United States onlyThe Senior Strategic Sourcer will play a pivotal role in managing key supplier relationships, driving strategic sourcing initiatives, and ensuring cost-effective procurement across specific commodity categories. This is a principal level individual contributor role focused specifically on semiconductor commodities, reporting directly to the VP of Strategic Sourcing. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in supplier negotiations, contract management, cost reduction strategies, and commodity market analysis. This individual will work closely with internal stakeholders and suppliers to optimize the end-to-end supply chain, maintain supply continuity, and enhance supplier performance. Leadership responsibilities include developing a contracting Center-of-Excellence accountable for driving continuous improvement in contracting and negotiation skills throughout the organization.
Key Responsibilities:
- Commodity Strategy Development: Lead the development and execution of commodity-specific sourcing strategies to ensure the availability of high-quality, cost-effective materials.
- Supplier Management: Manages strategic supplier relationships at an executive level, while driving value through strategic sourcing decisions. Aligns philosophical business partnership and working model across executive leadership at both companies. Evaluates supplier performance, resolve issues, and drive improvements in quality, delivery, and cost.
- Negotiation and Contracting: Lead negotiations with suppliers on pricing, terms, and service level agreements (SLAs). Develop and manage contracts to meet company objectives. Manages compliance to contracting terms and proactively develops and manages contracting metrics
- Cost Optimization: Drive cost-saving initiatives within the commodity group. Identify opportunities for cost reductions, alternative suppliers, and process improvements.
- Market Analysis: Monitor commodity market trends and dynamics. Provide insights on pricing trends, potential supply risks, and opportunities for alternative sourcing.
- Collaboration: Work cross-functionally with engineering, product development, logistics, and manufacturing teams to align commodity sourcing with production needs and timelines.
- Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify supply chain risks (e.g., material shortages, supplier disruptions) and develop mitigation plans to ensure continuity of supply.
- Performance Reporting: Track key supplier and commodity performance metrics, including delivery lead times, quality metrics, and cost savings, and report on progress to senior leadership.
- Supplier Development: Work with suppliers to improve their capabilities, drive innovation, and ensure alignment with quality standards and production schedules.
- A minimum bachelor's degree in engineering + master's degree in business administration with 10+ years of relevant experience in Contract/Supplier Management.
- Direct experience in semiconductor industry
- Proven experience in supplier negotiations, cost reduction strategies, and market intelligence analysis
- Deep expertise in contracting and supplier contract negotiations
- Strong legal acumen
- Demonstrated excellence in leading and driving organizational transformations
- Ability to drive results in a matrixed, cross-functional organization through executive presence, stakeholder management, communication and influence
- Proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and procurement tools (e.g., Ariba, Coupa).
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions and provide strategic insights to leadership.
Preferred:
- Master’s degree (MBA or MS in Supply Chain or Engineering).
- Certification in procurement (e.g., CPSM, CPM) or Six Sigma.
- Experience in designing and implementing supplier development or training programs, particularly around contracting and negotiation.
- Experience in designing and implementing supplier relationship management programs across globally matrixed organizations
Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here.
Western Digital thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.
Western Digital is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at jobs.accommodations@wdc.com to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.
Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 03/08/2026 (3 months from posting), although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this posting with a new anticipated application
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