It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive. As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion—have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide.

We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world.

The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life.

If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.

Primary Function of Position:

The Sourcing Manager MRO will lead sourcing initiatives related to maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) as well aspects of research and development, to ensure Intuitive Surgical (Intuitive) secures services and products at optimal value. This role plays a pivotal part in driving innovation by supporting our internal teams. Key spend categories include R&D lab and other technical equipment, consumables, safety equipment and supplies (PPE), and preventative maintenance and calibration services. The individual will work closely with Intuitive's engineering teams, operations, and supplier quality departments.

The ideal candidate will possess the ability to conduct comprehensive supplier and category/market research, including market index analysis, data analysis, baseline development, RFP development, bid management, contract negotiations, offer analysis, and category strategy development. This role also involves post-bid management activities, such as contract and business reviews, spend analysis, and supplier management. Additionally, the candidate will manage multiple projects concurrently and support ad-hoc project requests.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Supplier Relationship Management:

• Build and sustain strong supplier partnerships to promote collaboration, trust, and mutual success.
• Act as the main liaison for suppliers concerning performance and strategic initiatives.
• Regularly review supplier performance, evaluate capabilities, and implement plans to boost performance and reliability.
• Set global standards to evaluate supplier performance and minimize business risks.

Strategic Sourcing:

• Independently manage the RFx or strategic sourcing process for complex projects, from initiation to completion.
• Analyze spending patterns and conduct market and supplier assessments to uncover cost-saving and innovation opportunities.
• Lead cross-functional teams to develop category strategies aligned with business goals and market trends.
• Optimize buying channels and create strategies for assigned spend categories, considering Procure to Pay (P2P) requirements.
• Provide comprehensive financial analysis for bid comparisons and alternative proposals.

Contract Management:

• Negotiate and manage supplier contracts, ensuring compliance with company policies and industry standards.
• Monitor contract performance and compliance with terms and conditions.
• Possess in-depth knowledge of terms and conditions included in MRO and related R&D contracts.
• Identify opportunities for contract optimization or consolidation to enhance cost efficiency and reduce risks.
• Secure favorable terms, quality, service compliance, and discounts while mitigating company risk.

Category Management:

• Establish a baseline for current spend categories and define future success criteria considering business goals and market conditions.
• Analyze market trends, risks, and potential new suppliers.
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the health of managed spend categories.
• Implement spend treatment plans for all levels of spend and risk within the category.
• Work with suppliers and stakeholders to execute the category strategy.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

Required Skills and Experience

• 6+ years of experience, with at least 4 years in a strategic sourcing & category management role.
• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree Required (Business, Supply Chain management, Finance, or related Discipline preferred).
• Proven experience working with suppliers and stakeholders for MRO categories.
• Exceptional negotiation skills, capable of guiding teams through complex and ambiguous situations.
• Strong conceptual thinking abilities to navigate and resolve intricate challenges.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, suitable for engaging with team members and company leadership.
• Superior analytical skills to quickly assess situations, perform root cause analysis, and draw meaningful conclusions.
• Extensive experience in managing change across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Proven ability to influence senior leadership on strategic directions, value propositions, and sourcing recommendations.
• Strong skills in contract and vendor negotiation to secure favorable outcomes.
• Ability to build consensus and act as an impartial mediator to achieve sourcing objectives without compromising service quality or increasing risk/cost.
• Expertise in concurrently managing multiple projects and tasks, with a solid understanding of business requirements and project management methodologies.
• Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy with minimal supervision.
• Proficient in listening, understanding, and communicating effectively with employees at all levels.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within Intuitive and with suppliers.
• Fluency in German and English is required, any other European language will be a plus.

Wir schätzen jede Person in ihrer Individualität – unabhängig von Geschlecht, ethnischer oder sozialer Herkunft, Religion, besonderen Bedürfnissen, Alter oder sexueller Identität. Diskriminierung hat bei uns keinen Platz.

Haftungsausschluss für US-Exportkontrollen: In Übereinstimmung mit den U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)) können einige Positionen bei Intuitive Surgical US-Exportkontrollen für potenzielle Mitarbeitende unterliegen, die Staatsangehörige von Ländern sind, die derzeit einen Embargo- oder Sanktionsstatus haben.

Bestimmte Informationen, die Sie im Rahmen der Bewerbung angeben, werden verwendet, um festzustellen, ob Intuitive Surgical (i) in Ihrem Namen eine Exportlizenz von der US-Regierung einholen muss (das Lizenzierungsverfahren der Regierung kann bis zu sechs Monate dauern) oder (ii) einen Technology Control Plan (TCP) implementieren muss (verlängert den Einstellungsprozess in der Regel um 2 Wochen).

Für alle Positionen bei Intuitive, die Exportkontrollen unterliegen, steht ein endgültiges Angebot unter dem Vorbehalt, dass vor dem geplanten Eintrittsdatum eine genehmigte Exportlizenz und/oder ein vollständig ausgeführter Technology Control Plan (TCP) vorliegt. Das Eintrittsdatum kann dabei angepasst werden, sofern der Genehmigungsprozess den Einstellungsbedarf nicht unangemessen beeinträchtigt.

Diese Position kann abhängig von den betrieblichen Anforderungen und/oder der Erfahrung der ausgewählten Kandidatin bzw. des ausgewählten Kandidaten auf einer anderen Jobstufe als hier angegeben besetzt werden. Die Vergütung richtet sich nach der Jobstufe sowie der Qualifikationen der Kandidatin bzw. des Kandidaten, selbstverständlich unter Berücksichtigung aller gesetzlichen Vorgaben.