Commodity Business Manager

VDL Enabling Technologies Group (Singapore); Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

VDL Enabling Technologies Group (Singapore) is seeking an experienced commodity leader to shape supplier portfolios and long-term agreements across mechanical/electrical manufacturing domains. You will translate business and product roadmaps into actionable commodity strategies, drive cost competitiveness and supply continuity, and work with cross-functional teams to secure resilient supplier networks.

You will lead negotiations, establish performance metrics, and develop dual-sourcing plans

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• 8–12 years in strategic sourcing, commodity management, or supplier strategy in manufacturing.
• Proficient in Excel, Power BI; familiarity with Baan or Infor LN is advantageous.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma with proven business improvements.
• Deep understanding of mechanical/electrical manufacturing processes; semiconductor or high-mix low-volume exposure preferred.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience in contract management, supplier negotiations, cost modeling and value engineering.
• Experience leading supplier qualification, audits, capability assessments and supplier development.
• Proven track record developing commodity strategies delivering cost competitiveness and supply continuity.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead commodity strategies and supplier-location plans aligned with business growth, technology roadmaps, customer requirements, cost competitiveness, capacity assurance and long-term supply continuity.
• Own and approve the commodity supplier portfolio, including preferred-supplier status, sourcing allocation, supplier consolidation, localisation, development and exit decisions within delegated authority.
• Translate commodity strategies into annual priorities, investment and resource requirements, milestones, accountable owners and an effective management-review cadence.
• Lead cost-reduction, VA/VE, localisation and major commercial-negotiation initiatives, ensuring sustainable value while protecting quality, delivery, technology, capacity and supply-continuity requirements.
• Establish and govern Long-Term Agreements and long-term capacity plans for strategic suppliers, ensuring that commercial commitments, capacity requirements, investment assumptions, performance expectations and continuity obligations are clearly defined.
• Oversee Supplier Business Management and Commodity Business Management, ensuring coordinated supplier governance, performance management, sourcing execution and closure of strategic supplier actions.
• Align with NPI teams, customers and relevant internal stakeholders on supplier selection and allocation, ensuring decisions consider technical capability, manufacturability, quality readiness, cost, lead time, capacity, scalability and programme requirements.
• Establish clear supplier expectations, evidence-based performance reviews, accountable owners and completion criteria for corrective, development and strategic improvement actions.
• Own lifecycle and end-of-life management, critical-part dual-source strategies and business-continuity roadmaps to reduce supply exposure and protect long-term product and customer requirements.
• Lead executive supplier negotiations and escalations, and approve commodity strategy, capacity strategy and Long-Term Agreement commercial recommendations within delegated authority.

Skills

Excel

Power BI

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Contract management

Supplier negotiations

Cost modeling

Value engineering

Supplier qualification

Audits

Global supply chains

Manufacturing processes

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

Baan ERP

Infor LN ERP

Job description

*Be Part of Our Success Story as We Expand and Evolve*

Purpose: Develop, lead and execute commodity and supplier strategies covering technology roadmaps, commercial opportunities and risks, supplier footprint, localisation, cost reduction, capacity assurance, long-term agreements, product lifecycle management and dual sourcing.

This is a strategic role for an experienced commodity leader who can shape resilient and competitive supplier portfolios, negotiate sustainable value and protect long-term supply continuity. The position is accountable for establishing the strategic direction of assigned commodities and translating business, customer and operational requirements into actionable commodity roadmaps, supplier strategies, sourcing priorities and risk-mitigation plans.

The role evaluates market conditions, supplier capability, technology, manufacturability, cost structures, capacity, scalability, lifecycle exposure and geopolitical and supply-continuity risks to support informed sourcing and supplier-allocation decisions. The role works across NPI & Program Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Business Management, Commodity Business Management, Materials Management, Engineering, Quality, Operations, Finance and other relevant business functions.

The position is expected to combine strategic and commercial judgement, disciplined execution, advanced negotiation, timely escalation and clear stakeholder communication to deliver measurable improvements in cost competitiveness, supplier capability, capacity assurance and supply-base resilience.

Key Area of Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead commodity strategies and supplier-location plans aligned with business growth, technology roadmaps, customer requirements, cost competitiveness, capacity assurance and long-term supply continuity.
• Own and approve the commodity supplier portfolio, including preferred-supplier status, sourcing allocation, supplier consolidation, localisation, development and exit decisions within delegated authority.
• Translate commodity strategies into annual priorities, investment and resource requirements, milestones, accountable owners and an effective management-review cadence.
• Lead cost-reduction, VA/VE, localisation and major commercial-negotiation initiatives, ensuring sustainable value while protecting quality, delivery, technology, capacity and supply-continuity requirements.
• Establish and govern Long-Term Agreements and long-term capacity plans for strategic suppliers, ensuring that commercial commitments, capacity requirements, investment assumptions, performance expectations and continuity obligations are clearly defined.
• Oversee Supplier Business Management and Commodity Business Management, ensuring coordinated supplier governance, performance management, sourcing execution and closure of strategic supplier actions.
• Align with NPI teams, customers and relevant internal stakeholders on supplier selection and allocation, ensuring decisions consider technical capability, manufacturability, quality readiness, cost, lead time, capacity, scalability and programme requirements.
• Establish clear supplier expectations, evidence-based performance reviews, accountable owners and completion criteria for corrective, development and strategic improvement actions.
• Own lifecycle and end-of-life management, critical-part dual-source strategies and business-continuity roadmaps to reduce supply exposure and protect long-term product and customer requirements.
• Lead executive supplier negotiations and escalations, and approve commodity strategy, capacity strategy and Long-Term Agreement commercial recommendations within delegated authority.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• 8 to 12 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, commodity management, or supplier strategy within a manufacturing environment.
• Proficient in Excel, Power BI, or equivalent analytics tools; experience with Baan or Infor LN is advantageous.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies, with a track record of delivering measurable business improvements.
• Deep understanding of mechanical and/or electrical manufacturing processes, with semiconductor or high-mix, low-volume manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong commercial acumen with proven experience in contract management, supplier negotiations, cost modeling, and value engineering initiatives.
• Experience leading supplier qualification, audits, capability assessments, and supplier development programs to support business growth and operational excellence.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing commodity strategies, driving cost competitiveness, supply continuity, and supplier performance across global supply chains.