Strategic Sourcing Specialist/Leader

Description

Join the 125-year legacy of Potter Electric Signal Co. Potter has been a part of the St. Louis community since 1898 and we are very proud of our rich history in the fire and life safety industry.  Potter's mission is to be the "Symbol of Protection" for fire and life safety solutions worldwide by combining the latest technology in fire protection with the dedicated manpower for which we have been known for over one hundred years. Our vision is to provide industry leading quality solutions, products and services for the protection of life, property and the environment. With unwavering dedication to our customers, Potter looks to continue as the industry standard in both product and service with increased focus on international expansion. 

Each employee at Potter takes great pride in knowing that every product we assemble, service, and sell is for the purpose of saving lives around the world. We strive to provide employment opportunities to those individuals who are performance driven, team players, take pride in their work, and are enthusiastic and passionate about their job.

Potter Global Technologies and our private equity firm, KKR, value our employees and all that they do. KKR offers a unique benefit and opportunity for all employees to participate in an ownership program of Potter Global Technologies. Being a co-owner allows each employee to play a more direct role in the business itself and reap the financial benefits of the Company’s success.

Are you passionate about driving impact through sourcing strategy, supplier relationships, and cost optimization? Whether you’re early in your strategic sourcing career or already a seasoned pro, we’re looking for smart, analytical, and proactive professionals to help us shape the future of our supply chain operations.

We’re hiring for two levels within our Strategic Sourcing team:

• Strategic Sourcing Specialist – Ideal for professionals with 3–5 years of experience in purchasing, sourcing, or supply chain roles who are ready to grow their influence. Expected compensation for this level is a range of $90,000 to $110,000, based on experience.
• Strategic Sourcing Leader – A senior-level role for experienced professionals with 6+ years of sourcing leadership, cost savings initiatives, and supplier strategy development. Expected compensation for this level is a range of $110,000 to $125,000, based on experience.

Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Drive YOY cost savings and value improvements within our Electronics/Electronic Compenent area.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, and Production to support new product introductions.
• Lead or assist in supplier qualification, onboarding, and rationalization projects.
• Implement supply chain innovations such as Kanban, vendor-managed inventory, supplier portals, and e-auctions.
• Build and manage strong supplier relationships; use data-driven negotiation tactics to meet quality and cost goals.
• Analyze markets and supply trends to mitigate risk and anticipate price movements.
• Issue RFQs, evaluate bids, and negotiate contracts that align with business strategy.
• Champion or contribute to VE/CE (Value Engineering/Component Engineering) initiatives to enhance product and cost performance.
• Monitor supplier performance using KPIs, audits, and scorecards.
• Participate in cross-functional teams for supplier certification and qualification.
• Support compliance with quality systems, ISO standards, and environmental policies.
• Travel as needed to meet with domestic and international suppliers.
• Promote a collaborative and accountable culture across internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required Skills/Abilities for Both Roles:

• Experience sourcing electronics or electronic components used in a manufacturing environment.
• Prior experience in global sourcing, primarily in Asia, Mexico, or Europe.
• A strong understanding of strategic sourcing principles and supply chain dynamics.
• Proven negotiation, analytical, and cost modeling skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
• High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Comfort working with data and systems such as Epicor, Tableau, MRP/ERP systems, and Microsoft Office.

Additional Skills/Abilities for Strategic Sourcing Leaders:

• Demonstrated success in leading complex sourcing projects or cross-functional teams.
• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to influence business decisions.
• Experience coaching or mentoring sourcing professionals.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• Strategic Sourcing Specialist: 3 - 5 years of procurement experience in a manufacturing environment, or similar.
• Strategic Sourcing Leader: 6+ years of experience with increasing responsibility in strategic sourcing for manufacturing environment, or similar.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management), CPM (Certified Purchasing Manager) or related sourcing professional certification.

Work Environment/Physical Demands/Travel

This job operates in a professional business office or home office where standard office equipment is routinely used, such as computers, photocopy machines, fax machines, telephones and filing cabinets.

This position is largely a sedentary role. Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.  Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.

This position will require you to travel independently to supplier locations and may need to adjust work hours based on business needs.

This is a full-time position, on-site at the manufacturing facility. A hybrid work format will be an option after training. The hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 40 hours per week. An occasional shift in hours may be necessary to accommodate business needs.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of an employee for this job. Activities, duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.