Strategic Sourcing Director - Metals

Summary

The Strategic Sourcing Director develops and executes sourcing strategies that secure reliable, competitive supplies of steel and non-ferrous materials, with a focus on flat-rolled steel, copper slit coils, copper busbar, and plating services. The position evaluates supply markets, develops suppliers, negotiates commercial agreements, and manages total cost and supply risk. Working with Engineering, Quality, Production, Sales, and Finance, the Director aligns material and processing capabilities with customer requirements and supports new product programs and long-term business growth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Include the following :

• Develop and maintain category sourcing strategies for steel, non-ferrous metals, copper slit coils, copper busbar, and plating services based on business needs, market conditions, supplier capabilities, and total cost.

- Develop and maintain relationships with supply chain; establish sourcing strategies for products based on approved material specifications and production requirements. - Analyze category spend, demand forecasts, supplier concentration, and processing requirements to identify opportunities for cost savings, supply consolidation, alternate sourcing, and improved lead times. - Identify, assess, and develop service centers, mills, slitters, busbar fabricators, and plating providers. Coordinate supplier qualification with Engineering and Quality before sourcing approval. - Lead competitive RFQs and supplier evaluations using price, quality, capacity, delivery, technical capability, financial stability, and service criteria; document sourcing recommendations. - Negotiate supply agreements covering pricing mechanisms, metal premiums, conversion and slitting charges, plating costs, freight, payment terms, minimum order quantities, lead times, and supplier obligations within delegated authority. - Work with Engineering and Quality to define steel and copper slit coil requirements, including grade or alloy, temper or mechanical properties, coating or surface finish, thickness, slit width, gauge and width tolerances, edge condition, coil dimensions and weight, packaging, and material certification.

• Source steel and copper products to approved drawings and specifications, including material grade, mechanical properties, conductivity where applicable, dimensions, tolerances, and fabrication requirements.

- Coordinate sourcing of busbar plating to customer requirements, including specified finish, coating thickness, coverage, masking, adhesion, testing, and certification. Evaluate tin, nickel, silver, or other finishes as specified. - Develop total cost models that include base metal pricing, premiums, conversion, slitting, fabrication, plating, yield, freight, inventory, and quality costs; compare supplier proposals on a consistent basis. - Monitor steel, copper, and other non-ferrous metal market movements, mill capacity, lead times, and availability and provide timely pricing and supply outlooks. Recommend pricing structures and contractual protections in coordination with Finance and leadership. - Support Sales and Engineering with material and processing quotes for new and existing customer programs; maintain cost assumptions and provide quarterly program cost updates. - Establish and review supplier scorecards for quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness, and capacity; conduct business reviews and coordinate corrective actions and supplier improvement plans. - Assess supply risks and develop mitigation plans, including qualified alternate suppliers, capacity commitments and appropriate inventory arrangements.

• Collaborate with planning and purchasing teams on forecasts, MRP requirements, inventory targets, purchase order execution, and delivery priorities. Resolve escalated supply issues and coordinate outside processing schedules.

- Partner with Quality to maintain material and plating traceability, verify required documentation, and resolve nonconforming material, claims, returns, and supplier credits. - Track and report sourcing results, including validated cost savings, cost avoidance, lead-time improvements, supplier performance, and supply risk reduction; coordinate financial validation with Finance. - Maintain accurate sourcing records, supplier agreements, approved pricing, and supplier information in applicable systems.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The following requirements represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.

- The position is based at Youngstown, Ohio headquarters. The candidate must live in the Cleveland, Akron, Pittsburgh, or Youngstown area. - Knowledge of steel and non-ferrous metals markets and supplier networks, with direct sourcing experience in flat-rolled steel, copper slit coils, copper busbar, and related plating services. - Existing steel service center, steel mill, and copper supply chain knowledge and relationships desired. - Understanding of metal procurement price drivers, including steel index or mill pricing, raw material and coating surcharges, commodity pricing, premiums, conversion and slitting charges, plating costs, freight, and total delivered cost. - Ability to interpret material specifications and engineering drawings and translate requirements into accurate RFQs and purchase orders. - Working knowledge of steel and copper coil processing and slitting, steel grades and coatings, busbar production, and outside plating services, including supplier qualification, lead times, quality documentation, and coordination of processing requirements. - Strong commercial negotiation, contract development, supplier relationship management, and written and verbal communication skills. - Knowledge and experience with MRP and ERP systems, inventory control, materials requirements planning, demand planning, purchase orders, and supply chain planning. - Strong analytical skills in spend analysis, total cost modeling, supplier comparison, and sourcing performance reporting; proficiency with Excel and business systems. - Ability to lead sourcing projects and cross-functional supplier initiatives, manage competing priorities, and influence decisions without direct reporting authority. - Familiarity with roll forming and other manufacturing processes is a plus. - Ability to travel as required.

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Supply chain management, Business, Engineering, or a related field; a master’s degree is a plus. A minimum of 10 plus years of procurement, strategic sourcing, or materials management experience in a manufacturing environment involving metals is required. Direct experience sourcing non-ferrous materials, including copper slit coils busbar and associated supply chain, and a demonstrated record of supplier development, contract negotiation, and cost improvement are required. CPSM or a comparable supply chain certification is preferred.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to stand and sit.

Work Environment : The work environmental characteristics described herein are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.