Principal Technical Sourcing Specialist Details

Medtronic - Mounds View, MN

Employment Type : Full-Time

Careers that Change Lives

A career at Medtronic is like no other. We’re purposeful. We’re committed. And we’re driven by our Mission to alleviate pain, restore health and extend life for millions of people worldwide. We are currently searching for a Principal Technical Sourcing Specialist to be a key member of our Cardiac Ablation Solutions Technical Sourcing team. We are dedicated to making sure that every patient gets the best product —when they need it. Our vibrant employee communities respect and value individual experience and perspective as we aim to improve lives and the access to healthcare. We believe that when people from different cultures, genders, and points of view come together, innovation is the result —and everyone wins. Medtronic walks the walk, creating an inclusive culture where you can thrive.

The Cardiac Ablation Solutions operating unit strives to enable earlier diagnosis and treatment for patients with abnormal heart rhythms, such as Atrial Fibrillation, by offering market leading Electrophysiology Products.

A Day in the Life

As a Prinicpal Technical Sourcing Specialist, you will be the primary Sourcing point of contact to Technology and New Product Development (NPD) Project Teams aligning Medtronic Product and Supplier Technology Roadmaps. The Principal Technical Sourcing Specialist will manage supplier interactions with NPD & Technology teams by:

  • Knowing and communicating sourcing risks early in the development cycle to drive mitigating designs and or focused Supplier Development.
  • Driving Supplier Evaluation, Selection, Development, Qualification, and Product Launch Ramp-up in line with Commodity Strategies.
  • Identifying potential new sources in Technologies where Category Strategies do not yet exist.
  • Managing and Coordinating overall Project Sourcing Deliverables at each progressive Phase Gate.
  • Tracking and managing supplied component Quality, Supply Risk, Material Cost, Response / Lead Time, & Technology advancement for the full Device Bill of Material, (for both the new and legacy components).
  • Travel for this position is approximately 25% or less.

Project Management

  • Project Management and coordination of all Sourcing Project Deliverables (Component Quality, Supply Risk, Resources and Performance, Cost, Lead-time, and Technology) in support of Product Development and report out to stakeholders at stage gate exit
  • Facilitate Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) technical meetings, effectively document agreements and risks, and drive closure of open action items.
  • Lead Component Sourcing Responsibility Transfers Post-Qualification to Manufacturing Facilities and Operations, and from Advanced Sourcing to local Site Sourcing and Category Management. Provide post launch support as needed.

Sourcing Strategy

  • Lead supplier evaluation, selection, development, qualification, and product launch ramp-up aligned with category and technology development strategies.
  • Recommends standard costs for new components and assemblies to ensure accurate costing of NPD products utilizing Should-Cost modeling and Make vs. Buy analysis.
  • Be knowledgeable of Category Strategies to ensure Supplier Technology Roadmaps are integrated into Product Develop Programs. Identifying potential new sources in Technologies where Category Strategies do not yet exist.

Supplier Performance Management

  • Monitors overall key performance indicators/metrics for suppliers (TTL / TTM / Part Documentation/Quality/COGS). This will be completed per Design for Reliability & manufacturability (DRM) framework in strong alignment and coordination with R&D and Component Engineering.
  • Work with cross-functional teams (including supplier resources) to drive continuous improvement (quality, efficiencies, cost), root cause and final resolution of supplier related opportunities or issues.
  • Develop technical solutions to problems using corrective/preventative action processes such as DMAIC and Lean Six Sigma.
  • Supply Risk Management
  • Execute Supplier Process Assessments to identify risk to the business and work proactively to mitigate that risk to drive mitigating designs and/ or focused Supplier Development.
  • Ensures full supply chain continuity via supplier capacity management and risk mitigation strategies through to the base materials
  • Develop the value stream and ensures component surge capacity is achieved.

Contracts/Negotiations

  • Provide front line negotiation with knowledge of category strategies and an ability to influence design/technology/source decisions. This will be done with a view of total cost of ownership.
  • Drafts and executes pertinent written agreement/documents for ongoing requirements (purchase orders, leases, Memoranda of Agreement, etc.); collaborates on establishment of pertinent agreements for development requirements (NDAs/CDAs, SOW, etc., including interface with R&D).
  • Broad understanding of the implications of different types of commercial agreements. Chooses the appropriate agreement for the circumstances. Understands the General Terms and Conditions of Purchase. Makes well informed judgments when to escalate and/or involve the legal department.

Buying/Planning

  • Source, purchase, plans and schedule the movement of raw materials through production and inventory process.
  • Manage material demands and sourcing within NPD by consulting with Engineering, Marketing, Planning, and Manufacturing to develop appropriate product introduction plans.

Must Have: Minimum Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, or advanced degree with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience

Nice to Have

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in an Engineering discipline
  • MBA
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a technical sourcing, project management, or new product development role
  • Dynamic team player and leader who can work effectively on cross-functional teams
  • Experience in medical device industry and knowledge of applicable FDA/GMP and International medical device regulations and standards.
  • Knowledge with specific technologies such as injection molding, extrusion, machining, wire drawing & other manufacturing methods.
  • DRM Green Belt, DFSS and/or Lean Sigma experience

About Medtronic


Together, we can change healthcare worldwide. At Medtronic, we push the limits of what technology, therapies and services can do to help alleviate pain, restore health and extend life. We challenge ourselves and each other to make tomorrow better than yesterday. It is what makes this an exciting and rewarding place to be.

We want to accelerate and advance our ability to create meaningful innovations - but we will only succeed with the right people on our team. Let’s work together to address universal healthcare needs and improve patients’ lives. Help us shape the future.

Physical Job Requirements

The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. For Office Roles: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be independently mobile. The employee is also required to interact with a computer, and communicate with peers and co-workers. Contact your manager or local HR to understand the Work Conditions and Physical requirements that may be specific to each role. (ADA-United States of America)

Posted on : 3 years ago