Strategic Sourcing Manager

Location: Omaha, NE

Reports to: Director of Operations

Anderson Industrial Engines Co., Inc. (AIE) is an Industrial Engine Distributor based in Omaha, NE, with offices in Kansas City, KS, Modesto, CA, and Las Vegas, NV. We are proud recipients of the Diesel Progress Employer of the Year and Distributor of the Year awards in recent years. We are a growing company with 80+ employees, with a great company culture that lives our core values every day.

AIE is seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Strategic Sourcing Manager to transform our procurement operations from reactive purchasing to proactive, long-term strategic value generation. In this role, you will lead a team of 4 buyers across our Omaha and Modesto locations, mentoring them through day-to-day challenges while implementing department-wide best practices.

You will be the driving force behind AIE’s strategic sourcing initiatives, focusing on identifying highly capable suppliers, optimizing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), and mitigating risk. By partnering closely with Engineering, Production, and Sales, you will ensure that new and existing vendors possess the technical capabilities to meet AIE's unique needs, while optimizing our Epicor MRP-driven supply chain for seamless production builds and sustainable cost savings.

Job Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Management & Supplier Discovery

• Actively identify, vet, and onboard new suppliers, integrating closely with the Engineering team to ensure vendors possess the specific technical capabilities, capacity, and quality standards required to meet AIE’s unique needs.
• Evaluate and optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) beyond initial purchase price, factoring in freight costs, warehousing/inventory, quality costs, and payment terms.
• Negotiate favorable terms and pricing to improve AIE’s competitive position in the market.
• Identify critical suppliers and foster highly collaborative, strategic partnerships.
• Continuously evaluate vendor performance; source and transition to alternative capable vendors when current partners underperform or when new capabilities are required.

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of 4 buyers distributed across Omaha and Modesto.
• Evaluate buyer performance through regular feedback, goal setting, and the annual review process.
• Act as an escalation point for the procurement team to help resolve problematic orders, manage difficult vendor relations, and identify alternative parts and suppliers when necessary.
• Define and implement procurement best practices, shifting the team's focus from tactical, day-to-day purchasing to long-term strategic value.
• Identify and implement long-term solutions to repetitive procurement issues to improve overall customer service and efficiency.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Inventory Optimization

• Transition the sourcing function from simply reacting to Epicor MRP-generated buyer suggestions to forecasting market trends and building proactive sourcing pipelines.
• Collaborate with Engineering on new product introductions and specification changes to ensure the supply base is prepared to support future designs.
• Partner with Sales, Production, and Engineering to determine accurate forecasts, Min/Max levels, Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ), and Safety Stock.
• Ensure stocking levels consistently provide the necessary materials for seamless production builds and improved fulfillment of customer orders.

Risk Mitigation

• Evaluate and monitor supply chain risks, including supplier financial health, geographic concentrations, and geopolitical risks.
• Develop proactive strategies to protect AIE against supply chain disruptions.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain management, preferably in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Leadership: Proven experience managing, coaching, and developing a team (experience managing distributed teams across multiple locations is a plus).

Skills:

• Proficiency in Epicor ERP is preferred, with strong expertise in utilizing and managing MRP-generated buyer suggestions.
• Proven ability to assess supplier technical capabilities in conjunction with engineering teams.
• Strong negotiation skills and a deep understanding of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills to work effectively with Sales, Production, and Engineering.
• Certifications: CPSM, CPIM, or CSCP certifications are a plus.

Job Type

• Full time
• In-Office

Benefits

• Guaranteed 401(k) Match
• Employee Health, Dental, Vision and Life insurance is paid 100%
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off
• Flexible Work Schedule
• Charitable Match Program

About Us

AIE was established in 1974 with headquarters in Omaha, NE. AIE distributes and packages industrial engine and generator sets. We support our product with parts and service departments and have grown to multiple branches within the US.

AIE has employed industry professionals for almost 50 years. AIE strives to treat each of our employees fairly, to help grow their strengths, and to diminish their weaknesses. AIE is focused on building a supportive company culture and building careers our employees find fulfilling and fun. We are proud to have such an amazing team of professionals that live and breathe our AIE core values.

AIE provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.