Sr. Sourcing Manager, Contract Manufacturing
Hybrid (San Francisco, CA)$162.9k - $181kFull-timePosted 3w ago
About the role
Senior role responsible for the commercial and operational performance of Pendulum's contract manufacturing network, including managing suppliers that handle raw materials, packaging, blending, encapsulation, bottling, labeling, cartoning, and finished goods preparation.
Responsibilities
- Own category strategy and commercial relationships for Pendulum's contract manufacturers across blending, encapsulation, bottling, labeling, cartoning, and related finished-goods operations.
- Develop a supplier network strategy balancing capability, quality, capacity, service, cost, speed, and business continuity.
- Lead supplier identification, diligence, selection, qualification, contracting, onboarding, transfers, and ongoing commercial management.
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, capacity commitments, lead times, inventory liability, service levels, change controls, and long-term agreements.
- Build and maintain contingency plans and capacity pathways to support growth and reduce concentration risk.
- Build transparent should-cost models separating material pass-throughs from labor, overhead, yield loss, scrap, testing, freight, and margins.
- Use cost data and benchmarks to deliver best-in-class COGS and validate price changes.
- Create negotiation strategies and drive measurable savings without compromising quality or supply continuity.
- Translate forecasts and product mix into accurate cost and capacity scenarios with Finance and Supply Planning.
- Understand and map end-to-end manufacturing processes, identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.
- Develop joint improvement roadmaps with suppliers and track results.
- Spend time on the production floor to validate assumptions and implement practical solutions.
- Serve as primary commercial relationship owner for contract manufacturers and establish governance, scorecards and business reviews.
- Identify performance gaps, execute root-cause actions, and escalate when commitments are at risk.
- Partner with Quality, Regulatory, Product, R&D, Supply Planning, Packaging, Logistics, and Finance to translate requirements into supplier plans.
- Lead sourcing and readiness workstreams for product launches, site transfers, packaging changes, scale-ups, and manufacturing transitions.
- Communicate risks and decisions clearly to cross-functional teams and leadership.
- Create tools and rhythms to improve supplier visibility, accountability, and execution.
- Tackle urgent or ambiguous problems and drive cross-functional teams to a decision and outcome.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, Operations, or related field, or equivalent experience.
- 8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, contract manufacturing, supplier management, manufacturing operations, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience managing contract manufacturers in nutraceuticals, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, cosmetics, electronics, or equivalent.
- Proven experience leading complex supplier negotiations and managing senior-level commercial relationships.
- Strong should-cost capability with ability to deconstruct costs and identify negotiation opportunities.
- Working knowledge of manufacturing operations and industrial engineering fundamentals (process mapping, labor/capacity analysis, line balancing, bottleneck identification, throughput, yield, changeover optimization).
- Strong analytical skills and advanced proficiency with Google Sheets and/or Microsoft Excel; ERP experience (NetSuite preferred).
Skills
Required:Category strategy and supplier relationship managementCost modeling and should-cost analysis
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision
- Commuter Benefits
- Life & STD Insurance
- Company match on 401(k)
- Flexible Time Off (FTO)
- Equity
Last updated Oct 21, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
About Pendulum
The Next Generation of Probiotics
Pendulum is a microbiome company focused on developing clinically effective probiotics with proprietary strains, including live Akkermansia, to improve metabolic health, gut function, and support a healthy weight.
ProbioticsGut healthMetabolic healthAkkermansiaClinical efficacy
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