What are the responsibilities and job description for the Material Program Manager position at Cohu Careers?
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead material planning and sourcing strategies for test interface solutions.
- Identify and qualify new suppliers globally, ensuring compliance with quality and NPI program requirements.
- Manage material readiness through all program phases, concept, prototyping, NPI phase gates, and production ramp.
- Partner closely with product development to ensure supply continuity and inventory optimization for assigned NPI programs.
- Drive early engagement with suppliers during NPI to validate material readiness, ramp capability, and capacity planning to support both NPI and production requirements.
- Monitor lead times, allocation risks, and component obsolescence; proactively mitigate risks through alternative sourcing or strategic buys.
- Represent Supply Chain in cross functional program meetings, providing updates on material status, cost exposure and delivery risks.
- Manage supplier forecasts, MOQ, NCNR liabilities, and inventory buffers in alignment with demand volatility.
- Drive resolution of material shortages, quality issues, and last time buys in coordination with quality and engineering teams.
- Monitor contract compliance and performance obligations, assist with the management of commercial contracts, and spend with key suppliers.
- Identify and assess supplier risks including financial stability, geopolitical exposure, cybersecurity and ESG.
- Develop and enforce procurement policies, SOP’s and frameworks.
- Prepare executive level program updates on material readiness, spend, and risk management.
- Negotiate pricing, terms, and contracts to achieve the best value for the company.
- Support should cost modeling, benchmarking, and total cost of ownership analysis.
- Issue purchase orders based upon MRP requirements and NPI program management team requests.
- Monitor supplier deliveries and expedite orders to meet NPI schedules.
- Assist with other duties as required.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:
Education and/or Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field, and or equivalent work experience (industry certifications such as CPSM/APICS are a plus).
- 5 years of experience in semiconductor supply chain, materials management, or NPI program management.
- Strong understanding of semiconductor manufacturing flows (front-end, back-end test) and related material dependencies
- Experience working with global suppliers in US, Asia, and Europe.
- Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle) and planning tools
- Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills; able to work in a fast passed, cross functional environment.
- Comfortable managing through ambiguity and influencing teams without direct authority.
- Ability to use MS office suite of products (Excel, Word, Access).
- Proven written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to read and understand machined part drawings.
- Computer skills including file and data transfer experience.
- Understanding of machined part fabrication techniques and methods.
Job Conditions: Office environment. Requires up to 10% domestic or international travel.
Physical Demands/Strengths: Ability to sit at desk for prolonged periods; use of computer keyboard and telephone.
Protective Devices Required: In designated areas.