Program Manager

Job Description

Primary Function of Position

• Manages supply chain of assigned direct materials suppliers and parts to help business continuity and optimization, including sourcing, development of category strategy roadmaps, negotiating contracts, exam spend, creating inventory management strategies, gathering commodity intelligence, and managing supplier performance; may include limited management of purchase orders.
• Drive cross-functional category team(s)
• Identifies and may implement key Global Supply Chain initiatives

Essential Job Duties

• Category Management
  • Provides cross-functional team leadership within assigned category; manage cross-functional category team meetings
• Partners with manager and cross-functional peers to create long-term supplier strategies and roadmaps.
• Engages with internal collaborators to develop and influence category strategy that aligns with long-term business targets.
• Co-leads direct procurement supplier selection process with coordination from Supplier Engineering and guidance from manager. Leverages knowledge of strategic sourcing practices to identify a core supply base able to offer lowest total cost of ownership and high-quality product while identifying value improvement opportunities.
• Works jointly with manager to align production supplier requirements and sourcing strategies with those of new product development (NPI) for designated suppliers/categories to ensure uninterrupted material availability, alignment of risk, and cost goals with long term vision for the category / business
• Prioritizes category team projects in coordination with manager and ensures team goals and priorities are achieved
• Leverages knowledge of commodity trends to propose strategies and educate collaborators
• Develops and presents category strategy review
• Supplier Performance Management
• Manage supplier score carding and supplier business reviews for assigned suppliers
• Proactively partners with supply base and procurement team to acknowledge and communicate demand changes and minimize excess inventory or material shortages
• Run continuous improvement efforts needed with suppliers
• Escalates issues with supplier executive leadership with help and guidance of manager

Risk and Capacity Management

• Develops mitigation plans and programs for assigned suppliers and critical sub-tier suppliers; partners with manager and cross-functional peers to drive implementation
• Manage capacity assessments for assigned suppliers and critical sub-tier suppliers; anticipates long-term risks and installs proactive mitigations
• May serve as project manager for key supplier capacity or risk mitigation initiatives
• Leverages problem solving skills and develops counter-measures to implement long-term solutions to identified problems

Contract and Cost Management

• Establishes contractual agreements with suppliers and amendments to existing agreements
• Negotiates long-term volume pricing, risk mitigation, and capacity agreements with key suppliers to help Intuitive’s volume growth
• Reviews, administers, and manages long-term purchase order and delivery commitments to designated suppliers as necessary to help production and/or sales requirements within the business
• Run identification and implementation of cost reduction ideas to achieve year-over-year cost goals within assigned category (ies)

Operational Management

• Helps plant purchasing by leading negotiations with suppliers to adopt and implement lean sourcing values to enable 100% material availability and optimization of on-hand inventory levels
• Grasps continuous improvement techniques to drive toward attainment of key purchasing metrics (supplier on-time delivery, quality, risk management, inventory velocity, and cost reduction)
• May drive change management/change order implementation for complex projects
• Helps data integrity for suppliers and parts
• Mentors colleagues within the supply chain organization. Identifies process and training improvement opportunities and drives closure of identified gaps.

Qualifications

Required Skills, Education, Training, and Experience

• BS degree or equivalent
• 10+ years of supply chain experience in a regulated industry manufacturing environment.
• Experience utilizing strategic sourcing methods, including six step sourcing process, category strategy development, and collective supplier management
• Exceptional negotiation skills, proven track record of savings, and thorough comprehension of key supplier agreement terms
• Significant computer experience including MS Office products and ERP systems. Proven Excel skills.
• Proven track record of effective project management in a fast-paced manufacturing company.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience working with kanban systems and other lean methods

Nice to have: 

• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects successfully and adjust to changing priorities.
• Working knowledge of buying, material planning, master scheduling, and forecasting
• Demonstrates concern for precision and thoroughness
• Proven ability to consistently achieve stretch goals and targets
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in the medical device industry preferred.
• SAP and Agile experience preferred.
• Certifications: CPSM, CPIM, and/or PMP preferred.

Travel: 

• ~25% travel to both domestic and international suppliers