Strategic Sourcing Manager at Tate in Columbia, MD

STRATEGIC SOURCING MANAGER Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt Number of Positions: 1 Reporting to: Global Procurement Director – Liquid Cooling Location: Columbia, MD / Austin, TX / Remote     About Us At Tate we are passionate about everything we do. As an independent brand operating within Kingspan Group, a global plc group of companies, Tate has been recognized worldwide as an industry leader in the development and manufacture of data center infrastructure solutions and commercial office raised access floors, for over 60 years.  With revenues of over $600m and growing, Tate plays a pivotal role in offering expertise in cutting edge design engineering to craft solutions, by working collaboratively with clients as a trusted partner.    Tate continues to grow and expand, operating multiple manufacturing and commercial sites across the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We are excited about our fresh, dynamic, and inclusive team of experts working on new innovations and forward-thinking designs, as we remain a market leading player within our industry. We continue to invest heavily in the best available manufacturing tools and equipment needed to adhere to Tate’s world class standards and in keeping with our Planet Passionate sustainability strategy, our focus is on having minimal climate impact.   We are excited to potentially welcome you as part of our team as we continue to grow on a worldwide scale.     About the Role The Strategic Sourcing Manager will lead the strategic procurement function with a specific focus on one of the fastest growing segments and the most technically demanding segments in the data center market: liquid cooling infrastructure. As a Strategic Sourcing Manager, you will own the end-to-end sourcing strategy for an assigned customer program(s), translating program requirements into a global supply chain that deliver on cost, quality, lead time, and supply continuity. You will be the primary procurement point of contact for your program(s) with engineering, operations, finance, and the supplier base around a coherent sourcing plan.   You’ll be developing supplier strategies, negotiating agreements along with the commodity manager(s), managing supply risk across a complex bill of materials, and building the kind of supplier relationships that give Tate a competitive advantage in a market where delivery speed and supply certainty are as important as pricing. You’ll work closely with Commodity Managers who bring category depth and lean on them for supplier intelligence.   The right person for this role sees around corners and acts accordingly with a sense of urgency.     What You’ll Do • Own the end-to-end sourcing strategy for an assigned customer program covering all major spend categories within the bill of materials from supplier engagement through production ramp. • Provide overall strategic procurement strategy and long-term planning to support the company's growth, customer delivery commitment, and expansion plans. • Identify and maintain global material source database in each strategic spend category including supplier capabilities, certifications, lead time, and benchmarks. • Develop and short list global suppliers in each spend category. • Communicate with the regional operations entities to ensure supply chain alignment. • Work cross-functionally and collaborate with other departments such as sales, marketing, finance, engineering, and manufacturing to ensure alignment and coordination across relevant activities. • Manage strategic supplier relationships globally and coordinate regional relationships at the operational supply chain level. • Integrate relevant technologies to improve visibility, traceability, and overall efficiency in the strategic sourcing field. • Work with our sustainability manager to develop a supply chain that reduces the embodied carbon in our products. • Work with regional supply chain directors to ensure regional production facilities are aligned with the strategic direction and planning that has been developed. • Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of supply chain activities. • Lead commercial negotiations for program components driving a total cost of ownership targets that account for price, tooling, freight, duty, quality risk, and supply disruption exposure. • Create framework for managing internal suppliers to ensure a robust standard of quality and performance is maintained. • Provide regular reports and updates to senior leadership on supply chain performance, milestones, and potential risks.   Additional Expectations • Remain compliant with the Code of Conduct and Policies which includes the Kingspan Group Compliance Policy. • Ensure that all duties related to product compliance are adhered to in accordance with the Product Compliance Policy, Laws, Regulations, and market demands. • Responsible for all tasks to achieve compliance goals and demands of the Compliance Management System. • Must raise concerns related to the Compliance Management System to their supervisor, manager, or any member of the Leadership Team, or through the confidential whistle blower service.     What You’ll Bring • A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Procurement, Logistics, General Business Management or a related field. Additional certification such as APICS, CSCP, etc. are a plus. • 3-6 year of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain management, preferably within data center infrastructure, HVAC, fluid systems, precision manufacturing, or a related technical industry. • Demonstrated ability to develop and execute program-level sourcing strategies, managing multiple spend categories simultaneously against a project timeline. • Strong strategic thinking and planning skills with a track record of driving efficiency and innovation in supply chain processes. • Strong commercial skills: experienced negotiating supplier agreements, managing cost targets, and delivering measurable procurement savings. • Solid understanding of supply chain risk: ability to identify single-source exposure, lead time risk, and geopolitical factors and develop practical mitigation plans. • Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, operations, and finance translating technical program requirements into sourcing criteria without the need of an engineer. • Proficiency in procurement tools, ERP systems, and supply chain management software. • Strong analytical skills: comfortable with BOM costing, TCO analysis, and supplier performance data. • Familiarity with liquid cooling infrastructure, data center supply chains, or thermal management components is an advantage. • Ability to travel globally as required.     What You'll Get • Pay range: $152,000 USD to $169,000 USD per year. This role is eligible for a discretionary bonus. • Career Scope and Advancement: As we grow, new positions and career opportunities arise, offering accelerated paths for the right candidates, locally and globally. • World of Wellness Philosophy: We empower you to take charge of your health and well-being. You’ll have access to a wide range of medical, dental, and vision benefits, along with personalized guidance from a “Health Advocate.” We also offer other supplemental options, including 401k, legal, disability, and theft insurance, to ensure your financial wellness. • Corporate Social Responsibility: Through Planet Passionate we are determined to reduce our manufacturing carbon (CO2e) emissions to as close to zero as technically possible, together with halving carbon intensity in our primary supply chain. We are very involved in our community, and you will have ample opportunities to support us, in creating a better world. • Skills Development: Given the dynamic pace of our business and a strong collaborative environment, your new role will be diverse and multifaceted – allowing you to be more versatile and develop a broader skill set. • Mentorship and development: At Tate, we don’t believe in hierarchy, we work together as one team for one common goal. You will have access and exposure to our senior leaders and experts for learning in your role, and additionally mentorship for the future. • Culture: We have a great team culture, highly collaborative, supportive and social. Together we innovate, collaborate, take ownership and strive for excellence.           Stay connected with us on LinkedIn for insights into life at Tate. Join us in our mission to make a difference through exceptional solutions.       Tate Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Employment may be contingent upon completion of post-offer requirements in accordance with applicable law.