Strategic Sourcing Specialist
Location: San Francisco, CA
Category: Software Development
Employment Type: Contract
Work Location: Remote
Job ID: 36255
Date Added: 07/29/2026
The ideal candidate has experience within a networking hardware OEM or a comparable high-tech manufacturing environment, such as Cisco, Arista Networks, Juniper Networks, CommScope, or a similar organization. This person understands the upstream supply chain required to build network hardware, including component sourcing, material planning, contract manufacturing, production capacity, product lifecycle management, and supplier execution.
This is a hands-on individual-contributor role requiring strong technical supply chain knowledge, commercial judgment, analytical capability, and the ability to influence global cross-functional teams and external partners.
Responsibilities
• Own supply chain execution for assigned network hardware products, components, and related infrastructure from demand planning through manufacturing and delivery.
• Translate network deployment forecasts, product roadmaps, and business requirements into actionable supply, material, capacity, and production plans.
• Partner with contract manufacturers, original design manufacturers, component suppliers, distributors, and direct-fulfillment partners to align material availability and build capacity with demand.
• Collaborate with network engineering, hardware engineering, deployment, sourcing, product operations, finance, and logistics teams to support infrastructure requirements.
• Manage purchase-order execution, manufacturing commitments, production schedules, shipment tracking, and delivery acceleration.
• Identify component shortages, capacity constraints, supplier risks, and production issues that could affect hardware availability or deployment schedules.
• Develop and execute supply recovery plans in partnership with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and internal stakeholders.
• Manage allocation of constrained components and finished hardware based on deployment priorities, business impact, and supply availability.
• Coordinate build plans with contract manufacturers and ensure materials, capacity, and production readiness support committed schedules.
• Support sourcing and supply management across network switches, routers, optics, optical connectivity, cabling, silicon, printed circuit boards, power components, and related hardware.
• Maintain visibility into component lead times, supplier capacity, lifecycle status, production readiness, and supply commitments.
• Support new product introduction from prototype and development builds through qualification, production ramp, and sustained manufacturing.
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing teams to identify supply chain risks during product design and introduction.
• Coordinate supply chain requirements associated with engineering changes, product transitions, component substitutions, last-time buys, and end-of-life activity.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for assigned networking hardware, components, and manufacturing services.
• Lead or support requests for quotation, competitive bidding, supplier evaluations, commercial negotiations, and business awards.
• Negotiate pricing, capacity commitments, lead times, payment terms, service levels, and other commercial requirements with suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Manage commercial engagements for prototype sourcing, product development, NPI, and transition to mass production.
• Analyze component cost, manufacturing cost, logistics cost, inventory exposure, and total cost of ownership.
• Identify and execute opportunities to reduce cost, improve lead times, strengthen supply resilience, and increase operational efficiency.
• Build strategic relationships with key suppliers and maintain awareness of supplier capabilities, technology roadmaps, market conditions, and industry developments.
• Develop alternative sourcing strategies for critical materials, components, suppliers, and manufacturing locations.
• Monitor supplier and contract manufacturer performance across delivery, quality, cost, responsiveness, production adherence, and material availability.
• Establish metrics and operating reviews that create accountability and identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Conduct root-cause analysis and drive corrective or recovery actions for material, manufacturing, quality, and delivery issues.
• Monitor inventory health and develop recommendations to reduce excess and obsolete inventory, shortage exposure, and unnecessary working capital.
• Support inventory reconciliation, cycle-count, physical inventory, and quarter-end activities when required.
• Maintain clear, data-driven reporting on supply status, component constraints, inventory, production, supplier performance, cost, and delivery risk.
• Communicate supply chain risks, trade-offs, financial exposure, and recommended actions to technical and business stakeholders.
• Lead cross-functional supply chain projects and process improvements from problem definition through implementation.
• Operate effectively across suppliers, manufacturing partners, and internal teams located in multiple regions and time zones.
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, engineering, operations, business, finance, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 or more years of experience in supply chain management, materials management, manufacturing operations, technical sourcing, commodity management, or supplier management.
• Experience in a networking hardware OEM, cloud infrastructure provider, hyperscaler, data center environment, electronics manufacturer, semiconductor organization, or similar high-tech industry.
• Experience managing contract manufacturers, original design manufacturers, component suppliers, distributors, or direct-fulfillment partners.
• Experience with material planning, demand planning, production planning, manufacturing capacity, inventory management, or MRP.
• Demonstrated experience identifying and resolving component shortages, material constraints, or production risks.
• Experience supporting new product introduction and the transition from development builds to volume production.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies and leading supplier negotiations, RFQs, RFPs, or commercial evaluations.
• Working knowledge of electronic components and the upstream supply chain used to manufacture networking hardware.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to work with complex datasets, forecasts, cost models, inventory data, and supply scenarios.
• Demonstrated ability to influence suppliers and internal stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
• Strong project and program management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, interdependencies, and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, global, and cross-functional environment.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with Cisco, Arista Networks, Juniper Networks, CommScope, or another networking hardware manufacturer.
• Direct experience working with contract manufacturers or electronics manufacturing services providers such as Foxconn, Celestica, Jabil, or similar organizations.
• Experience sourcing or managing supply for network switches, routers, optical systems, transceivers, cabling, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, power supplies, or related components.
• Experience with silicon allocation, semiconductor constraints, or other supply-constrained electronic components.
• Experience supporting data center, hyperscale, cloud, telecommunications, or AI infrastructure deployments.
• Knowledge of network hardware product architecture, component dependencies, and manufacturing requirements.
• Experience developing should-cost models, conducting value analysis, or managing total cost of ownership.
• Experience negotiating master supply agreements, statements of work, capacity agreements, or long-term supply commitments.
• Experience managing excess and obsolete inventory, product lifecycle transitions, and last-time-buy decisions.
• Proficiency with ERP, MRP, product lifecycle management, procurement, supply planning, and supplier performance systems.
• Advanced Excel and data-analysis skills, including experience developing operational reporting, scenario models, and performance dashboards.
• APICS CSCP, CPIM, CPSM, PMP, or a comparable professional certification.
Key Competencies
• Network hardware supply chain expertise
• Material and production planning
• Contract manufacturer management
• Technical sourcing and negotiation
• Component sourcing and allocation
• New product introduction
• Product lifecycle management
• Supplier performance management
• Inventory and cost optimization
• Supply continuity and risk mitigation
• Data-driven decision-making
• Cross-functional influence
• Commercial judgment
• Structured problem-solving
• Global stakeholder management
What Success Looks Like
• Network hardware and components are available to support deployment schedules and business priorities.
• Material shortages, supplier constraints, and production risks are identified early and managed proactively.
• Contract manufacturers and suppliers have clear expectations and consistently meet production, delivery, cost, and quality commitments.
• Supply, demand, material, and capacity plans remain aligned as infrastructure requirements change.
• New products transition efficiently from prototype and development builds into volume manufacturing.
• Critical components and hardware have resilient sourcing and recovery strategies.
• Inventory, excess material, obsolescence, and supply commitments are managed with appropriate financial discipline.
• Stakeholders have accurate and timely visibility into supply availability, production status, risk, cost, and required decisions.
