Vice President, Strategic Sourcing

At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.

At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that. Our technology helped people put a man on the moon.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest growth organizations in the world. From energizing the most competitive gaming platforms, to enabling systems to make cities safer and cars smarter and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and public cloud, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Binge-watch any shows, use social media or shop online lately? You’ll find Western Digital supporting the storage infrastructure behind many of these platforms. And, that flash memory card that captures and preserves your most precious moments? That’s us, too.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, storage devices and platforms for business and consumers alike. Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. It’s You & Western Digital. Together, we’re the next BIG thing in data.

OVERVIEW:

Western Digital (WDC) is seeking a strategic, results-driven, and influential VP Strategic Sourcing to balance strategic and tactical execution of functional, strategic sourcing business. The role will hold a key leadership position within the Procurement organization.

The role will add value by reducing costs and through excellence in procurement strategy development and implementation, supply-based management, supplier relationship management, and transactional procurement processes.

This executive will develop long term sourcing strategies and actionable steps to improve operational performance, while ensuring best purchasing value and competitive advantage. This role may be accountable for one or more of the following groups based on needs of the team, purchasing of capital equipment, direct and indirect materials, and services to support businesses worldwide.

This leader will play a pivotal role as a strategic partner across functions within the business via the thoughtful analysis of suppliers, markets, and operations needs to support long-lasting, agile supplier partnerships that enable business growth.

Western Digital (WDC) is seeking a strategic, results-driven, and influential VP Strategic Sourcing to balance strategic and tactical execution of functional, strategic sourcing business. The role will hold a key leadership position within the Procurement organization.

The role will add value by reducing costs and through excellence in procurement strategy development and implementation, supply-based management, supplier relationship management, and transactional procurement processes.

This executive will develop long term sourcing strategies and actionable steps to improve operational performance, while ensuring best purchasing value and competitive advantage. This role may be accountable for one or more of the following groups based on needs of the team, purchasing of capital equipment, direct and indirect materials, and services to support businesses worldwide.

This leader will play a pivotal role as a strategic partner across functions within the business via the thoughtful analysis of suppliers, markets, and operations needs to support long-lasting, agile supplier partnerships that enable business growth.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Purchasing Organization

· Oversee and elevate the end-to-end procurement process including strategy, supplier identification, sourcing execution, contract negotiation, delivery planning, procure-to-pay, and ongoing performance management and improvement.

· Lead key categories within procurement structure, may include both Product and Non-Product related.

· Act as key point of contact for related categories externally and internally. Responsible for cross-business commodity coordination as required.

· Align teams around the supplier strategy and supply base consolidation.

· Assess, develop and implement Purchasing outsourcing strategy.

Purchasing Performance Optimization

· Ensure the optimum Purchasing performance to achieve security of supply, quality, cost, timing, environmental, safety, sustainability and technology requirements in line with business objectives.

· Ensure continuous delivery of double-digit annual purchasing savings through aggressive cost innovation.

· Drive spend leverage for select direct material to realize significantly higher savings.

· Deliver committed Key Performance Indicators (e.g. savings and DPO).

· Prioritize data analytics to accelerate digitization of the procurement and supply chain organizations to ensure stronger inventory management practices and provide accurate forecasts to prevent shortages.

· Assess and improve current procurement center of excellence organization.

· Roll out global materials forecasts and drive material lead-time reduction programs.

· Manage and optimize supply base by rationalizing and implementing and managing stringent procedures on supplier quality assurance.

Leadership

· Recruit, retain, and develop a global, culturally diverse team while driving a transition to a new organizational model. Note, a large cohort of the procurement organization are in Asia.

· Drive the implementation of Purchasing Contract Management, aligning processes, master data management and negotiation time schedules.

· Improve knowledge management and contract templates.

· Continue enhancing the skill sets of the broad Purchasing organization, while coaching and developing key individuals.

· Practice thoughtful succession planning and build a robust bench of future leaders.

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, or related field. MBA or relevant master’s degree preferred.

· 10+ years of experience in procurement operations management, with a focus on sourcing.

· Proven experience in managing complex initiatives, including technology adoption and change management.

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to leverage data and insights to drive business outcomes.

· Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building and leading high-performing teams.

· Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

· Knowledge of procurement regulations and standards, including risk management, compliance, and governance.

· Experience in project management, process improvement, and operational excellence methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Agile.

Critical Leadership Capabilities:

· Grows our Business – translates future possibilities into breakthrough strategies using a balanced global view that leads the organization from inspiration to execution of successful outcomes.

· Leads our People – creates an exceptional place to work that delivers excellence through inspiring, coaching and engaging our people.

· Shapes the future – identifies what is next on the horizon, evaluates emerging opportunities. evolves and reimagines more innovative ways to drive future success for the business.

Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law poster.

Western Digital thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

Western Digital is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at jobs.accommodations@wdc.com to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

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Compensation & Benefits Details

• An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
• The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting.  We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York.  This range may be modified in the future.
• You will be eligible to participate in Western Digital’s Short-Term Incentive (STI) Plan, which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance.  Depending on your role and your performance, you may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to Western Digital’s Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program, employee stock purchase plan, and the Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan.
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.