as part of a team that includes all levels of the organization.

Come join our team!

G.S. Precision is committed to Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and to be in compliance with all Federal, State and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, natural origin, ethnicity, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, genetic disposition, disability or veteran’s status or any other classification protected by State/Federal laws.