Commodity Manager - Custom Components, Fabrications & Indirect Materials

Job description

INFICON is seeking a strategic and technically grounded Commodity Manager — Custom Components, Fabrications & Indirect to lead the ISS Division’s sourcing strategy for precision-manufactured components and indirect procurement categories. In this high-impact role, you will strengthen supplier performance, optimize total cost, mitigate supply risk, and ensure continuity of supply across a complex global value chain supporting high-precision manufacturing. Partnering closely with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and global Supply Chain teams, you will build the supplier strategies, technical sourcing frameworks, and commercial capabilities needed to support faster, smarter procurement decisions. This is an opportunity to make a visible impact within an innovation-led organization where supplier excellence, operational performance, and customer success are critical drivers of growth and competitiveness. Key Responsibilities: • Lead the global commodity strategy for custom machined parts, sheet metal, plastics, castings, specialty materials, standard hardware, and indirect / MRO categories, ensuring alignment to business growth, cost, quality, and risk objectives. • Develop sourcing strategies informed by strong knowledge of precision manufacturing processes, cost drivers, supplier capability, and market dynamics. • Build and maintain should-cost models to support negotiations, supplier competitiveness, make-versus-buy decisions, and long-range category planning. • Drive annual cost reduction initiatives through strategic sourcing, supplier development, standardization, value engineering, and collaboration with Engineering. • Manage indirect and MRO categories through preferred supplier programs, spend consolidation, catalog simplification, and compliance to sourcing standards. • Lead supplier identification, qualification, onboarding, and development in partnership with Engineering, Quality, and Operations. • Manage supplier performance through scorecards, business reviews, capability assessments, corrective actions, and continuous improvement plans. • Establish dual-source strategies and continuity plans for critical fabricated or custom components, mitigating capacity, quality, and supply risks. • Negotiate supply agreements, pricing structures, tooling provisions, and long-term commercial terms that protect cost, service, and quality performance. • Oversee INFICON-owned tooling at supplier sites, including maintenance standards, asset control, and portability requirements. • Support NPI programs by providing manufacturability, cost, sourcing, and supplier capability input during product development. • Partner cross-functionally on drawing changes, ECO impact assessments, requalification needs, and supplier readiness for engineering changes. • Maintain sourcing data, supplier records, and purchasing conditions within ERP systems while leveraging analytics to support business reviews and category decisions. Education • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, or related technical field. Required Experience • 6–10 years of commodity management or strategic sourcing experience in custom-fabricated components or related precision manufacturing categories. • Experience qualifying suppliers, managing tooling, and supporting formal first-article or manufacturing qualification processes. • Strong understanding of precision manufacturing processes and ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and material specifications. • Familiarity with supplier quality systems (ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485) and qualification protocols. • Ability to develop should-cost models and evaluate manufacturing cost drivers. • Advanced ERP systems proficiency supporting procurement and sourcing workflows. • Strong analytical skills using Excel or data visualization tools (Power BI / Tableau). Preferred Experience / Qualifications • Master’s degree (MBA or Supply Chain). • Preferred industry experience in semiconductor equipment, precision instrumentation, vacuum technology, medical devices, aerospace / defense, or industrial automation. • Experience with SAP MM and related procurement modules. • Certifications such as CPSM, CPM, CQE, CSCP, CPIM, or Lean Six Sigma. • Strong communication, negotiation, and supplier-relationship management skills. • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and drive continuous improvement. INFICON is a leading provider of innovative instrumentation, critical sensor technologies, and Smart Manufacturing/Industry 4.0 software solutions that enhance productivity and quality of tools, processes, and complete factories. These analysis, measurement and control products are essential for gas leak detection in air conditioning/refrigeration and automotive manufacturing. They are vital to equipment manufacturers and end-users in the complex fabrication of semiconductors and thin film coatings for optics, flat panel displays, solar cells and industrial vacuum coating applications. Other users of our vacuum-based processes include the life sciences, research, aerospace, packaging, heat treatment, laser cutting and many other industrial processes. We also leverage our expertise in vacuum technology to provide unique, toxic chemical analysis products for emergency response, security, and environmental health and safety.