Lead, Strategic Sourcing NPI

At Polaris Inc., we have fun doing what we love by driving change and innovation. We empower employees to take on challenging assignments and roles with an elevated level of responsibility in our agile working environment. Our people make us who we are, and we create incredible products and experiences that empower us to THINK OUTSIDE.

As a New Product Introduction (NPI) Sourcing Lead at Polaris, you’ll play a critical role in bringing groundbreaking products to market. You will develop and execute supply chain strategies to support the launch of innovative digital display technology and high-performance vehicle builds for the Polaris Factory Racing Team. By leading a cross-functional supply chain team, you will ensure supplier accountability, drive cost-effective solutions, and guarantee on-time delivery of high-quality components. This is your opportunity to work on cutting-edge products, collaborate with top-tier suppliers, and shape the future of powersports innovation!

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead multiple concurrent NPI Sourcing projects through the Stage Gate Process, ensuring milestone achievements such as supplier selection, pilot build support, and production ramp-up.
• Own responsibility for all sourced components, ensuring they meet budget, timeline, and quality requirements.
• Develop and manage budgets for Bills of Materials (BOM) and tooling in collaboration with Engineering Project Leaders.
• Establish and oversee supplier tooling and development schedules to align with key project milestones.
• Present sourcing strategy and project status to senior and executive leadership during phase-gate reviews.
• Partner with category sourcing teams to create statements of work and supplier performance contracts for critical components.
• Act as a key liaison between Engineering, Suppliers, Operations, and Strategic Sourcing to drive on-time component delivery and mitigation planning.
• Ensure smooth transition from development to production, supporting a stable and efficient manufacturing process.
• Develop long-term sourcing strategies to support new technology needs and align with category sourcing objectives.
• Identify supplier capability gaps, onboard new suppliers as needed, and establish a competitive supplier network.
• Collaborate with engineering and product management to execute supplier-facing intellectual property strategies that drive market advantage.
• Translate long-range product plans into actionable roadmaps to guide category sourcing strategies.

Desired Competencies:

• Project Management Excellence: You excel at managing complex projects, coordinating cross-functional teams, and ensuring timely execution from concept to production.
• Strategic Thinking & Problem-Solving: You anticipate challenges, develop innovative sourcing strategies, and make data-driven decisions to optimize cost, quality, and supply chain efficiency.
• Influential Communication & Leadership: You can effectively present strategies to senior leadership, negotiate with suppliers, and drive collaboration across multiple departments.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field.
• 4+ years of relevant experience in sourcing, supply chain, or engineering.
• Experience leading a project team or holding a key role in large-scale projects.
• Strong understanding of stage-gate product development processes.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Strong negotiation, decision-making, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience working with engineering documentation, manufacturing processes, and technical data.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of supply contracts and material requirements planning (MRP).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project or other project management software.
• Strong presentation skills, with experience presenting to senior and executive leadership.

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To qualify for this position, former employees must be eligible for rehire, and current employees must be in good standing.

We are an ambitious, resourceful, and driven workforce, which empowers us to THINK OUTSIDE.  Apply today!

At Polaris we put our employees first, by offering a holistic approach to their health and financial wellbeing.  Polaris is proud to offer competitive compensation, including a market-leading profit-sharing plan that is fundamental to our pay-for-performance culture. At Polaris, employees are owners of the company through company contributions to our Employee Stock Ownership Plan and discoun