Global Commodity Director

Since its founding more than 100 years ago, ITW has become one of the world’s leading diversified manufacturers of specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related service businesses. We place a high premium on the development of innovative solutions–most of which are developed in tandem with our customers. And we continue to ensure that our customers receive timely, cost-effective service for the innovative products we provide.

ITW’s differentiated business model is composed of a set of unique core capabilities: our proprietary 80/20 business process, customer-back innovation, and our well-known decentralized entrepreneurial culture. These capabilities are unmistakably ITW—and key to our longevity and strong performance.

ITW’s products and solutions are at work all over the world, in deep-sea oil rigs, aerospace technology, bridges and wind turbines, healthcare, the spaces in which we live and work, the cars we drive, and the mobile devices we rely on. We are never, whether we know it or not, more than a few steps from an innovative ITW solution.

Today, ITW (NYSE: ITW) is a Fortune 200 company that employs nearly 45,000 people with operations in 51 countries with headquarters in Glenview, IL. Our campus includes a fitness center at no cost to the employees, cafeteria, outdoor volleyball courts, walking trails around the facility, employee resource groups, corporate discounts, dry cleaning services, covered/outdoor parking, and much more.  We are just a block away from the nearest Metra station, and it is a quick 20-minute train ride to downtown Chicago, museums, lakefront, and other activities.

The Global Commodity Director – Components will be responsible for the strategic oversight of ITW’s $1.7 billion global components spend and supply base.  Reporting to the Vice President, Strategic Sourcing & EH&S, the Director will be responsible for establishing the corporate Components sourcing strategies for priority “80” categories, working with ITW’s divisions to create category strategies on “80” categories, engaging global suppliers (including tier 2 where appropriate), communicating key supplier and market trends, and working with various internal customers in our decentralized environment to support business needs.  The outcome of cross-divisional collaboration is to create strategic relationships and drive value in our supply chain such that ITW has critical component supply needs met, is a customer of choice, and buys competitively.

Primary Responsibilities

• Leverages business acumen and functional expertise to contribute to the strategic direction of ITW’s global businesses.  Utilizes ITW’s leverage to further overall sourcing strategies.
• Achieves annual cost savings targets.
• Identifies strategic partners and delivers improved products and lower costs to the organization through supplier management (including QBR’s and including tier 2 suppliers or diverse suppliers where appropriate), carrying out the strategic sourcing process (including potential RFQ’s, RFI’s, contracts), category management, make or buy analysis, identifying synergies, and total cost principles.
• Defines supplier segmentation and drives volumes towards preferred suppliers and away from exit suppliers.
• Supports ITW’s organic growth goals by engaging with engineering and innovation teams in NPD projects on a regular basis globally.  Help design teams take cost out of designs and ensure manufacturability.  Ensures ITW gets Intellectual Property rights for development work and IP is protected.
• Drives VA/VE initiatives and engages on VA/VE at a broader level.  Conduct product teardowns regularly.
• Develops and implements a long-term plan and annual operating plan for the categories, utilizing the ITW sourcing toolbox and in alignment with ITW’s segments.
• Leverages strong project and change management skills to drive continuous improvements for the categories.  Introduces innovative strategies for the categories.
• Coaches, mentors, and develops category team (direct reports) and extended stakeholder team talent, including sharing best practices.  Ensures team is hitting savings targets and driving business results.  Develops a diverse, high performing category team and associated organization.
• Builds and leverages relationships and networks across the organization. Uses personal influence skills rather than positional power to persuade others and gain support.
• Manages risk, including shortages, price increases, tariff mitigation, lifecycle risk, lead time risks, sole sourcing, financial, supplier selection, warranty, Force Majeures, etc. to ensure supply continuity.

• Bachelor’s degree required (Mechanical Engineering or Supply Chain majors preferred).  Master’s degree and CPM/ CPIM preferred.
• Minimum of 10–15 years of broad sourcing leadership experience, preferably in a manufacturing organization, across a large multi-location, global business.
• Strong track record of driving operational improvements (e.g. cost savings) to support the business strategy.
• Managed at least $200M + in annualized spend in direct material is required (Mechanical Components strongly preferred).
• Experience and knowledge in mechanical components and secondary processing industries, supply chains, and with key players in the industries.
• General working knowledge of several of the following categories, differences amongst manufacturing processes (and high-level understanding of raw material differences), and experience visiting or auditing contract manufacturers is important: Sheet Metal Fabrication, Welding, Finishing, Casting (e.g. investment casting, sand casting, die casting), Machining, Stamping (e.g. progressive die stamping or deep draw stamping), Cold Heading, Tooling, or Contract Services (e.g. plating, painting, assembly).
• Experience in new product development projects and VAVE/DFM projects strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience influencing senior executives.
• Proven results in managing and developing talent.
• Willing and able to travel internationally and domestically on a regular basis per business needs.
• Ability to be in the office full-time at the Glenview corporate campus with flexibility on hours when not traveling.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (“ITW” or “the Company”) is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the online application system process due to your disability, please email corp_accessibility@itw.com to request assistance. No other requests will be acknowledged.

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.