Strategic Buyer

Carl Zeiss X-ray Microscopy, Inc.; Dublin (CA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Retirement savings plan

Paid time off

Vision

Dental

Job summary

ZEISS is seeking a Strategic Buyer / Category Manager to lead cross-site category strategies for Electronics, Mechanics, IT software & hardware, Third-Party Products, Emitters or Detectors across the USA, Germany, UK, Italy, China and India. You will handle supplier selection, qualification, performance and global negotiations to ensure cost, quality and delivery targets.

Ideal candidates bring at least three years in technical purchasing, strong negotiation and project-management skills, SAP

Qualifications

• Three years of purchasing experience in technical categories such as metals, plastics, machined parts or electrical components.
• Strong technical understanding of high-technology systems and complex parts.
• Analytical and financial capability to assess suppliers against quality, cost, reliability and total cost of ownership.
• Strong negotiation skills and knowledge of contracts and agency principles.
• Project-management capability and experience with strategic procurement methods.
• At least one year of SAP experience and proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Structured, data-driven approach and ability to manage large data sets.
• Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Fluent English; additional languages (German, Chinese, Hindi) are a plus.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement cross-site category strategies across the USA, Germany, UK, Italy, China and India.
• Manage supplier selection, qualification, performance to meet quality, service, delivery, cost, risk and innovation requirements.
• Ensure supply continuity by monitoring market risks and implementing mitigation measures.
• Identify and develop new suppliers and propose alternative materials or processes to support production.
• Lead negotiations and resolve supplier discrepancies related to cost, quality, delivery or service.
• Develop cost models to benchmark and negotiate prices and savings targets.
• Maintain SAP data and supplier agreements; ensure accuracy of source data.
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives and support procurement policies and KPIs.
• Collaborate with operations, NPI, manufacturing, quality, project management and other partners.
• Build strong supplier and internal stakeholder relationships and communicate with ZEISS leadership.

Job description

About Us

How many companies can say they’ve been in business for over 179 years?! Here at ZEISS, we certainly can! As the pioneers of science, ZEISS handles the everchanging environments in a fast-paced world, meeting it with cutting edge of technologies and continuous advancements. ZEISS believes that innovation and technology are the key to a sustainable future and solutions for global change. We have a diverse range of portfolios throughout the ZEISS family in segments like, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, Consumer Markets and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. We are a global company with over 42,000 employees and have over 4,000 in the US and Canada alone! Make a difference, come join the team!

Location/Region: Dublin, CA

What’s the role?

Working within the Hiring Manager’s team, we are looking for a Strategic Buyer / Category Manager to take responsibility for the strategic management of a dedicated category, such as Electronics, Mechanics, IT Software & Hardware, Third-Party Products, Emitters, or Detectors.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Develop and implement cross-site category strategies across the USA, Germany, UK, Italy, China, and India.
• Conduct global market analyses and manage supplier selection, qualification, and performance to meet requirements for quality, service, delivery, cost, risk, innovation, and capability.
• Ensure supply continuity by monitoring industry trends, assessing supplier and market risks, and initiating mitigation measures that strengthen supply-chain resilience.
• Identify and develop new suppliers and propose alternative materials, technologies, or manufacturing processes to support series production and NPI projects.
• Lead national and international commercial and contractual negotiations, and resolve supplier discrepancies relating to quality, delivery, price, or service.
• Develop and apply product cost-driver and total-cost models to benchmark, evaluate, and negotiate prices and deliver agreed savings targets.
• Ensure purchased-product costs, source data, and outline agreements are accurately established and maintained in SAP.
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives and contribute to standardized procurement policies, procedures, KPIs, materials-management systems, and digital tools.
• Collaborate closely with operational procurement, NPI project buying, manufacturing, quality, project management, and other business partners to implement category strategies and supporting programs.
• Build strong supplier and internal stakeholder relationships and communicate effectively with ZEISS leaders at all organizational levels.

Do you qualify?

• At least three years of relevant purchasing experience in one or more technical categories, such as formed or extruded metals, plastics, machined parts, mechanical components, or electrical components.
• Strong technical understanding of the assigned category, high-technology systems, and complex parts.
• Analytical and financial capability to assess suppliers against quality, cost, reliability, innovation, capability, and financial-stability criteria and to evaluate total cost of ownership.
• Strong negotiation skills and sound knowledge of commercial law, contracts, and agency principles.
• Proven project-management capability and solid command of strategic procurement methods and continuous-improvement practices.
• At least one year of SAP experience, preferably in Materials Management, and proficient use of Microsoft Office.
• A structured, data-driven approach, with the ability to manage large data sets and synthesize and present decision-relevant information.
• Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build effective supplier relationships and work across technical, sales, manufacturing, management, and business-process teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, a customer-focused mindset, and the confidence to engage effectively across all leadership levels.
• Initiative, creativity, and persistence in developing and implementing new ideas and solutions.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Fluency in English; additional languages, such as German, Chinese or Hindi are an advantage.
• Occasional travel to our headquarters in southern Germany or to suppliers internationally will be necessary—up to 20%.

The annual pay range for this position is $77,000 – $96,000. The pay offered for this role may be influenced by factors such as job location, scope of role, qualifications, education, experience, & complexity/specialization/scarcity of talent. This position is also eligible for a performance bonus or sales commissions.

ZEISS also offers robust benefits, including medical plans, retirement savings plan and paid time off.

• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• 401k Matching
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Vacation and sick pay

The list goes on!

Diversity and Inclusion

Zeiss provides Equal Employment Opportunity without unlawful regard to an Applicants race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, citizen status, sexual orientation, pregnancy (includes childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), genetic predisposition, carrier status, gender expression or identity, including transgender identity, or any other class or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law of the employee (or the people with whom the employee associates, including relatives and friends).

Diversity is a part of ZEISS. We look forward to receiving your application regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, philosophy of life, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.

Company Culture

Step out of your comfort zone, excel and redefine the limits of what is possible. That’s just what our employees are doing every single day – in order to set the pace through our innovations and enable outstanding achievements. After all, behind every successful company are many great fascinating people. In a spacious modern setting full of opportunities for further development, ZEISS employees work in a place where expert knowledge and team spirit reign supreme. All of this is supported by a special ownership structure and the long-term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together. Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow.