Job Summary
The role of a Strategic Supplier Manager – PCB is to holistically manage and strategically steer the PCB supplier base to support Advantest’s long‑term business and supply chain objectives. The role is responsible for translating PCB commodity strategies into robust supplier strategies, governing supplier performance, and shaping long‑term commercial and contractual frameworks.
The Strategic Supplier Manager drives end‑to‑end supplier leadership, including contract structuring, investment and capacity planning, and the definition of material buffer concepts to ensure supply resilience and execution reliability. A strong focus lies on enabling fast and reliable NPI, supported by strategic ramp‑up and capacity design in close alignment with R&D, product management, quality, and manufacturing stakeholders.
The role proactively drives cost, innovation, risk mitigation, sustainability, and compliance initiatives while building strong, trust‑based partnerships with key PCB suppliers. Its goal is to ensure a resilient, scalable, and high‑performing PCB supplier network that delivers long‑term value, supports rapid innovation and growth, and secures sustainable competitive advantage, while structural and systemic issues are addressed at a strategic level
Job responsibilities and duties:
- Strategic Supplier Management: holistically govern strategic PCB supplier relationships along the full supplier lifecycle, defining supplier strategies aligned with business objectives, PCB commodity direction, technology roadmaps and supply network requirements
- Commercial & Contract Management: design and lead long-term commercial and contractual frameworks, including pricing models, investment and capacity commitments, risk allocation and exit logic, to ensure long term value creation and supply stability
- Supplier Performance & Risk Management: establish and steer supplier performance governance, proactively identifying, evaluating and mitigating performance, quality, technology, capacity and supply risks, and driving corrective actions at a strategic level
- Capacity, Investment & Buffer Concepts: drive strategic capacity and investment planning with PCB suppliers, including material buffer concepts and ramp safeguarding measures to ensure resilience, scalability and business continuity
- Fast NPI & Strategic Ramp Design: enable fast and reliable NPI execution by aligning suppliers early on technology, capacity and process readiness, and by defining strategic ramp up and stabilization concepts
- Cross functional Collaboration: collaborate closely with Commodity Management, R&D, Product Management, Quality, Operations and senior stakeholders to align supplier capabilities with future business, technology and growth requirements
- Continuous Improvement: drive continuous improvement initiatives with PCB suppliers, identifying opportunities for innovation, multiple sourcing, supply base optimization and long term supply chain resilience
- KPI and Performance Management: Create transparency and track the following KPIs: OTD, TCO, Cost stability, Quality, Cost improvements. Define mitigation actions, if required
- Bachelor Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering or related field
- 5+ years of experience in strategic supplier management, sourcing, or procurement, ideally within complex technical environments
- Experience in the PCB domain preferred, including exposure to PCB suppliers, technologies, manufacturing processes, or qualification and ramp‑up scenarios
- Proven experience in contract negotiation and supplier governance, including long‑term agreements, commercial frameworks, and escalation management
- Experience supporting fast NPI and ramp‑up activities, working closely with R&D, Product Management, Quality, and Operations
- Experience in investment and capacity‑related discussions with suppliers, including long‑term planning, scaling considerations, or buffer concepts
- Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and stakeholder management skills in complex and dynamic environments
- Experience working with globally matrix-organized teams and across business units
Skills Required
- Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain or equivalent
- Minimum 5 years' related working experience in procurement/supply chain and/or manufacturing in Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) preferred
What We Do
For over a half-century, Advantest has been designing innovative electronic measuring equipment and semiconductor test systems essential to the development and manufacture of advanced computer and telecommunications products. On April 1, 2012, Advantest completed its integration of Verigy Ltd. Additional Information about Advantest can be found at www.advantest.com.
