Director, Strategic Sourcing - Technology

Job Description

As a key leader in the Strategic Sourcing function, the Director, Data, Technology & Engineering (DTE) is responsible for enabling enterprise value delivery through the development and execution of global category strategies, strategic supplier partnerships, and advanced commercial outcomes that directly support the company's digital and AI-driven transformation vision. This role delivers strategic, scalable, and future-ready sourcing solutions across software, cloud, data platforms, AI/ML capabilities, digital engineering, and technology-enabled services, with a focus on accelerating innovation, speed-to-value, and enterprise capability building in support of next-generation data and technology priorities.

This leader plays a critical role in shaping and advancing the sourcing strategy and supplier ecosystem that underpin the organization's DTE transformation agenda, ensuring external partnerships are leveraged to inform, enable, and scale digital and AI abilities. In close partnership with the SVP of DTE and other DTE senior leaders, the Director will proactively influence technology investment decisions, operating models, and partner strategies to enable transformative outcomes. The role is accountable for optimizing external spend, elevating supplier performance, and unlocking innovation through strategic partnerships, while balancing enterprise priorities including speed, quality, risk management, and total cost of ownership. As a trusted advisor, this individual brings market insight and commercial perspective to help shape solution design, demand strategies, and make vs. buy decisions that accelerate transformation.

The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking leader with deep expertise in technology sourcing and a strong understanding of digital, data, and AI ecosystems, combined with advanced commercial acumen and a demonstrated ability to structure and negotiate complex, transformation-oriented agreements. This individual will lead and develop a team of sourcing professionals and elevate the function from transactional execution to a strategic, insight-driven partner that actively informs and enables the company's digital and AI transformation at scale.

Key Duties & Responsibilites:

Transformation Partnership & Strategic Alignment

• Serve as atrusted thought partner to the SVP of DTE and other DTE senior leaders, aligning sourcing strategies to the enterprise DTE transformation vision and roadmap.
• Proactively shape and influencetechnology investment strategies, operating models, and partner selection decisionsto enable transformative outcomes.
• Translate evolving DTE priorities (e.g., digital, data, AI/ML, engineering transformation) intoforward-looking sourcing strategies and supplier ecosystem design.
• Embed Strategic Sourcing as acore enabler of transformation, shifting engagement upstream into strategy development versus downstream execution.

Category Strategy & Value Creation

• Define and leadmulti-year, transformation-aligned category strategiesacross DTE spend areas, integrating innovation, scalability, and speed-to-value.
• Identify and utilizenon-traditional value levers, including innovation access, capability building, speed acceleration, and risk reduction-beyond cost savings.
• Leverage deep market intelligence to position suppliers asstrategic enablers of transformation.
• Establish KPIs that reflectbusiness impact (e.g., time-to-deploy, innovation outcomes, platform scalability)in addition to financial metrics.

Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Outcomes

• Leadhigh-impact, complex sourcing initiativesthat enable transformation programs, including cloud modernization, data platforms, and digital engineering.
• Design and negotiateinnovative commercial models(e.g., outcome-based, consumption-based, co-investment, and partnership models) aligned to transformation goals.
• Move beyond traditional RFx approaches by deployingflexible, partnership-oriented sourcing strategiesthat prioritize capability, speed, and long-term value.
• Provide executive oversight on deal strategy, ensuring alignment withenterprise transformation objectives and risk tolerance.

Strategic Supplier Partnerships

• Design and operationalize astrategic partner ecosystemaligned to DTE transformation priorities, including global cloud providers, platform providers, and technology engineering partners.
• Establishdeep, executive-level partnershipsfocused on co-innovation, roadmap alignment, and joint value creation.
• Lead governance models that enablecontinuous innovation, performance transparency, and strategic alignmentwith key suppliers.
• Drive intentionalsupplier consolidation and elevation, focusing on fewer, higher-impact strategic partners.

Business Partnering & Demand Management

• Act as astrategic thought-partner to DTE leadership, influencing demand, solution design, and sourcing approaches to maximize enterprise outcomes.
• Partner with stakeholders toreframe requirements from specifications to outcomes, enabling more innovative and flexible supplier solutions.
• Supportmake-versus-buy and build-versus-partner decisionsin the context of long-term transformation goals.
• Ensure procurement is embedded inkey transformation programs, investment decisions, and governance forums.

Risk, Compliance & Transformation Governance

• Balance innovation and speed withrobust risk management, ensuring alignment with cybersecurity, data privacy, and third-party risk frameworks.
• Embed risk considerations intostrategic partner selection and commercial models, particularly for emerging technologies and new delivery models.
• Establish governance mechanisms that supportagility while maintaining compliance and control.

Leadership & Capability Evolution

• Lead, develop, and elevate a team of sourcing professionals to operate as strategic advisors and category leaders, setting clear expectations for performance, accountability, and impact aligned to the DTE transformation agenda.
• Define and drive capability development priorities across the team, including advanced commercial acumen, technology domain expertise (cloud, data, AI/ML, engineering), and executive stakeholder engagement, ensuring the team can effectively support complex, transformation-oriented initiatives.
• Establish clear prioritization frameworks and resource allocation models to focus team efforts on the highest-value transformation-critical initiatives, balancing speed, capacity, and business impact across a dynamic portfolio of work.
• Implement scalable tools, playbooks, and standardized ways of working that enable consistent, high-quality category management and sourcing execution across DTE, while allowing flexibility for strategic, partnership-driven engagements.
• Actively coach and mentor team members, providing hand-on guidance in strategy development, deal structuring, and stakeholder management to accelerate individual growth and elevate overall team performance.
• Foster a high-performance culture grounded in innovation, agility, and continuous learning, embedding data-driven decision making, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement as core ways of working.

Measures of Success

• Define and track KPIs that measuretransformation impact, including innovation enablement, speed-to-market, and partner performance.
• Deliver measurable outcomes acrossthe value creation continuum (e.g. cost, supplier innovation, and stakeholder satisfaction).
• Continuously refine sourcing strategies and supplier models to align withevolving transformation priorities.

Required Education Level:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Technology, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).

Required Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in procurement, supply chain, or technology-enablement roles, with at least 5 years in leadership.
• Deep expertise in developing and leadingmulti-year, global category strategiesacross complex spend areas, with the ability to integrate market intelligence, supplier capabilities, and business priorities into actionable strategies that drive enterprise value.
• Demonstrated ability to operate as atrusted advisor to senior stakeholders (e.g., CIO, CTO, SVP-level leaders), shaping business strategies, influencing demand, and aligning sourcing approaches to transformation objectives.
• Expertise in structuring and negotiatingcomplex, enterprise-level agreements, including software, cloud, and services-based models; ability to designinnovative, value-based commercial approachesaligned to business outcomes.
• Proven ability to design and managestrategic supplier ecosystems, including development of high-impact partnerships, executive governance models, and performance management frameworks that drive innovation and accountability.
• Experience enablingenterprise transformation initiativesthrough sourcing, including supporting new operating models, digital capabilities, and scalable external partnerships; ability to balance innovation, speed, and risk.
• Strong understanding oftechnology sourcing categories, including enterprise software, cloud platforms, data and analytics, and engineering services, as well as underlying commercial constructs and cost drivers.
• Advanced analytical capabilities, including the ability to leveragedata, benchmarking, and market intelligenceto inform strategies, quantify value, and support executive decision-making.
• Strong knowledge ofSource-to-Pay (S2P) processes, procurement technologies, and digital tools, with the ability to leverage these capabilities to enhance sourcing effectiveness and transparency.
• Strong understanding ofcontracting principles, risk management frameworks, and regulatory considerations.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop high-performing teams, while establishing clear priorities, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement and strategic thinking.
• Expert communication skills, with the ability toclearly articulate complex ideas, influence senior stakeholders, and lead cross-functional alignmentin a global, matrixed environment.
• Ability to leadcross-functional, enterprise-wide initiatives, manage competing priorities, and drive change in a dynamic, transformation-oriented environment.

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Pay Range:

Disclosure Statement:

Flex Designation:

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as:
1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2. On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex's Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

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Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com