Now Brewing - Director, Technology Sourcing (Nashville, TN)! #tobeapartner
From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection. We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others.
The Director of Strategic Sourcing, Technology is a senior player-coach role responsible for leading and executing end-to-end sourcing activities across the company's global IT spend portfolio (sub-$1B). Reporting to the Vice President of Indirect Sourcing within Global Supply Chain Organization, this leader is accountable for delivering measurable cost savings, robust contract structures, and supplier relationships that directly enable the company's technology and business strategy.
The Director is expected to lead a high-performing sourcing team while personally executing on the most complex, high-value, and strategically sensitive sourcing initiatives. Success in this role requires deep category expertise, commercial sharpness, organizational credibility, and the ability to operate effectively at the intersection of procurement, technology, and business operations in a fast-moving retail environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Sourcing & Category Leadership
Own and continuously evolve the multi-year IT category sourcing strategy, covering enterprise software, SaaS, cloud infrastructure, managed services, telecom, hardware, and professional services
Lead competitive sourcing events (RFx, auctions, negotiations) for high-value and strategic contracts, personally managing the most complex deals
Develop and apply differentiated sourcing strategies - including total cost of ownership (TCO) modeling, should-cost analysis, supply market analysis, and demand management - to drive best-in-class commercial outcomes
Maintain a rigorous pipeline of sourcing initiatives aligned to business priorities and committed savings targets
Benchmark supplier pricing, contract terms, and SLAs against market standards; use data to challenge the status quo
Contract Management & Risk
Structure, negotiate, and execute complex commercial agreements including enterprise license agreements (ELAs), SaaS subscription agreements, master service agreements (MSAs), statements of work (SOWs), and data processing agreements (DPAs)
Drive favorable terms across pricing, intellectual property, data rights, liability, termination, SLAs, and audit rights
Partner with Legal, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Finance to ensure contracts meet enterprise risk, regulatory, and compliance standards
Establish and enforce contract lifecycle management (CLM) discipline across the IT category, including renewals, amendments, and ongoing obligation tracking
Proactively identify and mitigate supplier concentration risk, single points of failure, and financial/operational vendor risk
Enterprise Systems & Digital Procurement
Champion and optimize the use of procurement technology platforms including e-sourcing, CLM, supplier relationship management (SRM), and spend analytics tools
Drive adoption of digital sourcing practices including data-driven supplier segmentation, automated intake workflows, and AI-assisted market intelligence
Partner with the CTIO organization to ensure procurement systems are integrated with enterprise platforms (ERP, ITSM, finance systems) and that sourcing processes scale with technology complexity
Maintain fluency in SaaS commercial models (per-seat, consumption-based, platform licensing) and use this knowledge to challenge vendor pricing and structure deals that align cost to actual business value
Stakeholder Management & Business Partnership
Serve as the primary procurement business partner to technology and business unit leaders across the organization, including the CTIO organization and functional leaders in areas such as finance, operations, HR, marketing, and store operations when they are procuring technology solutions
Establish trusted advisor relationships with senior stakeholders by combining commercial expertise with a genuine understanding of their business needs and constraints
Lead sourcing governance forums, executive briefings, and category reviews with senior leadership; communicate clearly on risks, opportunities, and tradeoffs
Navigate organizational complexity and competing stakeholder priorities with pragmatism and sound judgment
Influence without authority - the role operates in a matrixed environment and requires the ability to align stakeholders who do not report into the procurement function
Team Leadership & Organizational Development
Lead, coach, and develop a team of strategic sourcing professionals, setting clear performance expectations, fostering a culture of accountability, and building individual capability
Attract and retain high-caliber talent; identify skill gaps and develop targeted plans to close them
Build an agile, data-literate team that can flex to meet business demand while maintaining quality and compliance standards
Establish team operating rhythms including pipeline reviews, deal coaching, and stakeholder alignment cadences
Model intellectual honesty - raise issues early, share data transparently, and hold the line on commercial discipline even under internal pressure
We'd love to hear from people with:
10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain, with at least 5 years focused on the IT category
Demonstrated track record of leading and personally executing high-value, complex IT sourcing initiatives and negotiations - candidates who have only managed teams or only executed will not be competitive
Experience in a global retail, consumer, or similarly complex operating environment strongly preferred
Prior experience operating in a matrixed CPO/procurement function with VP-level reporting relationships
IT Category Expertise
Deep knowledge of the IT vendor landscape including major enterprise software vendors (Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday), cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP), and the broader SaaS ecosystem
Fluency in SaaS and cloud commercial models: subscription structures, consumption pricing, true-up mechanics, ELA constructs, and vendor lock-in dynamics
Ability to evaluate and challenge vendor proposals using TCO modeling, should-cost frameworks, and competitive benchmarking
Working knowledge of software asset management (SAM) and its implications for contract negotiation and compliance
Contracting & Legal Acumen
Extensive experience negotiating complex IT contracts; able to redline agreements, identify risk, and propose commercially sound alternatives without full dependence on Legal
Familiarity with data privacy frameworks (GDPR, CCPA) and their practical implications for SaaS and cloud agreements
Experience with cybersecurity and third-party risk provisions in vendor contracts
Systems & Digital Tools
Hands-on experience with enterprise procurement platforms: Coupa, SAP Ariba, Jaggaer, or equivalents
Experience with CLM platforms (Icertis, Ironclad, Agiloft, or similar)
Proficiency with spend analytics and BI tools; able to build and interpret data to drive decisions
Comfortable operating in an ERP environment (SAP, Oracle); understands procurement-to-pay process flows
Leadership & Influence
Proven ability to lead and develop a team of sourcing professionals in a high-accountability environment
Strong executive presence and communication skills; able to present to and influence VP and C-suite audiences
Experience managing stakeholder relationships across functions in a large, complex organization
High degree of commercial and ethical judgment - this role will face real pressure to compromise on terms, and the right candidate knows when to hold firm
Education
Bachelor's degree preferred; field of study in business, supply chain, finance, or a related discipline
MBA or advanced degree a plus but not a substitute for relevant hands-on experience
Professional certifications (CPSM, CSCP, CIPS) are valued but not required
As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked), eight paid holidays, and two personal days per year. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program (S.I.P.), Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock), incentivized emergency savings, and financial well-being tools. Additionally, Starbucks offers 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor's degree through Arizona State University's online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, and access to other educational opportunities. You will also have access to backup care and DACA reimbursement. Starbucks will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and in accordance with its plans and policies. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative. For additional information regarding partner perks and more detailed information about benefits, go to starbucksbenefits.com (file:///C:/Users/rofunk/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/EHRXPAYM/starbucksbenefits.com) .
*If you are working in CA, CO, IL, LA, ME, MA, NE, ND or RI, you will accrue vacation up to a maximum of 120 hours (190 in CA) for roles below director and 200 hours (316 in CA) for roles at director or above. For roles in other states, you will be granted vacation time starting at 120 hours annually for roles below director and 200 hours annually for roles director and above.
The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
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Join us and inspire with every cup. Apply today!
Starbucks Coffee Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.
Starbucks Coffee Company is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at applicantaccommodation@starbucks.com or 1(888) 611-2258.
