Director, S&OP and Strategic Procurement

About the Company

March Networks is a growing global technology business that emphasizes teamwork, innovation, and a supportive environment. The company highlights flexibility, professional growth, and a healthy balance between work and personal life. It also values strong effort, creativity, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for customers, partners, and colleagues around the world.

Role Summary

This leadership position brings together end-to-end Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), Integrated Business Planning (IBP), and strategic procurement for March Networks and Vivotek hardware. The role is responsible for aligning demand, supply, and financial plans while building a strong supplier ecosystem to support hardware build strategies with global contract manufacturing partners such as Delta and Sanmina.

S&OP / IBP Leadership

• Build, roll out, and continuously refine the S&OP / IBP structure, timeline, and governance spanning Sales, Operations, Finance, Product, and Engineering.
• Set the core S&OP metrics, standard templates, KPIs, and RACI ownership model to maintain a disciplined and repeatable process.
• Run the monthly demand, supply, and executive review cycles, ensuring outcomes are carried into MPS/MRP, capacity planning, and commercial commitments.
• Combine demand forecasts, supply planning, and financial plans to achieve revenue, service, and inventory targets while managing risk across March Networks and Vivotek demand.
• Adopt and benchmark best practices, tools, and analytics that strengthen scenario planning and improve decision quality.

Demand, Supply, and Inventory Planning

• Lead the creation of a consensus demand plan using sales input from March and Vivotek regions, market intelligence, statistical forecasting, and NPI demand.
• Own forecasting methods, forecast accuracy tracking, and the management of demand risks and opportunities.
• Direct Operations and Supply Chain teams to turn demand into capacity, supply, and inventory plans that meet service targets and working capital goals.
• Develop scenarios for upside and downside demand, component shortages, customer prioritization, inventory investment, and revenue recovery actions.

Strategic Procurement

• Provide senior procurement guidance to Hardware Engineering across the product lifecycle, from concept through volume production, for Taipei, Poland, Milan, and Ottawa design teams.
• Maintain strategic supplier partnerships across critical hardware categories such as memory, SOC/ICs/processors, PCBs, connectors, fans, and electro-mechanical parts.
• Own enterprise supply-risk management for geopolitical, sanctions, tariff, lifecycle, allocation, and single-source exposure, and create mitigation plans.
• Serve as the main business contact between suppliers, Hardware Engineering, Product Line Management, and Operations.
• Lead component pricing negotiations and manage commercial release milestones so build timing, cost, and margin goals are met.
• Assess supplier capability, dependability, capacity, financial stability, and cost competitiveness to support both NPI and long-term sourcing strategies.

Contract Manufacturing and Outsourcing

• Support global contract manufacturing partners, including Delta, Sanmina, and future partners across North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Negotiate cost models with existing and prospective outsourcing partners to strengthen the SSS LOB margin contribution.
• Support third-party and outsourced logistics sites handling inventory management, configuration, and direct order fulfillment, including inbound, outbound, and intercompany freight.
• Work with Technical Operations to bring contract manufacturers into DFM/DFA early through joint design reviews, BOM simplification, and component-risk reviews focused on manufacturability, test approach, and lifecycle/obsolescence planning.
• Maintain a rolling 6-12 month forecast with fixed, flex, and forecast windows, plus MPS/MRP visibility and clear rules for expedites, reschedules, and minimum order quantities.
• Manage raw material risk and liability exposure using Kinaxis to monitor work orders, WIP, purchase orders, and inventory against demand.

BOM Analysis, Risk, and Lifecycle Management

• Drive portfolio rationalization across all four design teams to reduce the number of supported suppliers and components.
• Conduct detailed Bill of Materials analysis to guide S&OP and procurement choices, including long-lead risk and early-buy strategies.
• Lead end-of-life component reviews, Product Change Notification evaluations, and dual-sourcing plans to protect supply continuity.
• Review manufacturing cost structures for NPI designs and provide component-level and finished-goods cost models to Product Line Management and Finance.
• Act as escalation point for material shortages affecting builds, pilot runs, and volume production, coordinating mitigation across planning, engineering, and suppliers.

Commercial and Contractual Leadership

• Lead negotiations for procurement contracts, NDAs, and commercial terms with key suppliers in line with corporate policy and risk tolerance.
• Perform business and financial reviews of both prospective and current suppliers to support sourcing decisions and S&OP risk reviews.
• Manage pricing updates and validation with Engineering, Product Line Management, and Finance so standard costs remain aligned with S&OP assumptions and financial plans.

Executive Engagement and Change Leadership

• Present S&OP results, supply risks, procurement strategy, and scenario analysis to executive leaders to drive fact-based decisions.
• Strengthen alignment across Sales, Product, Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Procurement by resolving conflicts and holding teams accountable for inputs and actions.
• Lead change efforts that improve S&OP and strategic sourcing maturity, including process upgrades, tool adoption, and capability building.
• Take part in Product Line readiness and gate reviews, clearly explaining status, risks, mitigation actions, and commercial impact.

Performance Management and Governance

• Define and track KPIs covering forecast accuracy and bias, OTIF, inventory turns, capacity utilization, material availability, NPI readiness, cost variance, and savings.
• Ensure S&OP decisions and sourcing strategies are reflected in ERP/APS records, material masters, and procurement data.
• Promote continuous improvement in planning, sourcing, and NPI commercialization, and measure gains such as fewer expedites, better fill rates, lower obsolescence, and stronger margins.

Qualifications and Experience

• At least 10 years of experience in supply chain, operations, or procurement within high-tech, networking, or electronics environments, including strategic sourcing and supplier management.
• At least 5 years of direct leadership experience in S&OP/IBP or integrated demand and supply planning, ideally in a hardware or systems setting.
• Practical exposure to NPI workflows and BOM analysis, including cost modeling, lifecycle and risk assessment, and supplier selection.
• Proven ability to negotiate complex commercial arrangements, including pricing, contracts, and NDAs with semiconductor and electronics suppliers.
• Strong command of MRP/MPS, capacity planning, and inventory management, and how these connect to S&OP and financial planning.
• Experience with ERP and planning platforms such as SAP or similar, sourcing tools, advanced Excel and analytics, and familiarity with product lifecycle or Agile/PLM systems is an advantage.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and leadership ability, with a track record of influencing cross-functional partners and executives and making decisions under pressure.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including financial analysis, scenario modeling, and supply-risk mitigation.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related discipline; a Master's degree is preferred.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker who can connect commercial, technical, and operational choices from end to end.
• Collaborative and team-oriented, with the presence needed to lead cross-functional forums and executive reviews.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment with multiple active NPI programs and changing customer demand.
• Results-focused, with a commitment to disciplined execution, continuous improvement, and measurable impact on revenue, margin, and service.

Benefits and Work Environment

• Global exposure
• Medical and dental coverage available from day one
• Health club reimbursement
• Support for professional development
• Company holiday closure
• Flexible support for work-life balance

Additional Information

March Networks is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse workforce. The company also notes that AI is used as part of the recruitment process. This is an existing vacancy with one available opening. The hiring salary range for the role is $140,000 to $160,000.