About the role
AI summarisedASM is seeking a Director of Category Management for Mechanics to lead global strategic sourcing and supplier relationships for complex mechanical components in the semiconductor industry. The role focuses on driving cost reduction, quality improvement, supplier innovation, and team development within a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment.
EquipmentFull-timenan
Key Responsibilities
- Achieve year-over-year total cost of ownership (TCO) reduction through deep technical value engineering, not just negotiation.
- Establish a 'Zero-Defect' quality culture with key suppliers, driving toward Six Sigma levels and achieving a >95% OTD for complex, long-lead items.
- Continually evaluate new suppliers that can vertically integrate and scale with ASM. Uplevel the commercial relationships with key partners through Supplier Relationship Management programs that help to deliver long-term value for ASM.
- Drive supplier-led innovation, establishing joint development roadmaps that result in the adoption of at least two new technologies or processes per year.
- Champion early supplier involvement in New Product Introduction (NPI), thereby significantly reducing time-to-market.
- Be able to engage engineering and suppliers on technical level discussions on design and opportunities to improve yield, quality and costs.
- Build, coach, and develop a high-performing, global sourcing team.
- Foster a culture of excellence and data-driven decision-making, leveraging tools like SAP S/4HANA, Power BI and other analytics tools.
- Achieve high team retention rate through active mentorship and development planning.
- Influence and manage internal stakeholders such as manufacturing, quality, purchasing, planning, business units and finance. Ensure team responsiveness towards supporting cross functional initiatives that relate to continuity of supply, cost management, quality enhancement, lead time reduction, capacity management, etc.
- Own end-to-end supplier relationship management, implementing standardized scorecards and metrics, holding quarterly business reviews (QBRs) and driving continuous improvement.
- Lead cross-functional efficiency programs and improvements to reduce overhead, lead times, liabilities and costs.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain, engineering, materials science or equivalent degree.
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive strategic sourcing, procurement, or engineering experience in a high-mix, low-volume / high-complexity manufacturing environment (e.g., semiconductor, aerospace, medical devices).
- Proven track record in managing complex global supply chains and categories such as mechanical systems, advanced materials, contract manufacturing, or electrical categories.
- Strong commercial acumen, negotiation skills, and experience managing suppliers across globally.
- Demonstrated leadership in driving sourcing transformation and building high-performing teams.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, technology-driven industry with demanding supply chain challenges.
- Experience using SAP/S4 Hana preferred.
- Mechanics: Expertise in managing a global network of suppliers for complex machine components, sheet metal, frames, plastics and special processes. You need to understand precision manufacturing, tolerances, design standards, raw materials properties, surface cleaning and treatment, and material science for ultra-high vacuum and plasma environments.
- Excellent written and verbal Communication skills. Can clearly and succinctly articulate clear strategies and action plans. Are able to deliver dynamic presentations to share information, drive alignment, update and influence to various levels of audiences.
- Strategic Visionary: You anticipate technological shifts and build supply chains to capitalize on them.
- Influential Leader: You build trust and exert influence at the highest levels, both internally and with supplier executive teams.
- Relentless Problem-Solver: You thrive on solving problems that have no existing solution.
- Business Acumen: You seamlessly translate a technical challenge into its financial and strategic implications for ASM.
- Proactive, entrepreneurial mindset with continuous improvement orientation.