Department: Supply Chain & Operations
Reports to: Vice President of Operations
Location: Scotts Valley, CA or Remote (United States)
The Director of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing is a leadership role responsible for shaping and executing Universal Audio’s global sourcing strategy, supplier ecosystem, and material availability. This position transitions tactical material management into a strategic sourcing engine, optimizing total cost of ownership (TCO), supplier performance, and supply chain resilience to support growth goals. You will lead supplier negotiations, new product introduction, procurement integration, inventory policy optimization, and cross-functional S&OP alignment with Engineering, Finance, and Operations.
We are open to candidates in the United States. Candidates located in commutable distance to our HQ, Scotts Valley, CA are a plus.
Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Category Management
- Develop and execute multi-year sourcing strategies across direct electronics, electro-mechanical components, and key Contract Manufacturers (CMs/JCMs).
- Direct cost-reduction initiatives through volume leverage, dual-sourcing roadmaps, yield optimization, and should-cost modeling.
- Lead contract negotiation and lifecycle management for master service agreements (MSAs), pricing, capacity reservations, and lead-time SLAs.
- Conduct supplier risk assessments, capacity modeling, and contingency planning to ensure business continuity.
Supply Planning & Inventory Strategy
- Partner with Sales, Finance, and Operations on S&OP to translate long-range demand forecasts into execution-ready supply plans.
- Establish inventory policies across the global warehouse and CM network, balancing inventory turns, buffer stock, and material availability.
- Oversee material flows throughout the product lifecycle, managing Engineering Change Orders (ECO) and End-of-Life (EOL) excess & obsolescence (E&O) risk.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & New Product Introduction (NPI) Support
- Collaborate with R&D and Engineering during NPI to drive Design for Manufacturability/Cost (DFM/DFC), supplier selection, and early ramp availability.
- Align procurement, production, and warehouse teams to standardize material handling, receiving, and inventory control protocols.
- Define and measure supplier scorecard KPIs (On-Time In-Full, Quality/Yield, Cost Variance, and Lead Time compliance).
Leadership & Organizational Development
- Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing sourcing, procurement, and materials planning team.
- Drive process maturation, leveraging ERP/MRP tools (NetSuite) to automate replenishment, purchase order workflows, and exception reporting.
Qualifications
- Leadership: 4+ years in a senior management or director-level role leading strategic sourcing and material planning teams.
- Technical Expertise: Advanced proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP) and PLM software (e.g., Arena).
- Skills: Strong contract law knowledge, advanced financial/analytical modeling skills, and demonstrated success managing Contract Manufacturers (CMs/ODMs) globally.
Education/Experience
- 10+ years of progressive procurement, strategic sourcing, and supply chain management experience within high-tech hardware, audio electronics, or consumer electronics manufacturing.
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or equivalent; MBA or APICS/CPIM certification preferred.
UA Salary Range of Pay: $150,000 - $170,000/year
Base salary pay will be based on the cost of labor for the city/state in which the new hire resides, at the time of hire.
UA offers competitive benefits: Profit sharing, Medical/Dental/Vision, 401K Safe Harbor Contribution, Stock Options, Flexible time-off (PTO/Sick Leave/Company Holiday Time-off), etc.
UA Mission: We exist to thrill and inspire music makers everywhere with timeless sound and impeccable craftsmanship, freeing the songs inside and allowing you to sound like the records you love.
UA Vision: In the future, music makers around the world will trust Universal Audio as a friend and creative partner, inspiring them to craft amazing records as naturally as playing their first instrument or singing their favorite song. The best home, project, and professional studios will feature most of the UA equipment from floor to ceiling — ranging from audio interfaces and guitar gear to microphones and software — all of it working together to deliver unrivaled sonics and operational symphony. Our customers will eagerly await each new UA product like a hit record or blockbuster movie, trusting that it may spark them to create the best music of their lives. In doing so, UA will become revered worldwide as the way that music is made.
Universal Audio is an equal employment opportunity employer. Our policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. UA also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on these protected categories.
Pursuant to California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Universal Audio (the Company) is notifying you that by applying for a position, you are providing us the following categories of personal information that we may use to evaluate your candidacy for employment, communicate with you regarding your candidacy, and obtain and verify background checks and references: Personal Identifiers (e.g., name); Contact Information (e.g., mailing address, email , phone number, Employment History (e.g., current and former positions held, work experience, and any certifications or licenses), and Education History. By submitting an application, you acknowledge and confirm that you have read and understand this notice, and you authorize and consent to the Company's use of the personal information it collects, receives or maintains for the business purposes identified above.
Skills Required
- 4+ years in a senior management or director-level role leading strategic sourcing and material planning teams
- Advanced proficiency with ERP/MRP systems such as NetSuite or SAP
- Experience with PLM software such as Arena
- Strong contract law knowledge
- Advanced financial and analytical modeling skills
- Demonstrated success managing global Contract Manufacturers or ODMs
- 10+ years of progressive procurement, strategic sourcing, and supply chain management experience in high-tech hardware, audio electronics, or consumer electronics manufacturing
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or equivalent
- MBA or APICS/CPIM certification
What We Do
Founded in 1958 by recording pioneer Bill Putnam Sr., and refounded in 1999 by Bill Putnam Jr., Universal Audio is best known for its classic, hand-built analog hardware, award-winning line of Apollo audio interfaces, and advanced UAD Digital Signal Processing technology for recording, mixing, and mastering audio. Headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, with offices in Los Angeles, Colorado, and Amsterdam, UA is focused on merging the best of vintage analog and modern digital technology. With its rich recording heritage, UA has been “Setting the tone since 1958.”
