Strategic Sourcing Specialist (Direct Material)

the LEGO Group; Richmond (VA); Hybrid; Confidential; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Best of Both (3 days on-site & 2 days/

Regional travel

Job summary

LEGO Group in Virginia is seeking a Strategic Sourcing Specialist to own the charge in scaling and optimizing the direct material procurement process, collaborating across functions to improve supplier performance and ensure business continuity here at LEGO® Manufacturing Virginia.

You will conduct Materials Requirement Planning, support supplier performance management, risk assessments, and SRM, while driving end-to-end sourcing and cost management initiatives using SAP, Ariba, Oracle, Coupa,

Qualifications

• Knowledge of packaging material procurement, such as corrugated and printed packaging.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to develop relationships across internal and external partners.
• Experience using ERP and procurement systems such as SAP, Ariba, Oracle, or similar platforms.
• High level of proficiency in data analytics using Excel and PowerBI.

Responsibilities

• Conduct Materials Requirement Planning: Execute weekly blanket purchase orders and utilize MRP tools to support production plans.
• Support Supplier Performance Management: Score supplier performance, drive improvements, and ensure supply continuity.
• Conduct Risk Assessments: Map risk exposure, identify bottlenecks, and build mitigation plans for business continuity.
• Support Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Conduct assessments, monitor capacity, and organize performance meetings.
• Support Day-to-Day Operations: Collaborate with suppliers and stakeholders on continuous improvement and respond to non-conformance events.
• Maintain Data and Reporting: Use Coupa, SAP, and PowerBI to establish supplier governance and align KPIs across regions.
• Support End-to-End Sourcing Activities: Engage in bids, negotiations, evaluations, and contract adherence.
• Drive Cost Management and Productivity Initiatives: Evaluate demand vs. supply, identify local supplier options, and deliver cost reductions.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Data analytics

Supplier performance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain / Logistics / Operations Management

Tools

SAP

Ariba

Oracle

ERP systems

PowerBI

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Description

Are you ready to build something new and make a tangible impact on manufacturing operations through the procurement process?

Join us as a Strategic Sourcing Specialist and own the charge in scaling and optimizing the procurement process focused in Direct Material categories, collaborating across functions to improve supplier performance and impact business continuity here at LEGO® Manufacturing Virginia.

Core Responsibilities:

• Conduct Materials Requirement Planning: Execute weekly blanket purchase orders and utilize MRP tools to support production plans.

• Support Supplier Performance Management: Partner across functions to score supplier performance, drive improvements, and ensure supply continuity.

• Conduct Risk Assessments: Map risk exposure, identify bottlenecks, and build mitigation plans to support business continuity.

• Support Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Conduct assessments, monitor capacity, and organize performance meetings to maintain healthy partnerships.

• Support Day-to-Day Operations: Partner with suppliers and stakeholders on continuous improvement projects, responding to non-conformance events and service failures.

• Maintain Data and Reporting: Use systems like Coupa, SAP, and PowerBI to establish supplier performance governance and align KPIs across regions.

• Support End-to-End Sourcing Activities: Engage in bids, negotiations, evaluations, and contract adherence to support a total cost view.

• Drive Cost Management and Productivity Initiatives: Evaluate demand versus supply plans to mitigate material scrap and obsolescence, identify localized supplier options to enhance cost efficiency, and engage in supplier partnerships for root cause analysis and cost savings. Implement financial productivity reporting and shop floor control plans to deliver measurable cost reductions and improve outcomes for LEGO Group and Supplier Partners.

Play your part in our team succeeding:

The Procurement Department is integral to our organization’s success, ensuring that our manufacturing operations run smoothly and efficiently.By leading sourcing, contracting, and supplier relationships, the department plays a vital role in maintaining operational continuity and supporting plant expansion projects. It focuses on strategic category management to optimize costs and mitigate supply risks, thereby contributing to overall business objectives.

As a Strategic Sourcing Specialist, you will be at the forefront of these efforts, aligning procurement activities with operational priorities and driving continuous improvement initiatives. Your role will support the broader organization by ensuring reliable sourcing of direct materials enabling production reliability. By partnering closely with cross-functional teams, you will help deliver procurement strategies that improve manufacturing performance and business continuity.

Do you have what it takes?

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Supply Chain, Logistics Business, Operations Management is preferred. Experience in strategic sourcing, materials planning, procurement processes, and supplier performance management.

Must Have:

• Knowledge of packaging material procurement, such as corrugated and printed packaging.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to develop strong relationships across both internal and external partners.

• Experience using ERP and procurement systems such as SAP, Ariba, Oracle, or similar platforms.

• High level of proficiency in data analytics using data analysis tools such as Microsoft Excel and PowerBI.

Nice to Have:

• Supporting manufacturing, industrial, or production environments are strongly preferred.

• Leading supplier performance programs and procurement process improvement projects is desired.

Additional:

• Best of Both (3 days on-site & 2 days from home).

• Regional travel required with some international travel will be required.

• No relocation will be available.

Compensation

The salary for this position has a range of $93,989.00 - $140,983.00 based on anticipated responsibilities, market benchmarks, and organizational constraints. The LEGO Group carefully considers a wide range of compensation factors, including but not limited to prior experience, skills, expertise, location, internal equity, and other considerations permitted by law. The comprehensive remuneration details, inclusive of benefits, will be communicated upon finalisation of the employment offer.

What’s in it for you?

Here are some of what to expect:

Family Care Leave – We offer enhanced paid leave options for those important times.

Insurances – All colleagues are covered by our life and disability insurance which provides protection and peace of mind.

Wellbeing – We want you to be your best self, so you’ll have access to the Headspace App and lots of wellbeing initiatives and programs run by local teams where you are based

Colleague Discount – We know you’ll love to build so from day 1 you will qualify for our generous colleague discount.

Bonus – We do our best work to succeed together. When goals are reached and if eligible, you’ll be rewarded through our bonus scheme

Your workplace – When you join the team you’ll be assigned a primary workplace location i.e. one of our Offices, stores or factories. Our hybrid work policy means an average of 3 days per week in the office. The hiring team will discuss the policy and role eligibility with you during the recruitment process.

We strive to create a diverse, dynamic and inclusive culture of play at the LEGO Group, where everyone feels safe, valued and they belong. The LEGO Group is highly committed to equal employment opportunity and equal pay and seeks to encourage applicants from all backgrounds (eg. sex, gender identity or expression, race/ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion and Veteran status) to apply for roles in our team.

We support our employees in being there for the moments that matter in life and celebrate families of all kinds, the loved ones that make us who we are. Being part of the LEGO Group also means taking part in our annual Play Day, playing a part in building a sustainable future and continuing our mission to “inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.” The LEGO Group is fully committed to Children’s Rights and Child Wellbeing across the globe. Candidates offered positions with high engagement with children are required to take part in Child Safeguarding Background Screening, as a condition of the offer.

Thank you for sharing our global commitment to Children’s Rights.

We conduct drug screening as a part of our drug free workplace policy and in support of the health and safety of our employees.