NPD Sourcing Manager at Sportech, LLC – Elk River, Minnesota

Sportech is a rapidly growing company in Elk River, MN. We are looking for talented people who wish to join a values-based company that desires to help our people and customers win. We design, manufacture, and assemble cab components and systems for the powersports, golf and turf, industrial and agricultural end markets. Our design and engineering capabilities allow us to provide complex components and assemblies to our original equipment manufacturer customers. We are always on the gas and seeking dynamic, enthusiastic, and motivated individuals to join our extraordinary team.

Sportech offers eligible full-time employees a robust and competitive benefits package, which includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision plan options, including flexible spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCA)
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits
• Basic life insurance and voluntary life insurance
• Hospital indemnity plans, pet insurance, and legal/identity theft services
• 401k plan with up to a 4% employer match
• Paid company holidays, paid vacation, and paid volunteer time
• Sportech Learning Academy (SLA) with courses offered onsite quarterly, focusing on personal and professional growth and development for employees, and tuition reimbursement options for courses completed outside of Sportech

Further benefits information is provided as part of the offer process for any offer extended by Sportech. Pay varies by position and is based on multiple factors including labor market data and, depending on position, may include education, work experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, and/or certifications. Additionally, Sportech takes into account the internal equity of current employees when considering compensation. Sportech’s reasonable and good-faith estimate for the range of new hire compensation at the time of posting for this position is between $105,000 - $130,000 annually. Pay may also include variable compensation from time to time such as overtime for non-exempt positions, shift differential for specific shifts, and/or bonus targets (subject to plan eligibility and other requirements).

Job Summary

The NPD Sourcing Manager is responsible for leading supply chain strategy for new product development (NPD) programs, partnering closely with Engineering, Program Management, Quality, Manufacturing, Sourcing, and Operations to bring new products from concept to production with scalable, cost-effective, and low-risk supply solutions. This role serves as the primary supply chain partner to the NPD organization, ensuring supplier readiness, material availability, cost targets, and launch execution while balancing speed, risk, and total landed cost. The role requires strong leadership, cross-functional influence, and hands-on execution to deliver value to customers while maximizing bottom-line value to Sportech.

Essential Job Functions

• Serve as the primary supply chain partner to Engineering during Discover, Design, and Develop phases, influencing make/buy decisions, material selections, DFM, tooling strategies, and supply network design.
• Partner cross functionally with Program Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Product Management, and Sourcing to align supply chain plans with program objectives and timing.
• Lead early supplier involvement to improve manufacturability, reduce cost, mitigate risk, and support aggressive NPD timelines.
• Partner with commodity managers to leverage preferred suppliers, define new capabilities or technologies required to meet customer needs, and support category strategies to align with future business needs.
• Lead and support RFIs, RFQs, and sourcing decisions for new product components, tooling, and assemblies, ensuring best total landed cost and supply continuity.
• Support implementation of cost modeling, supplier benchmarking, and should-cost analysis for new products.
• Participate in cost modeling, should cost analysis, and negotiation of commercial terms including tooling, NRE, and long term agreements.
• Drive phase gate and launch readiness, including supplier APQP/PPAP planning, capacity verification, run at rate, and launch control plans.
• Ensure supply base readiness for product launch by assessing supplier capacity, monitoring tooling and material readiness, and resolving issues rapidly.
• Track, communicate, and escalate supply chain risks, costs, and KPIs to program and executive stakeholders.
• Represent Supply Chain in customer interactions as needed, demonstrating Sportech’s integrated design to delivery model and launch readiness.
• Conduct supplier capability assessments and lead VA/VE initiatives to improve manufacturability, reduce cost, and enhance performance.
• Lead, mentor, and develop supply chain or sourcing resources supporting NPD programs.
• Establish and maintain best practices, tools, and processes for NPD supply chain execution.
• Drive continuous improvement in supplier engagement, launch execution, and supply chain responsiveness.
• Champion Sportech’s values and culture—fostering collaboration, accountability, bias for action, and continuous improvement with internal teams and suppliers.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, Economics, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of progressive sourcing or supply chain experience within a manufacturing or OEM environment, with at least 3 years directly supporting New Product Development (NPD) or program-based sourcing.
• Demonstrated experience owning end-to-end sourcing processes—including supplier scouting, RFI/RFQ/RFP development, cost modeling, contract negotiation, and supplier selection for new product launches.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams (Engineering, Quality, Program Management, Operations) and drive alignment on make/buy decisions, DFM considerations, and sourcing strategies.
• Strong negotiation and supplier-management capabilities, including experience with complex commercial terms, tooling/NRE, and long-term agreements.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and financial skills—able to interpret data, build should-cost models, analyze spend, and present insights to leadership.
• Detail-oriented and highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple NPD programs simultaneously and adapt to fast-changing development timelines.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity, with the flexibility to adjust strategies as designs evolve and program requirements change.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Outlook; experience with ERP/MRP systems required (Epicor strongly preferred).
• Alignment with Sportech’s core values—Integrity, Excellence, Attitude, Innovation, and Collaboration—and the capability to model these behaviors while influencing cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Ability to travel as needed for supplier visits, capability assessments, and program launch support.