Global Strategic Souring 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."