Sourcing & Procurement Operations - Assistant Director

About the Job:

Leads projects and daily work for all S&P systems, tools, process standards and efficiencies. Responsible for creating formal standards, process and system configuration documentation. Responsible for data and reporting strategy creation and execution.

What You'll Do:

Process

• Ability to build strong peer relationships within Sourcing & Procurement, FP&A, and Product and Engineering and other stakeholders, to enhance current best practices, define standards, and increase the influence/role of Sourcing & Procurement across various business teams. 

• Understand procurement best practices to partner with peers in Sourcing and Procurement to define and implement process and system requirements. 

• Manage projects aligned to the Procurement Operations and Procurement/Finance Centers of Excellence (COE).

Data & Reporting

• Define approach around reporting for the purpose of influencing business decisions and improving supplier-based ROI.

• Evaluate and sharpen existing third-party reporting tools to readily arm Sourcing & procurement with influential business data

• Recommend and deploy reporting dashboards to represent NM supplier spend, demand, supplier utilization, performance, and risks.

• Define S&P’s measurements and reporting surrounding the function’s savings and value contributions. 

Leadership

• Manage day-to-day operations of Procurement systems, tools, and programs.  

• Speak to and report out on current and future initiatives to larger audiences, including senior leadership

• Mentor junior team members on best practices, process changes, etc. 

What You'll Bring to the Role:

• Bachelor's Degree with an emphasis in Business, Information Systems, Supply Chain Management, Accounting/Finance, Engineering or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Minimum of 7 years of work experience with a specific focus on strategic sourcing or procurement, supplier management, finance, supply chain management, or other related fields.

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in leading the development and management of category plans or sourcing strategies. 

• Proven ability to establish and maintain cross-functional relationships, influence change with diplomacy.

• Strong customer focus, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Excellent research, analytical, problem solving, planning and organization skills required as well as a high degree of personal initiative and motivation

• Experience working with systems, reporting tools, and dashboards.

• Previous strategic procurement operations, systems administration, data, analytics, and reporting experience preferred.

• Direct knowledge and/or training in formal strategic sourcing and procurement preferred. 

• MBA, MS/ME is a plus. 

• Consulting experience with global management consulting firm a plus. 

Skills You Have:

Business Acumen: Applies knowledge of both general and organization-specific business issues/financial implications for the organization to problem solve.

Cross Functional Partnering & Planning: Facilitates collaboration, communication, coordination, and planning with individuals and teams from different functions within the organization, and who have different areas of expertise, to achieve common goals.

Customer Service Mindset: Anticipates customer needs and applies understanding of customer needs or perspectives to solve problems and drive outcomes as the basis for decision making. Leverages knowledge of trends affecting customer to help them make informed decisions.

Data Analytics: Creates business knowledge through data analysis and/or uses, maintains, captures, and stores data analysis; applies different types of analysis (e.g., financial, economic, competitive, supplier, industry) and analytical techniques.

Process Improvement: Assesses the current processes and impact to analyze, design, and manage potential improvement areas for more efficient, effective workflow.

Project Management: Delivers projects in alignment to business requirements, specific success criteria, and stakeholder expectations. Plans, manages, and completes projects keeping cost and time considerations in mind.

#LI-Hybrid

Compensation Range:

Pay Range - Start:

$108,160.00

Pay Range - End:

$162,240.00

Geographic Specific Pay Structure:

Structure 110:

$118,960.00 USD - $178,440.00 USD

Structure 115:

$124,400.00 USD - $186,600.00 USD

We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.

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Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer who welcomes and encourages diversity in the workforce. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.