Director-Strategic Sourcing

AEM; Singapore; On-site; SGD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

AEM Holdings Ltd. is seeking a Director of Strategic Sourcing to transform global sourcing strategy, drive cost reduction, and improve cycle times across supplier ecosystems.

You will lead contract manufacturers and partner with Technology, Engineering and Product Development to align capabilities with AEM’s technology roadmap. The role focuses on establishing governance, KPIs, and scalable practices in a fast-moving environment to support margin and operational priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business or related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years in strategic sourcing or supply chain leadership with engineering/manufacturing exposure.
• Experience managing contract manufacturers with cost, performance and scalability oversight.
• Ability to design sourcing frameworks and performance metrics to reduce cost and cycle time.
• Proven track record in localization and supplier development across Asia.

Responsibilities

• Lead a collaborative sourcing model with Technology, Engineering, and Product Development to align supplier capabilities with the roadmap.
• Drive early supplier involvement to improve design outcomes, lead times and costs.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies balancing cost, lead time, quality, risk and scalability.
• Build long-term supplier relationships and evaluate partners on TCO, delivery, capability, presence and roadmap.
• Lead supplier consolidation, self-qualification programs and VMI to increase efficiency.
• Establish qualification frameworks with Supplier Quality and DFM teams.
• Manage contract manufacturers focusing on performance, cost control and scalability.
• Define and monitor structured KPIs and dashboards for cost and cycle-time improvements.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Cost optimization

Cross-functional collaboration

Contract manufacturers

Data-driven decisions

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related

MBA preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

AEM Holdings Ltd. (SGX: AWX) is a Singapore-headquartered global leader in semiconductor and electronics test innovation, listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange. With over 2,200 professionals across R&D and manufacturing sites in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Finland, France, South Korea, and the United States, AEM delivers comprehensive test solutions — spanning system-level, wafer-level, burn-in, and advanced packaging test — to the world's leading semiconductor and AI/HPC companies. Driven by its vision of a Zero Failure World, AEM continues to grow as a trusted partner in next-generation silicon test innovation.

Position Summary

The Director of Strategic Sourcing will lead the transformation of AEM’s global sourcing strategy, with emphasis on supplier collaboration, engineering partnership, cost optimization, and operational agility. This leader will drive cross‑functional alignment to achieve cost, lead time, quality, and innovation objectives in a highly dynamic engineering and manufacturing environment.

As AEM transitions to an asset‑light, outsourced manufacturing model, the role requires deep experience managing contract manufacturers. The Director will establish the operating framework, performance metrics, and governance needed to drive continuous cost reduction and cycle time improvement across the supplier ecosystem.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead a collaborative sourcing model in partnership with the Technology, Engineering, and Product Development to align supplier capabilities with AEM’s technology roadmap.
• Drive Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) to enhance design outcomes, reduce lead times, and optimize cost structures.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies that balance cost, lead time, quality, risk, and scalability in support of gross margin and operational priorities.
• Build strategic, long‑term supplier relationships and evaluate partners based on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), delivery performance, technical capability, local presence, inventory commitment, and roadmap alignment.
• Lead supplier consolidation initiatives, self‑qualification programs, and vendor‑managed inventory (VMI) to increase efficiency and reduce overhead.
• Establish and maintain robust qualification frameworks with Supplier Quality and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) teams.
• Manage contract manufacturers with strong focus on performance, flexibility, cost control, and scalability.
• Define and maintain structured KPIs and performance dashboards to drive supplier cost and cycle time improvements.

Cost Optimization & Digital Enablement

• Identify and execute cost‑saving initiatives including component reuse, modular design, tier pricing, localization, and raw material standardization.
• Leverage digital tools, analytics, and AI‑enabled platforms to strengthen sourcing visibility, risk management, and decision‑making.

Operational Excellence

• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) through agile and proactive sourcing practices that maintain compliance while accelerating engineering and development cycles.
• Strengthen governance across sourcing processes while implementing scalable, pragmatic practices suitable for fast‑moving environments.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years in strategic sourcing or supply chain leadership roles, with proven experience working closely with Engineering and Manufacturing teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing contract manufacturers, including cost, performance, and scalability management.
• Proven ability to design and implement sourcing frameworks and performance matrices to reduce cost and cycle time.
• Strong knowledge of sourcing for both standard components and fabricated parts, with hands‑on experience in localization and supplier development across Asia.
• Track record of driving measurable cost reductions, lead time improvements, and supplier performance enhancements.
• Exceptional influencing, negotiation, and relationship‑building skills.
• Hands‑on leadership style and strong change‑management capability.