Head of Commodity & Sourcing

VAST Data; Campbell (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading data infrastructure company is seeking a Head of Commodity & Sourcing to drive the global sourcing strategy. This role involves shaping sourcing across key technologies and managing supplier relationships. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of experience in high-tech industries, proven negotiation skills, and a strong technical understanding of Flash storage and compute systems. This position demands a hands-on leadership style and the ability to travel internationally.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of sourcing and supply chain experience in high-tech or enterprise hardware industries.
• Proven experience managing complex sourcing categories and high-value supplier negotiations.
• Ability to travel internationally to key supplier locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management for core technologies.
• Negotiate directly, resolving escalations and guiding design-for-cost decisions.
• Hire, mentor, and manage a high-performing sourcing organization.

Skills

Sourcing and supply chain management

Technical understanding of Flash storage

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business

Master's preferred

Job description

Head of Commodity & Sourcing

Be Part of the Infrastructure Revolution

VAST Data is rewriting the rules of data infrastructure. Powered by our groundbreaking Universal Storage platform, we've eliminated decades-old tradeoffs to deliver a single system that is faster, more scalable, and radically more efficient. In just a few short years, VAST has become the fastest-growing infrastructure company in history—and we’re just getting started.

We’re looking for a Head of Commodity & Sourcing who brings deep operational acumen, a hands‑on leadership style, and strong technical fluency to help scale our global supply chain as we continue to disrupt the industry.

About the Role

This role is for a builder—a leader who doesn’t sit back and delegate but leans in, takes ownership, and thrives in the detail. You’ll be responsible for shaping and executing our global sourcing strategy across key technologies and commodities, while also establishing operational discipline and leading from the front.

Beyond strong commercial instincts and supply chain know‑how, the ideal candidate will bring a solid technical understanding of Flash storage, compute systems, and networking technologies—enabling smart, context‑driven decisions when evaluating suppliers, negotiating contracts, and partnering with engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the Commercial Supply Base: Lead strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management for core technologies, including SSDs, processors, memory, interconnects, PCBs, and networking components.
• Lead the RFQ process for new components and provide sourcing recommendations.
• Stay deeply engaged in the operational details—negotiating directly, resolving escalations, reviewing component‑level BOMs, and guiding design‑for‑cost decisions.
• Hire, mentor, and manage a high‑performing sourcing organization while remaining a hands‑on operator and problem‑solving yourself.
• Manage supplier performance through scorecards and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs).
• Facilitate quarterly supplier product roadmap reviews with VP of Operations Strategy.
• Partner closely with Engineering and Product teams to understand requirements, influence design decisions, and align supplier capabilities to VAST’s roadmap.
• Secure long‑term agreements (LTAs) that optimize for cost, continuity, and risk, while keeping a pulse on component market trends and lifecycle dynamics.
• Establish best‑in‑class sourcing processes, performance metrics, and review cad to ensure discipline, transparency, and speed.
• Maintain accurate sourcing data (pricing, lead times) in the MRP system.
• Drive cost reduction projects to meet Purchase Price Variance (PPV) targets.

What You Bring

• 15+ years of sourcing and supply chain experience in high‑tech or enterprise hardware industries.
• Proven experience managing complex sourcing categories and high‑value supplier negotiations.
• A technical background with working knowledge of Flash storage, compute architecture (CPU/GPU), and networking (Ethernet, InfiniBand, etc.).
• A hands‑on, roll‑up‑your‑sleeves leadership style—you drive the work, not just the team.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business (Master’s preferred).
• Experience leading teams of managers and ICs through periods of rapid growth.
• Exceptional communication, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to travel internationally to key supplier locations.

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