Job Description
Who will you be working with? The Lead Engineered Systems Commodity Manager will work closely with global and regional supply chain teams, engineering, project sourcing, operations, and strategic suppliers. This role serves as the primary owner of the Engineered Systems commodity strategy, supplier management activities, and commercial agreements, ensuring alignment with business objectives, cost targets, quality standards, and delivery requirements.
How will you make a difference?
As the Lead Engineered Systems Commodity Manager, you will define and execute commodity strategies that drive supplier performance, mitigate risk, optimize costs, and support operational excellence. You will leverage market intelligence, sourcing expertise, and supplier relationship management to ensure a competitive and resilient supply base while supporting both ongoing production and project-based business needs.
What do we want to know about you?
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college; OR
- Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in sourcing, procurement, program management, or supply chain.
- Minimum of five (5) years of strategic sourcing experience.
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 25%.
Preferred Qualifications
- Mechanical engineering and/or similar technical degree
- Strong financial, quantitative, and data analysis capabilities.
- Familiarity with sourcing and procurement systems.
- Ability to communicate both complex and straightforward concepts in a concise and logical manner.
- Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
- Proven ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
What will your typical day look like?
Commodity & Supplier Strategy
- Establish and execute the sourcing strategy for the Engineered Systems commodity, including make-versus-buy decisions.
- Develop technical and regional supplier market intelligence to support sourcing decisions.
- Build, qualify, develop, rationalize, and manage the supplier base.
- Define and implement supplier risk management strategies, including sole-source, single-source, and dual-source plans.
- Lead supplier performance management reviews and improvement initiatives.
- Develop and maintain commodity raw material strategies.
Supplier Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for key regional suppliers.
- Develop and maintain strategic supplier relationships.
- Lead and monitor supplier selection and qualification activities for new suppliers.
Budget & Forecast Management
- Develop annual budgets and forecasts for the Engineered Systems commodity.
- Monitor producer price index (PPI) trends and savings opportunities.
- Drive action plans to achieve budget and cost reduction objectives.
Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management
- Lead RFQs, proposal evaluations, negotiations, and supplier selection activities.
- Manage commercial agreements including frame agreements, off-cycle contracts, and serial-life contracts.
- Optimize purchase order payment terms and support supplier payment process automation initiatives.
- Lead contract amendments and renegotiations as business needs evolve.
Project Sourcing Support
- Provide approved supplier lists and sourcing guidance to project buyers.
- Lead contracting activities for new suppliers supporting assigned sites.
- Support final supplier negotiations to leverage enterprise-wide scale and purchasing power.
- Participate in Project Sourcing Committee reviews and validate supplier selections.
Operational Excellence
- Drive sourcing competitiveness for existing and standard parts.
- Manage re-sourcing activities throughout product serial life.
- Resolve escalated supplier performance, quality, delivery, and commercial issues.
- Identify and implement opportunities for continuous improvement, cost savings, and supply chain optimization.
What about the physical demands of the job?
- This role can be remote or based in one of our locations in Erie, PA, Fort Worth, Texas or Grove City, PA.
- Ability to participate in supplier meetings both virtually and onsite.
- Travel up to 25% as required to support supplier and business needs.
Additional Information Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $104800-149300 The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market demands and work location. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. More information on offered benefits, which include health, welfare, and retirement, are available at mywabtecbenefits.com. Other benefit offerings for this role may include annual bonus, if eligible.
What could you accomplish in a place that puts People First? At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other. If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place for you.
Who are we? Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on more than 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Whether it’s freight, transit, ports, logistics, mining, industrial, or marine, our expertise, technologies, and people together – are accelerating the future of transportation. With roots that date back to George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison, and Louis Faiveley, Wabtec has always built technologies and implemented solutions for a variety of sectors that are critical to meeting the needs of customers and governments alike. Our global team of about 30,000 employees worldwide delivers performance that moves the world forward. We’re lifelong learners, obsessed with better. Learn more at www.WabtecCorp.com. Culture powers us and the possibilities. We believe the best ideas come from a mix of experiences and backgrounds. At Wabtec, we strive every day to create a place where everyone belongs. We’re building a culture where leadership, inclusion and your unique perspective fuel progress.
We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome talent of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including race, gender, age, disability, veteran status and more. Need accommodation? Just let us know - we’ve got you.