Global Strategic Sourcing Manager
This is an incredible opportunity to join a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale, helping customers run some of the world’s most demanding AI and data-intensive environments.
This is a high-impact, Greenfield opportunity. We are looking for a visionary Strategic Sourcing Manager to build our procurement function from the ground up. You will help design the workflows, select the tools, and help establish the "source-to-pay" playbook within the domain of our new ERP system Workday.
The Strategic Sourcing Manager is responsible for identifying, developing, and managing long-term partnerships with key suppliers. You won’t just be "buying stuff"; you will be analyzing market trends, evaluating Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), and executing sourcing strategies that drive value, mitigate risk, and support the company's bottom line. A significant portion of your initial focus will be on our SaaS and Technology stack, ensuring we optimize our digital spend, eliminate redundant subscriptions, and manage renewals proactively.
What you’ll do
Stakeholder Evangelism: Partner with IT, Finance, and Marketing to align their departmental needs with the new sourcing strategy
Category Strategy: Develop and execute multi-year sourcing strategies for assigned categories to achieve cost savings and improve service levels.
Supplier Selection: Lead the end-to-end process, from identifying potential vendors to final selection.
Negotiation: Act as the lead negotiator for complex contracts, focusing on pricing, SLAs, legal terms, and performance incentives.
Relationship Management (SRM): Conduct regular business reviews with "Tier 1" suppliers to ensure compliance and foster innovation.
Risk Mitigation: Monitor global market trends and geopolitical shifts to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and develop contingency plans.
Data Analysis: Utilize spend analytics tools to identify "maverick spend" and consolidation opportunities.
Process Architecture: Design and implement the company’s first formal Strategic Sourcing framework. Define "how we buy" and "who signs what."
SaaS Portfolio Management: Conduct a "SaaS Audit" to identify overlapping tools (e.g., three different project management apps) and consolidate spend into enterprise agreements.
Renewal Pipeline: Build a proactive calendar for SaaS renewals to avoid "auto-renews" and create leverage for price negotiations.
What we’re looking for
Experience: 10+ years in procurement or strategic sourcing, with a proven track record of managing a high-spend portfolio.
The "Human" Side: Exceptional communication skills—you need to be able to tell a story with data to convince stakeholders to change vendors.
The "Zero-to-One" Mindset: Proven experience building a sourcing function or department where none existed before.
SaaS Savvy: Deep understanding of software licensing models (per seat, consumption-based, tiered) and the ability to navigate complex "Terms of Service" in SaaS contracts.
Shadow IT Discovery: Experience using tools (like Zylo, Blissfully, or simple spend exports) to find hidden software spend across the company.
Change Management: The ability to influence company culture so that employees view "Sourcing" as a partner that saves them time, rather than a department that says "no."