Strategic Sourcing Manager - Equipment

Waymo's Supply Chain and Manufacturing teams are making the technology of the future a reality. We handle all production processes and supplier development strategies: from contracts and purchasing, to designs for improved manufacturing, through quality control and delivery. We collaborate actively with Waymo engineering teams as well as external suppliers and partners to make sure everything is built to spec and delivered on time to meet the rising demands of our business.

In this hybrid role you will report to a Global Supply Manager on our Strategic Sourcing team.

You will:

• Support the overall Sourcing Strategy for custom automation & test equipment @ Waymo through flawless execution. Work alongside Equipment Engineers to lead RFQ/RFP processes with Global vendors to develop a scalable supply chain.
• Act as the primary commercial liaison between Waymo's internal AME teams (Mechanical, Electrical, Test) and external vendors to develop sourcing strategies and manage all commercial aspects of production-ready equipment.
• Drive communication between Waymo internal AME teams, external equipment vendors and Contract Manufacturers during the entire life-cycle of custom equipment development,
• Oversee the entire commercial lifecycle of custom equipment development, from sourcing and negotiation to final deployment and cost-down.
• Develop contracts and SOWs working with Waymo Legal and Equipment Vendor Commercial Leadership
• Develop & refine SLAs to standardize support & maintenance of the custom equipment at our Contract Manufacturers.

You have:

• Negotiate pricing for custom Automation Equipment & Testers for Self-driving-modules
• Drive communication between Waymo internal AME teams, external equipment vendors and Contract Manufacturers during the entire life-cycle of custom equipment development
• Create SOWs for Projects by working with Legal, AME teams
• Drive schedule, capacity and supply planning to meet development and production demands with these CMs, focusing on module assembly, test and PCBA manufacturing.
• Perform cost modeling & create should cost models, costed bill of material of Waymo’s SDS modules;
• Support scorecard creation to monitor & track performance of Equipment vendors
• Drive issue prioritization and resolution with the Equipment Vendors working collaboratively with AME, TPM

Must Have:

• A BS or MS degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Mechanical Engineering, or a similar discipline, or an equivalent amount of practical experience.
• 7-10 years of senior-level Global Supply Management or strategic sourcing experience, with a focus on managing automation or complex hardware vendors.
• A strong background and proven track record in negotiation, cost modeling, and contract management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex commercial and technical concepts clearly and concisely.

We prefer:

• Direct previous experience as an Equipment Engineer, Automation Engineer.
• A high-level understanding of manufacturing assembly, test processes in a Contract Manufacturing facility and cost drivers.
• Experience with computer-aided design (CAD) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems such as PDM or Enovia.
• Experience working within a fast-paced high-tech industry taking complex hardware products through manufacturing and into volume production.
• Prior work experience at Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon or Tesla manufacturing their systems
• Supply chain (e.g., CPSM) certification.

Travel Requirement:

• Up to 30% travel to Asia, Europe, US