Director – Supplier Account Management

Who We Are

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology. 

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Role Summary

The Director Supplier Account Management is a strategic leadership role responsible for defining and executing global sourcing strategies across the organization. This role drives end-to-end supply chain excellence by building resilient supplier ecosystems, ensuring cost competitiveness, quality reliability, and supply continuity aligned with long-term business objectives. This is a leadership position to head our India based Machining, Surface treatment supplier Account teams. The leader will report to India supply chain head and responsible for developing commodity strategies, interact with internal global stakeholders and implement the strategies.

The leader will oversee supplier partnerships at an executive level, lead global negotiation strategies, mitigate geopolitical and supply risks, and enable scalable supply chain solutions for new product introductions and business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Define and implement global commodity strategies, aligned with organizational growth, cost, and risk objectives.
• Establish long-term supplier strategies, portfolio optimization, and sourcing roadmaps across regions.
• Drive transformation initiatives to build a resilient, diversified, and future-ready raw material supply base.
• Lead governance frameworks for supplier performance, risk management, and compliance.

Executive Supplier Relationship Management

• Build and manage strategic executive-level relationships with key global suppliers.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for critical supplier issues impacting cost, quality, delivery, or compliance.
• Lead supplier collaboration models (e.g., partnerships, joint development, long-term agreements).

Commercial Strategy & Negotiation

• Lead large-scale, complex commercial negotiations and contracting across global supplier base.
• Define negotiation strategies that balance cost optimization, long-term value creation, and supply assurance.
• Drive structured commercial frameworks governing supplier engagement across the enterprise.

Supply Chain Risk & Continuity

• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks including geopolitical, regulatory, and capacity-related challenges.
• Develop multi-sourcing strategies and alternate supplier pipelines to ensure business continuity.
• Drive compliance with global regulations (e.g., UFLPA, conflict minerals) and ethical sourcing standards.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and NPI teams to enable supplier qualification and material readiness.
• Lead supplier integration into new product introductions ensuring alignment on specifications, cost, and timelines.
• Influence senior stakeholders across a matrixed global organization.

Operational Excellence & Performance Management

• Establish and monitor supplier KPIs: cost, quality, delivery, lead time, and innovation.
• Drive continuous improvement and cost reduction initiatives through data-driven insights.
• Benchmark supplier performance against global standards and industry trends.

Market Intelligence & Innovation

• Analyze global commodity markets, pricing trends, and supplier capabilities to maintain competitiveness.
• Identify innovation opportunities in materials, sourcing models, and supplier partnerships.
• Drive digital transformation in sourcing processes leveraging tools such as SAP, Ariba, and analytics platforms.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking with ability to translate vision into execution.
• Executive presence with strong influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to lead globally distributed teams and cross-cultural environments.
• Strong negotiation acumen with a track record of high-value deal closures.
• Data-driven decision-making with rigorous problem-solving capability.
• Ability to lead change, transformation, and organizational scaling initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Master’s degree/MBA preferred).
• 15+ years of experience in Supply Chain, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing.
• Minimum 7–10 years in leadership roles managing global sourcing team and supplier ecosystems.
• Deep expertise in Supplier Ecosystem.
• Proven track record of leading complex, high-value global negotiations.
• Experience in building supply chains in emerging markets (India preferred).
• Strong understanding of global trade, logistics, customs regulations, and compliance.

Requirements

• Indian citizen with a valid passport and ability for frequent international travel.
• Willingness to travel up to 35–50% globally (Asia, Singapore, China, USA).
• Flexibility to work across multiple time zones in a global environment.
• Hybrid work flexibility (office/home).
• Valid driving license.

Success Metrics

• Cost savings and value creation from supplier strategies.
• Supplier performance improvement (Quality, Delivery, Lead Time).
• Risk mitigation effectiveness and supply continuity.
• Speed and success of NPI material readiness.
• Strength and sustainability of supplier ecosystems.

Additional Information

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Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.