Sourced, purchased, and managed all components for a pilot program and system delivery, encompassing 10 systems and 500 unique parts, with a total purchase order value of $115M.Implemented advanced inventory and purchasing systems, including Arena's PLM and NetSuite's ERP software, optimizing procurement efficiency and accuracy.Developed a custom Excel-based MRP tool to integrate BOM data from PLM and inventory levels from ERP, streamlining procurement planning and ensuring accurate part quantity calculations.Orchestrated procurement of all parts required to support a pilot program with Chipotle and successfully delivered the initial systems to their restaurants.Scaled operations by collaborating with suppliers on pricing and supply strategies, achieving 30%-40% cost savings through supplier negotiations, competitive bidding, economies of scale, and multi-year agreements.Conducted supplier analysis and competitive bidding to transition production to a contract manufacturer, reducing costs by 10%-15% from initial quotes.Navigated global supply chain challenges during the COVID pandemic to secure critical electronic components from China by prioritizing shipments, identifying alternative sources, reorganizing production schedules, and collaborating with engineering on subsystem redesigns.Partnered cross-functionally with all departments to ensure timely and adequate supply, maintaining alignment with company objectives and milestones.Provided regular updates to co-founders and leadership, ensuring that sourcing and procurement strategies aligned with overarching business goals.

Managed cost savings initiatives for a global semiconductor company’s $300M MRO tail-spend category, characterized by fragmented procurement across systems, locations, and business units.Conducted detailed spend analysis and cost benchmarking to identify strategic sourcing opportunities and drive cost reduction.Consolidated purchases across worldwide locations and business units, reducing supplier base to enhance leverage in negotiations, achieve economies of scale, and improve procurement efficiencies.Navigated challenges associated with 90% of spend being based in Asia by engaging distant stakeholders and addressing complexities of foreign markets.Collaborated with business unit leaders to negotiate and share cost savings while addressing resistance to centralized procurement strategies.Engaged suppliers to revisit pricing outside contractual obligations by offering incentives such as preferred supplier status and potential for additional business, or renegotiating during contract renewal periods.Transitioned significant portions of spend to catalog purchases to streamline procurement processes and leverage consolidated volume.Presented strategic sourcing initiatives to executive leadership, securing buy-in and alignment with company-wide goals.Achieved year-one cost savings of 12% with a projected 20%-30% savings over three years through targeted sourcing strategies and supplier negotiations.

Led the negotiation and contract renewal for an $80M key supplier of soy protein, resisting inflation-driven cost increases and mitigating future supply chain risks.Analyzed the futures market for soybeans to develop price projections and established pricing limits tied to market fluctuations, achieving a 3%-5% cost reduction despite inflationary pressures.Implemented risk mitigation strategies by dual-sourcing soy protein, allocating a smaller proportion to a competitor supplier, and collaborating with the primary supplier to certify additional production facilities across different locations.Enhanced contract terms by negotiating increased supplier insurance premiums, penalties for supply disruptions, and performance-based incentives to secure supply chain stability.Negotiated a $10M global contract with a supplier of vitamins and minerals, achieving 5%-10% cost savings through supplier consolidation, competitive bidding of subcategories, and adding product lines.Oversaw supplier activities across six global manufacturing and distribution facilities supporting 115 products in 95 markets, addressing supply and quality issues and ensuring target fulfillment rates.Established competitive sourcing strategies to support global operations, aligning procurement processes with company-wide objectives to improve cost efficiencies and mitigate risks.

Directed sourcing, procurement, and supplier management for structural components, electro-mechanical systems, power/control parts, and other key categories to ensure successful execution of a pilot program and system delivery to Walmart and Sysco.Established and led an end-to-end supply chain department, implementing key functions including purchasing, shipping/receiving, inventory management, order fulfillment, and demand planning.Implemented Fishbowl inventory management software, significantly improving operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and inventory accuracy.Developed and executed a procurement strategy to transition from expensive, complex custom LED panels with supplier-retained IP to a simplified in-house design using off-the-shelf components, reducing manufacturing lead times, minimizing rework, and lowering overall program costs.Led a cross-functional process improvement initiative utilizing Lean principles and value stream mapping, resulting in reduced labor and process time, increased production yields, and timely achievement of critical program milestones.Partnered with internal teams and external suppliers to align procurement strategies with organizational goals, enhancing supplier relationships and driving cost efficiency across the supply chain.

Managed $115M in direct spend for the body-in-white category, including sheet metal, castings, and extrusions, achieving 10%-20% cost savings through strategic sourcing and supplier negotiations.Developed sourcing strategies for 1,600+ part numbers with 70+ global suppliers across 14+ countries to ensure competitive pricing and optimized procurement.Competitively bid over 200 sheet metal parts, performing cost benchmarking and negotiating agreements with top suppliers to achieve best total cost of ownership (TCO) and supply flexibility.Presented strategic sourcing plans to the executive team, securing buy-in for implementation.Led procurement for body-in-white and closure components, ensuring alignment with price, quality (cGMP), and delivery benchmarks for prototype vehicle launches.Directed a technical supply chain team in supplier evaluation and development, driving alignment with corporate objectives and mitigating risks.Presented supply chain strategies to leadership, incorporating market analysis and stakeholder collaboration to support decision-making.Executed competitive bidding and negotiations to achieve cost reductions and improve procurement efficiency.Played a key role in ensuring supply chain resilience and readiness for critical production launches.

Managed $75M in indirect spend across categories such as construction, marketing, consulting, contingent labor, and capital.Processed purchasing requests from plant stakeholders in Coupa’s procurement management system to ensure orders were placed with preferred suppliers and complied with established supplier agreements, pricing, and terms.Collaborated with plant Business Units and Functions to develop business requirements and interfaced with Commodity Management to incorporate requirements into sourcing strategies.Contributed to negotiating contract manufacturing agreements for core products and spot buys for indirect purchases by conducting spend analysis, cost benchmarking, and relevant analytic tasks to achieve 12%-15% average cost savings.Acted as liaison and primary escalation point to mitigate and resolve supplier performance and compliance issues.Led purchasing activity for the plant’s annual shutdown, achieving 8%-12% cost savings on $10M-$20M in spend and ensuring successful execution within tight deadlines.Led Lean and Six Sigma process improvement initiatives, enhancing operational efficiencies in the MRO spare parts request process and becoming a certified practitioner.Built and maintained strong collaborative relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure early procurement involvement and alignment with business objectives.

Streamlined the District's annual $20M Prop 39 charter school facility management program by developing an online checklist and application process, increasing user satisfaction, reducing process time, minimizing errors, and improving compliance and resource allocation.Supported the execution of a $1.3B technology program to equip every student with an iPad by providing project management expertise, ensuring the successful completion of the program's first phase.Led a department-wide process improvement initiative using Lean tools, Six Sigma methodologies, and value stream mapping, resulting in reduced process time, lowered operational costs, clarified roles and responsibilities, and better alignment of work with organizational goals.Successfully completed a 10-week Education Pioneers fellowship program, collaborating with district-wide leaders to advance education reform and operational transformation initiatives.

Managed $150M in direct spend for the GPS satellite program and $100M for advanced space systems, ensuring program success through strategic contract administration, supplier performance management, and alignment with program objectives.Supported cross-functional proposal teams in securing $1.5B and $750M bids for next-generation GPS satellite and advanced space systems programs by providing procurement strategies, cost estimates, soliciting competitive supplier proposals, and negotiating contract terms.Improved supplier performance for critical satellite components by facilitating on-site program reviews, recruiting internal resources to address technical issues, and onboarding a dual source, preventing delays to major program milestones.Led a process improvement initiative to streamline supplier data submissions by identifying bottlenecks, reducing redundancies, and implementing automation, resulting in a 30% reduction in process time and 60% fewer errors.Led supplier engagement from requirement development through sourcing, contract negotiation, execution, and performance management, ensuring alignment with program objectives. Negotiated pricing, contract terms, and conditions, and prepared binding agreements while providing oversight of supply and demand, schedules, quality, delivery, and financial performance.Directed supplier performance initiatives, resolving issues in collaboration with external customers, developing strategic supplier solutions across programs, and driving process improvements. Mentored procurement agents to enhance team capabilities and integrated improvements into contract strategies for sustained supply chain optimization.

Successfully led the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process to forecast demand and plan supply, achieving a 20% reduction in inventory holding costs while maintaining 98% on-time delivery performance.Coordinated with suppliers and internal customers to ensure 100% on-time delivery of products, maintaining quarterly vendor scorecards and resolving supplier issues to improve overall vendor performance metrics by 15%.Conducted detailed cost analyses of products and freight, identifying and implementing supply chain strategies that reduced procurement expenses by 10% and optimized freight costs, ensuring compliance with supplier diversity procurement standards.Managed cross-functional collaboration through weekly updates on demand and supply, resolving inventory shortages and implementing master data standardization, resulting in a 25% improvement in process efficiency and reduced delays.Analyzed key performance indicators using advanced Excel functions and MFG Pro, leading to actionable insights that improved order accuracy by 30% and reduced supply chain disruptions.Streamlined purchase order management for inventory and non-inventory items, ensuring accurate documentation and compliance, which contributed to a 15% reduction in administrative errors.

Obtained and analyzed supplier quotes, leading to procurement decisions that reduced material costs by 10%.Identified cost-saving opportunities through market testing, achieving $50,000 in savings across key procurement categories.Developed regression models to analyze supplier pricing trends, improving pricing accuracy and enhancing negotiation strategies.Conducted supplier cycle time and benchmarking studies, reducing lead times by 25% and uncovering best practices that lowered costs by 12%.Collaborated with global cross-functional teams to develop commodity strategies, aligning procurement objectives with market trends and improving supplier alignment.