Senior Mechanical Sourcing & Category Lead

nLIGHT, Inc.; Camas (WA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Target cash bonus

Restricted stock units (RSUs)

4 weeks paid time off

Health benefits (medical, dental, and视

401(k) with company match

Life & AD&D Insurance

Tuition Assistance Program

Pet Insurance

Job summary

nLIGHT, Inc. is seeking a Senior Category Manager in the United States to lead direct material and technology sourcing for precision mechanical categories.

You will guide supplier strategy, manage performance, and collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Program teams to meet cost, schedule, and continuity objectives. Responsibilities include negotiating terms, shaping supplier portfolios, and mitigating supply risk across government and commercial programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or Business with substantial category management experience.
• Experience developing category strategies and managing supplier relationships.
• Strong negotiation of supplier agreements and terms.
• Experience with government contracting and regulated environments (FAR/DFARS/ITAR/EAR) preferred.
• Proficiency in ERP systems and Excel for analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes supplier strategies aligned with business needs.
• Shapes supplier portfolio to support qualification and reduce single-source risk.
• Drives supplier performance via scorecards and QBRs.
• Negotiates supplier agreements and commercial terms.
• Partners with engineering and operations on sourcing for new and sustaining products.
• Monitors market conditions and regulatory developments to mitigate supply risks.
• Ensures compliance with regulations and internal purchasing policies.
• Drives improvements in sourcing processes and analytics.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Category management

Negotiation

Risk management

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management

Engineering or Business

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft Excel

Sourcing analytics tools

Job description

nLIGHT, Inc. is seeking a Senior Category Manager in the United States to lead direct material and technology sourcing for precision mechanical categories.

You will guide supplier strategy, manage performance, and collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Program teams to meet cost, schedule, and continuity objectives. Responsibilities include negotiating terms, shaping supplier portfolios, and mitigating supply risk across government and commercial programs.