Job Description

OVERVIEW:

Western Digital (WDC) is seeking a strategic, results-driven, and influential VP Strategic Sourcing to balance strategic and tactical execution of functional, strategic sourcing business. The role will hold a key leadership position within the Procurement organization.

The role will add value by reducing costs and through excellence in procurement strategy development and implementation, supply-based management, supplier relationship management, and transactional procurement processes.

This executive will develop long term sourcing strategies and actionable steps to improve operational performance, while ensuring best purchasing value and competitive advantage. This role may be accountable for one or more of the following groups based on needs of the team, purchasing of capital equipment, direct and indirect materials, and services to support businesses worldwide.

This leader will play a pivotal role as a strategic partner across functions within the business via the thoughtful analysis of suppliers, markets, and operations needs to support long-lasting, agile supplier partnerships that enable business growth.

Western Digital (WDC) is seeking a strategic, results-driven, and influential VP Strategic Sourcing to balance strategic and tactical execution of functional, strategic sourcing business. The role will hold a key leadership position within the Procurement organization.

The role will add value by reducing costs and through excellence in procurement strategy development and implementation, supply-based management, supplier relationship management, and transactional procurement processes.

This executive will develop long term sourcing strategies and actionable steps to improve operational performance, while ensuring best purchasing value and competitive advantage. This role may be accountable for one or more of the following groups based on needs of the team, purchasing of capital equipment, direct and indirect materials, and services to support businesses worldwide.

This leader will play a pivotal role as a strategic partner across functions within the business via the thoughtful analysis of suppliers, markets, and operations needs to support long-lasting, agile supplier partnerships that enable business growth.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Purchasing Organization

· Oversee and elevate the end-to-end procurement process including strategy, supplier identification, sourcing execution, contract negotiation, delivery planning, procure-to-pay, and ongoing performance management and improvement.

· Lead key categories within procurement structure, may include both Product and Non-Product related.

· Act as key point of contact for related categories externally and internally. Responsible for cross-business commodity coordination as required.

· Align teams around the supplier strategy and supply base consolidation.

· Assess, develop and implement Purchasing outsourcing strategy.

Purchasing Performance Optimization

· Ensure the optimum Purchasing performance to achieve security of supply, quality, cost, timing, environmental, safety, sustainability and technology requirements in line with business objectives.

· Ensure continuous delivery of double-digit annual purchasing savings through aggressive cost innovation.

· Drive spend leverage for select direct material to realize significantly higher savings.

· Deliver committed Key Performance Indicators (e.g. savings and DPO).

· Prioritize data analytics to accelerate digitization of the procurement and supply chain organizations to ensure stronger inventory management practices and provide accurate forecasts to prevent shortages.

· Assess and improve current procurement center of excellence organization.

· Roll out global materials forecasts and drive material lead-time reduction programs.

· Manage and optimize supply base by rationalizing and implementing and managing stringent procedures on supplier quality assurance.

Leadership

· Recruit, retain, and develop a global, culturally diverse team while driving a transition to a new organizational model. Note, a large cohort of the procurement organization are in Asia.

· Drive the implementation of Purchasing Contract Management, aligning processes, master data management and negotiation time schedules.

· Improve knowledge management and contract templates.

· Continue enhancing the skill sets of the broad Purchasing organization, while coaching and developing key individuals.

· Practice thoughtful succession planning and build a robust bench of future leaders.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, or related field. MBA or relevant master’s degree preferred.

· 10+ years of experience in procurement operations management, with a focus on sourcing.

· Proven experience in managing complex initiatives, including technology adoption and change management.

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to leverage data and insights to drive business outcomes.

· Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building and leading high-performing teams.

· Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

· Knowledge of procurement regulations and standards, including risk management, compliance, and governance.

· Experience in project management, process improvement, and operational excellence methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Agile.

Critical Leadership Capabilities:

· Grows our Business – translates future possibilities into breakthrough strategies using a balanced global view that leads the organization from inspiration to execution of successful outcomes.

· Leads our People – creates an exceptional place to work that delivers excellence through inspiring, coaching and engaging our people.

· Shapes the future – identifies what is next on the horizon, evaluates emerging opportunities. evolves and reimagines more innovative ways to drive future success for the business.