Location: Palo Alto (onsite)
_

Who you are:

We are seeking a strategic Sourcing Manager here at X that will report directly to the CFO. This high-impact role will be responsible for driving the company's procurement and sourcing initiatives, with a strong emphasis on cost optimization, contract negotiation, and vendor management. This role is critical in a fast-paced environment, where it'll establish clear and efficient processes to ensure our procurement activities deliver maximum value, reduce expenses, and align with business goals. The Sourcing Manager will collaborate with finance, legal, and various stakeholders in the company to negotiate contracts while driving significant cost savings through spend analysis and market intelligence. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in procurement and finance operations, and be able to confidently negotiate a wide array of deals and contracts. It will require a sharp and creative mind to find opportunities for better rates, cost savings, and renegotiations, all while maintaining strong relationships with our vendors and external partners.

What you’ll do:

• Manage the sourcing function and provide leadership and mentorship to the team by fostering collaboration and developing team capabilities

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies, conduct market research, spend analysis, and cost modeling to identify cost saving opportunities

• Lead end-to-end contract negotiations, including RFx processes, terms, pricing, and compliance, to secure favorable outcomes and mitigate risks

• Manage supplier relationships, monitor performance through KPIs and scorecards, and drive continuous improvements in quality, cost, and service delivery

• Collaborate cross-functionally with various stakeholders to analyze total cost of ownership (TCO), usage patterns, and procurement needs

• Identify and implement process improvements in sourcing workflows

• Devise strategy for longer term impact of sourcing on the company, including identifying tech stack improvements and reducing expenditures

• Lead the assessment of vendors and providers to ensure X is working with strong partners, and getting competitive rates

• Work closely with our legal team on contract terms, privacy and security requirements, and verbiage

• Track and report on key metrics, including cost savings, supplier performance, and procurement efficiency to the CFO and leadership staff on a regular basis

Requirements:

• BS/BA or equivalent in business or related field, MBA and/or professional certification a plus.

• 7-10 years experience in sourcing or procurement, with at least 2 years in a leadership role managing teams

• Excellent negotiations skills and ability to optimize for outcomes as well as come up with creative solutions

• Proven track record in negotiating software contracts, including SaaS, cloud, and licensing agreements, in a tech or media environment

• Strong financial acumen, with demonstrated success in achieving cost savings through analysis, benchmarking, and optimization strategies

• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills

• Deep knowledge of the entire procure-to-pay process, including workflows and fiduciary requirements

• Experience deploying and managing procurement systems projects, preferably including supplier catalogs

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Very detail-oriented. Very organized.

• Hyper focused and organized in project managing

• Excellent PC skills (including Excel, Microsoft Project, Power Point, etc.)

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, startup environment