Supply Management Specialist

Location: Waterloo, Iowa
Work Schedule: 1st shift, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Pay Rate: $30/hr
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Dress Code: Business casual
Visa Sponsorship: Not available now or in the future

Position Overview

John Deere Waterloo Works is seeking a Supply Management Specialist to support continuous improvement and strategic sourcing initiatives within a dynamic manufacturing environment. This role will focus on identifying optimal sourcing solutions, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, and leading supplier risk mitigation and resourcing projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced professional or recent graduate to develop expertise across multiple commodities while building a strong foundation in supply chain, sourcing, project management, and supplier relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and execute continuous improvement projects across the assigned supply base.
• Evaluate and implement sourcing solutions that support quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
• Investigate complex and ambiguous problems, develop solutions, and drive issues through resolution.
• Negotiate and build effective relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Lead supplier resourcing and risk mitigation initiatives.
• Gather and analyze data to support sourcing decisions and project recommendations.
• Coordinate project activities, maintain team communication, and manage project tracking tools.
• Develop knowledge and experience across multiple commodities and supply categories.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure project alignment and successful implementation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Demonstrated project management skills.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Ability to investigate, own, and resolve complex or unclear issues.
• Self-motivated and capable of gathering information, making decisions, and taking action.
• Recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SAP.
• Experience creating dashboards or visual reporting tools, such as:
  • Power BI
  • Data Analytics platforms
  • SharePoint
  • Other business intelligence or reporting systems