Manager, Soft Goods Materials, Global Suppy Management

Apple is seeking an experienced strategic and people-first leader to join our Softgoods Materials Global Supply Management (GSM) team. This specialized business group manages the end-to-end lifecycle of Apples highly differentiated and unique materialsfrom initial sourcing and development through mass production and ongoing supply continuity. Our portfolio spans many different textiles polyurethane films and adhesives. Our world-class material supply chains must be unique innovative and specialized to enable Apples rigorous performance and quality the GSM Manager you will lead develop and mentor a high-performing team of Global Supply Managers. You will bridge engineering innovation with business execution drive the long-term material supply chain and vendor strategy negotiate cost execute supply and manage executive-level partnerships with a network of global suppliers. You will ensure that Apples material supply chains are resilient responsive and structured to support both current programs and future product roadmaps.

As the GSM Manager you will lead develop and mentor a high-performing team of Global Supply Managers. You will bridge engineering innovation with business execution drive the long-term material supply chain and vendor strategy negotiate cost execute supply and manage executive-level partnerships with a network of global suppliers. You will ensure that Apples material supply chains are resilient responsive and structured to support both current programs and future product roadmaps.n

Lead Mentor and InspirenPeople Development: Lead mentor and advocate for a team of GSM individual contributors to help them achieve their individual program milestones and long-term career goals. Create structured development plans and support continuous learning and technical depth in the Mentoring u0026 Office Culture: Maintain an active onsite presence at Apple offices to foster a strong engaged and collaborative team environment. Provide immediate feedback real-time coaching and face-to-face support during critical program gates (such as Build/Ramp approvals Executive presentations and Cost Forums).nTools u0026 Processes: Support identification and drive implementation of AI-enabled tools and process improvements across the operations and cross-functional Strategy and Cost GovernancenStrategic u0026 Cross-Functional Alignment: Drive the team to develop refine and implement sourcing strategies for Softgoods Materials that align with Apples overarching product roadmap and operations goals. Socialize and develop cross-functional support of targeted initiatives or strategic decisions. Ensure that supply chain structures are designed for responsiveness and maximum flexibility to support changing product needs and volume u0026 Project Allocation: Oversee the allocation of team resources and program assignments. Actively monitor team bandwidth creatively restructure workloads when resource-constrained and prioritize or develop solutions to complex program Governance: Provide strategic oversight for the teams cost strategies. Drive the teams cost-negotiation framework identify cost risks and opportunities review and approve cost targets with cross-functional teams and leadership and lead high-value Management: Oversee capital expenditure planning and execution across the material supply base. Partner with suppliers and internal teams to scope approve and track CapEx investments required for new material development capacity expansion and plant qualification activities. Ensure CapEx commitments are aligned with program timelines and Apples financial governance u0026 Agreements: Support the team in executing commercial agreements with new suppliers or material development activities and develop unique solutions as Strategic Supplier AlliancesnStrategic Relationships: Establish grow and manage strategic relationships with Supplier Leadership (C-suite and company leaders) to ensure supply continuity premium quality strategic alignment and prioritized support for Allocation Strategy: Develop and maintain supplier allocation recommendations across the material supply base. Align allocation decisions with broader supplier management strategybalancing risk cost quality and strategic supplier development to ensure Apple maintains competitive leverage and supply Feedback u0026 Reviews: Lead feedback and business reviews for suppliers driving continuous improvement in cost quality capacity innovation and Supplier Searches: Guide the teams new supplier search efforts helping them identify evaluate and qualify new supplier candidates across technical and operational aspects. Support the effective onboarding of new suppliers into Apples culture operational standards and Execution and Minimize Operational RisknProgram Leadership u0026 Operations Schedules: Provide executive oversight for program readiness development builds and material ramp approvals. Own and manage material operations schedules including key material kick-off milestones capacity build plans plant qualification activities and color readiness at suppliers. See around corners to proactively identify risks and develop robust mitigation activities and Manufacturing and Quality Readiness: Ensure that supplier manufacturing processes and quality systems are fully ready to support development builds and production ramps. Drive cross-functional alignment on material readiness gates and hold suppliers accountable to Apples quality and process standards before ramp Support: Guide the team during material ramps through complex yield capacity and operational trade-offs driving to recommendations and -Functional Collaboration: Partner with Apples Industrial Design (ID) Product Design (PD) and Operations executives to ensure that materials are successfully scaled to support product roadmaps. Support and lead cross-functional teams to solve complex design and business to work in Apples hybrid office model (Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday in office) with the flexibility to travel globally up to 20%.

Experience: 10 years of professional experience in global operations supply chain management or high-volume manufacturing Leadership: Demonstrated experience directly managing mentoring and developing professional teams (including individual career growth plans performance management and setting team culture).nExecutive Supplier Relations: Proven track record of establishing and managing senior executive relationships with international u0026 Resource Allocation: Experience defining long-term supply chain strategies and managing team workload project allocations and supply Knowledge: Strong understanding of value-added manufacturing processes cost engineering (should-cost modeling) and manufacturing u0026 Governance: Experience leading commercial agreements contract and cost negotiations supplier financial assessments and driving risk mitigation : Bachelors degree in Engineering (Mechanical Industrial Materials Science or similar) or Business/Operations.

Material Expertise: Experience in advanced materials manufacturing specifically with softgoods textiles adhesives polyurethane or related cosmetic and functional Degree: MBA or Masters degree is highly preferred.