Jostens · 12 hours ago
Director of Strategic Sourcing - Apparel
Minneapolis, MN
Contract
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$160K/yr - $180K/yr
12+ years expJostens is a leader in the student commemoration market, and they are seeking a Director of Strategic Sourcing – Apparel to lead sourcing and category strategies across finished goods and raw materials. The role involves optimizing cost, quality, service, and risk while managing a high-performing team of sourcing professionals.
Consumer GoodsManufacturingRetail
Responsibilities
Ensure sourcing accuracy and execution. Oversee purchase orders to confirm correct pricing, terms, lead times, and order parameters
Drive supplier selection and contract deployment. Partner with Strategic Sourcing to negotiate agreements that meet quality standards, reduce risk, and leverage buying power
Champion quality and production readiness. Collaborate with Operations to align material requirements and ensure incoming products meet specifications
Oversee vendor performance. Partner with Vendor Management to monitor suppliers and drive corrective actions as needed
Establish supplier scorecards. Define and track performance metrics to ensure service levels meet expectations
Lead cost-savings and efficiency initiatives. Support innovation in product and supply chain to reduce total cost of ownership
Partner with S&OP. Maintain optimal inventory, reduce backorders, and support demand-surge planning and capacity continuity
Coordinate inbound logistics. Work with Transportation on packaging, customs, freight, and delivery timing
Assess make vs. buy opportunities. Guide strategic decisions that balance internal production and outsourced sourcing
Enforce sourcing governance. Uphold procurement policies, approval thresholds, and compliance standards
Lead and develop a high-performing team. Manage three direct reports: 2 Sr. Procurement Managers and 1 Procurement Analyst
Typical/expected % of overnight travel: 20% Travel Requirement, international travel may be required
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Apparel/Textiles, Business, Engineering, or a related field
12–15+ years of progressive experience in global apparel sourcing, including both finished goods and raw materials
Proven success managing sourcing teams or regional organizations
Deep understanding of apparel production, lead times, capacity, MOQs, and seasonal calendars
Demonstrated ability to develop multi-year sourcing strategies across mills, factories, and vendors
Strong experience with TCO models, should-cost analysis, and financial impact planning
Skilled in complex commercial negotiations involving pricing, capacity, and long-term partnerships
Proven ability to consolidate suppliers, manage performance, and mitigate sourcing risks
Ability to assess exposure across geopolitical, capacity, and compliance factors
Strong ability to present sourcing strategies and risks to senior leadership
Preferred
Master's or MBA degree
Preferred apparel industry experience in seasonal, volatile, or PE-backed environments
Preferred global sourcing across key apparel regions (Asia, Central America, South Asia, Nearshore)
Preferred strong analytics and dashboarding capability
Preferred experience leading supplier sustainability and social compliance initiatives
Preferred background in innovation, speed-to-market, and material development
Foreign language skills (Mandarin a plus)
Benefits
Competitive healthcare (health, dental, vision, coverage)
Voluntary benefits including home and car insurance, pet insurance, flexible spending account, amongst many more
401K plan has immediate vesting
Hybrid schedule with on-site work 3 days a week
Accrued paid time off and company paid holidays
13 vacation days, 8 paid sick leave, 8 company paid holidays, and family paid leave for Washington residents
Tuition reimbursement after 6 months of service
Company
Jostens
Jostens provides school related products in the United States.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$640MKey Investors
Koch Equity Development
2024-11-12Private Equity· $450M
2024-11-12Debt Financing· $190M
2018-12-26Acquired
Leadership Team
Michael Burgess
Chief Executive Officer
Alejandro Montoya
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
Company data provided by crunchbase