Director, Strategic Materials Procurement
Job Description:
- Own executive-level supplier relationships and commercial outcomes for Deckers’ strategic materials portfolio, driving negotiations that secure competitive pricing, continuity, and long-term value.
- Lead senior-level supplier relationships, business reviews, escalation paths, and allocation decisions for interchangeable supply; drive material diversification and alternative sourcing.
- Manage commercial negotiations across pricing, incentives, payment terms, and incoterms, ensuring reliable tracking and exception management.
- Build decision-ready business cases, resolve strategic supplier issues, and engage leadership for approvals and risk mitigation.
- Synchronize procurement priorities across Sourcing, Product Development, Vendor Management, Materials Development, Planning, Costing, Finance, and Legal to deliver seasonal and multi-year strategies.
- Embed procurement early in product creation, partner with Costing on pricing mechanics, and serve as the primary procurement contact for Tier 2 materials.
- Provide market intelligence, forecasting, and performance tracking, translating market movement into guidance and negotiation positions.
- Maintain audit-ready documentation for materials liabilities and SEC reporting, and establish operating rhythms for timely decisions.
- Apply selective contracting, build enforceable agreements, and codify practices into scalable playbooks and templates.
- Lead, coach, and develop a small team of analysts, building sustainable operating models and executive-ready insights.
Requirements:
- BA/BS in a relevant field, or equivalent years of experience (MBA preferred).
- 12+ years of experience in strategic procurement, sourcing, consulting, or related disciplines requiring complex negotiation and enterprise-level decision-making.
- 5+ years building and leading high-performing teams in fast-paced, collaborative environments.
- 5+ years in executive-facing, global roles presenting recommendations and business cases to senior leadership.
- Experience with footwear and apparel materials, and an understanding of development-to-commercialization cycles (preferred).
- Experience supporting material innovation, sustainability, or traceability initiatives (preferred).
- Deep understanding of procurement, sourcing, and supply chain economics, connecting market dynamics to commercial strategy.
- Exceptional influence management skills, aligning stakeholders and leading across functions.
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, simplifying complex topics for senior executives; high proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel (SQL a plus).
- Advanced analytical capability including pricing analytics, scenario planning, forecasting, and should-cost thinking.
- Proven negotiation skills, building trust and sustaining productive relationships across cultures and time zones.
- Ability to design and maintain governance routines, business reviews, and operating rhythms.
- Comfortable working in PLM, ERP, and planning platforms, translating data into insight and improving reporting quality.
Benefits:
- Competitive Pay and Bonuses
- Financial Planning and wellbeing
- Time away from work
- Extras, discounts and perks
- Growth and Development
- Health and Wellness