About VAT Group

At VAT, we change the world with vacuum solutions. As the world’s leading supplier of high-performance vacuum valves, we have been driving innovation for more than 60 years. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, we operate from our headquarters in Haag, Switzerland, with manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia and Romania, as well as sales and service hubs around the world. We guided by our passions integrity, teamwork, customer centricity, and innovation – always working together as #oneVAT.

Joining us means becoming part of a passionate, international team where your voice is heard, your ideas matter, and your career growth is supported.

Strategic Sourcing Manager

Purpose of the role

• Developing and executing global sourcing strategies for the assigned direct materials categories (electronics)
• Acting as a business partner to key stakeholders in Business (Business Units, Engineering, etc.) and Operations (Product Line Supply Chain, Supplier Quality, Production, Materials Management, etc.)
• Sustaining the Global Strategic Sourcing Operating Model and providing supply capability and capacity at best cost to support future business needs and protect brand value
• Applying aligned sourcing processes, sustainable supplier assessments, and development approaches to establish and actively manage a performing and regulatory-compliant supply base footprint
• Contributing to the enhancement of supply base performance on Quality, Delivery, and Cost (QCD)
• Realizing measurable value of >3% in recurring and P&L-effective cost reductions per year across the global third-party spend in the assigned categories through leveraged and benchmarked supply base management
• Growing and further developing a qualified and performing Best Cost Country (BCC) supply base in line with company and operations objectives, preferably in Eastern Europe, while managing a sustainable spend allocation

Responsibilities:

• Management of own material categories (capacity, knowledge management, performance)
• Accountable for contributing to global Direct Material & Supply Base Performance (QCD)
• Representing own direct material categories within the VAT organization
• Accountable for category-specific achievement of objectives related to cost optimization, supply base optimization, geographic sourcing footprint, and Best Cost Country Sourcing
• Providing forward-looking guidance on trends, threats, and opportunities within assigned categories (e.g., raw materials)
• Actively contributing to the bottom-up alignment of the Direct Materials Category Team with defined company objectives
• Acting as the interface to Business Units and Engineering for Strategic Sourcing activities along the PDP (IP07) process
• Acting as a change agent toward key stakeholders
• Developing category sourcing strategies using defined methods and tools
• Managing supplier relationships across the global supply base within assigned category scope, in alignment with category teams in Switzerland, Malaysia, and Romania
• Ensuring consistent application of all sourcing levers
• Contributing to key sourcing KPIs
• Assembling and actively leading category-specific and cross-functional sourcing boards
• Actively monitoring and conducting supply base risk assessments across assigned categories
• Participating in and contributing to the continuous improvement of direct material sourcing practices

Qualifications:  

• 3-4 years of in-depth strategic and operational sourcing experience with solid knowledge of global category management
• Demonstrated experience with category-specific production techniques and processes
• Knowledge of category sourcing markets
• Proficiency in Office software and IT applications, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Experience sourcing in Eastern Europe and Asia, including Best Cost Country sourcing and spend relocation activities
• Experience working within a global and complex organization
• Experience in machine building, vacuum technology, and semiconductors
• Experience in cross-functional and category team management (at least functional leadership)
• Strong interpersonal, sensitive, and empathetic communication skills with suppliers, colleagues, and internal stakeholders
• Strong analytical and risk-based decision-making skills with a focus on key facts
• Ability to achieve results through others, manage multiple priorities, set priorities effectively, and handle pressure
• Good communication skills in German and English; additional languages are a plus