What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sourcing Manager position at Eastman Chemical Company?
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.
Description
The Sourcing Manager role is a full-time position in the Indirect Strategic Sourcing organization, based in Kingsport, TN, reporting to the Manager of Strategic Sourcing for Indirect Services. The Sourcing Manager for Site Services is responsible for developing and executing sourcing and category strategies that optimize total cost of ownership, contractor performance, safety, operational reliability, and business continuity across Eastman’s site services spend portfolio.
This role manages strategic supplier relationships, leads competitive sourcing events, negotiates service agreements, and oversees the contract lifecycle from sourcing strategy through renewal or transition. The Sourcing Manager partners closely with Maintenance, Engineering, Operations, Reliability, Finance, Legal, Insurance and Risk, and other stakeholders to ensure that service providers meet Eastman’s technical, safety, quality, compliance, and performance expectations.
The ideal candidate is proactive, commercially skilled, and relationship-oriented, with strong business acumen and an understanding of category management, contractor services, and service agreements. The successful candidate will be able to influence stakeholders, lead through ambiguity, and balance short-term operational needs with long-term value, supply resilience, and risk management.
Responsibilities
- Develop and lead comprehensive sourcing and category strategies for site service categories such as mechanical services, inspection services, plant maintenance support, and other contractor-provided services.
- Analyze spend, market conditions, supplier capabilities, labor availability, cost drivers, and operational requirements to identify opportunities for cost savings, cost avoidance, process improvement, and value creation.
- Conduct total cost of ownership, should-cost, benchmarking, and other commercial analyses to support sourcing decisions and negotiations.
- Lead sourcing events, including requirements development, supplier prequalification, RFPs, supplier evaluations, bid analysis, negotiations, and award recommendations.
- Evaluate suppliers based on commercial value, technical capability, safety performance, quality, capacity, workforce availability, financial stability, compliance, and ability to support Eastman’s operational requirements.
- Manage the contract lifecycle, including contract negotiation and execution, performance monitoring, amendments, renewals, competitive reviews, and transition or exit planning.
- Lead supplier business reviews and continuous improvement initiatives. When necessary, collaborate with the internal stakeholders to address performance issues, coordinate corrective-action plans, and negotiate appropriate remedies when supplier performance does not meet expectations.
- Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Reliability, Operations, and site leadership to understand business requirements, define scopes of work, establish service expectations, and align sourcing strategies with operational priorities.
- Track and report savings, supplier performance, contract coverage, sourcing pipeline activity, risk, and other category management metrics.
- Ensure compliance with sourcing policies, procurement governance, ethical business practices, contract requirements, and operational controls.
- Build effective relationships with internal stakeholders and strategic suppliers while promoting fair, objective, and well-documented sourcing processes.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
- At least three years of related experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply management, commercial management, contract management, or a comparable business role.
- Strong commercial judgment and negotiation skills, with the ability to optimize total cost of ownership while considering safety, quality, reliability, risk, and supply continuity.
- Experience developing and executing sourcing strategies, leading RFPs, evaluating suppliers, analyzing bids, and making sourcing recommendations.
- Experience with supplier performance management and contract lifecycle management.
- Strong analytical skills, including proficiency in spend analysis, cost modeling, data interpretation, market research, and business-case development.
- Ability to work cross-functionally and influence stakeholders and suppliers at multiple organizational levels.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organization, attention to detail, follow-through, and accountability.
- Proactive and self-motivated approach to recognizing needs, anticipating issues, solving problems, and developing practical solutions.
- Ability to adapt to changing business priorities and work effectively in a complex operational environment.
Preferred:
- Experience sourcing contractor services, craft labor, maintenance services, or other industrial site services.
- Experience working in a manufacturing, chemical, energy, refining, mining, utilities, or other industrial environment.
- Experience managing multi-site, regional, or global service providers.
- Experience with alternative commercial models, including time-and-materials, unit rates, fixed-price work, reimbursable cost structures, performance-based agreements, and master service agreements.
Familiarity with e-procurement, source-to-contract, contract management, and enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP, Ariba, Coupa, or similar platforms.
Success in This Role
Success in this role will be measured by the ability to deliver sustainable commercial value while maintaining or improving safety, service quality, contractor performance, and operational reliability. Key outcomes may include improved contract coverage, competitive and transparent sourcing events, validated savings and cost avoidance, stronger supplier performance, reduced supply and contractor risk, timely contract renewals, and effective stakeholder and supplier relationships.
Why Join Us:
Exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on cost reduction initiatives Collaborative and supportive work environment
Competitive compensation package
Opportunities for professional development and growth
If you're ready to take the next step in your procurement career and contribute to our success, we want to hear from you!
Interested?
For further information about this position please contact Jennifer Blommaert (Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Indirect Services) or Susan Fritsch (Talent Acquisition).
This position is located in Kingsport, TN, USA
Benefits
Your total rewards go far beyond a competitive salary. When you join Eastman, you gain access to an exceptional suite of programs designed to protect your health, grow your wealth, and fuel your career.
- Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities that let you share in our success.
- Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage—paired with a Health Savings Account option to help you save tax-free dollars for care today or in the future.
- A robust menu of voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more—so you can tailor coverage to fit your life.
- Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.
- 401(k) with a company match—plus an additional annual retirement contribution from Eastman to accelerate your long-term savings.
- Eleven paid holidays, one personal day, paid time off, and paid vacation to recharge, celebrate, or handle life’s moments.
- Access to mentorship, learning resources, and leadership programs that empower you to thrive in your current role and chart the next steps in your career.
At Eastman, we invest in the whole you—so you can bring your best self to work every day and build a future you’re proud of.
Eastman Chemical Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected classes as designated by law.
Eastman is committed to creating a powerfully engaged workplace, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.
Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville
Job Segment: Chemical Research, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Manager, ERP, Compliance, Engineering, Operations, Technology, Legal