Director, Sourcing & Product Development in Northfield, IL

Job title: Director, Sourcing & Product Development in Northfield, IL at Medline Industries Company: Medline Industries Job description: Job Summary Medline Industries has an immediate opening for a Director of Sourcing/Product Development with our Textiles division. This role will be based out of our Northfield corporate office and will work a hybrid model. The Director of Sourcing & Product Development will lead the design & development of new products or improve existing products for the organization. This role will also lead the development and execution of strategies to negotiate favorable terms, secure volume discounts, and establish long-term contracts with suppliers and vendor partners. This role involves managing and optimizing direct spend categories to drive cost-effective solutions, ensure consistent supply, and proactively mitigate risks across the organization.Job DescriptionResponsibilities:Develop and execute strategies to negotiate favorable terms, volume discounts, and long-term contracts with suppliers and vendor partners.Oversee spend across key textile categories and raw materials.Provide strategic insights on global and geopolitical changes affecting tariffs, raw materials, and regulatory requirements, including new laws and natural resource availability.Manage a divisional portfolio of managed categories, driving continuous improvement across all Category Managers to contain costs, improve raw material consumption, and implement cost-reduction initiatives.Oversee the analysis of supplier price increase submissions, considering the full impact on the division. Develop and execute negotiation strategies to achieve cost avoidance or savings, driving financial performance.Lead the execution of strategic risk assessments, creating comprehensive country-specific views on sourcing risks. Develop robust risk mitigation plans and provide recommendations for category-level changes.Lead a team overseeing diverse product categories, guiding them in understanding cost inputs and driving best-cost strategies.Collaborate with senior leadership to develop and execute sourcing initiatives that align with long-term goals.Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers, overseeing negotiations on pricing, managing supplier performance, ensuring on-time delivery, and ensuring strict compliance with contracts. Address supplier issues and collaborate with internal teams to improve performance.Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive, risk-based global sourcing strategy. Oversee dual sourcing initiatives, vendor allocation optimization, re-sourcing, and cost containment efforts.Work collaboratively with Medline Shanghai, Supply Chain, Quality, and Product Management teams to maintain and develop vendors and products, reducing supply risk and ensuring a healthy supply chain.Lead efforts to resolve supplier issues when communication fails. Collaborate with internal teams to identify root causes, develop corrective action plans, and ensure continued supplier performance.Lead the product development team to effectively manage all phases of the product development cycle to meet launch datesWork closely with cross functional teams (Product Management, Inventory Management, Quality, Global sourcing ofc, etc.) to communicate and ensure clarity on product pipeline and on-time deliverables.Create and maintain all digital and physical records associated with developed products, including measurements, bill of materials, technical sketches, completed specifications, global tech pack, labeling/packaging information, comments and revisions, and golden samples.Identify new concepts and techniques to support continuous product innovationContinuously identify and support cost savings opportunities and prioritize with cross-functional leadersContinue to advance product development processes and tools to improve efficiency and effectivenessChampion product development throughout the division and build the broader team’s product development capabilities.Partner with the Quality team to investigate quality complaints as needed.Manage, develop, and mentor product development teamManagement responsibilities include:Typically manages through multiple ManagersProvide leadership and management to one or more major departments of an operating unit or to a department that has system-wide accountabilityStrategic, tactical and operational planning (12 + months) for the function or departmentDirect budgetary responsibility for one or more departments, functions or major projects/programsInterpret and execute policies for departments/projects; develop, recommend and implement new policies or modifications to existing policiesHiring staff, recommending pay increases, performing performance reviews, training and development of staff, estimating personnel needs, assigning work, meeting completion dates, interpreting and ensuring consistent application of organizational policies"Minimum Job Requirements:​EducationBachelor's degreeWork ExperienceAt least 7 years of sourcing or product development experience.At least 5 years of managing people, including hiring, developing, motivating and directing people as they work.Knowledge / Skills / AbilitiesExperience leading category strategies, supplier relationship management, sourcing initiatives.Experience negotiating with outside vendors, including negotiating contracts, prices and reconciling differences.Experienced in documenting procedures and internal controls.Experience analyzing and reporting data in order to identify issues, trends, or exceptions to drive improvement of results and find solutions.Experience controlling and coordinating concurrent projects, competing priorities and critical deadlines.Medline Industries, LP, and its subsidiaries, offer a competitive total rewards package, continuing education & training, and tremendous potential with a growing worldwide organization.The anticipated salary range for this position: $152,880.00 - $229,320.00 AnnualThe actual salary will vary based on applicant’s location, education, experience, skills, and abilities. This role is bonus and/or incentive eligible. Medline will not pay less than the applicable minimum wage or salary threshold.Our benefit package includes health insurance, life and disability, 401(k) contributions, paid time off, etc., for employees working 30 or more hours per week on average. For a more comprehensive list of our benefits please click . For roles where employees work less than 30 hours per week, benefits include 401(k) contributions as well as access to the Employee Assistance Program, Employee Resource Groups and the Employee Service Corp.Every day, we’re focused on building a more diverse and inclusive company, one that recognizes, values and respects the differences we all bring to the workplace. From doing what’s right to delivering business results, together, we’re better. Explore our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion page .Medline Industries, LP is an equal opportunity employer. Medline evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic. Expected salary: $152880 - 229320 per year Location: Northfield, IL Job date: Sat, 08 Mar 2025 03:32:44 GMT Apply for the job now! Apply for this job