OPT Director of Strategic Sourcing Jobs
Director of Strategic Sourcing roles on OPT require employers willing to sponsor H-1B visa or other long-term visas, since CPO-level procurement leadership is firmly a specialty occupation. Your 12-month OPT window (29 months with STEM extension) makes timing your job search and visa transition critical.
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Get Access To All JobsStrategic Sourcing Specialist
Salina, KS
Great Plains Manufacturing is seeking a dynamic Strategic Sourcing Specialist to join our Purchasing team.
This is an on-site position that works Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. from our Corporate Offices in Salina, KS. Occasional out-of-state overnight travel may be required.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead sourcing projects and participate in cross-functional teams to support projects for product development and project management.
- Collaborate with other internal teams to align strategies, drive project implementation, and support successful supply chain performance.
- Understand cost drivers and develop cost models based on material content, order quantities, tooling, and other factors affecting total cost of ownership. Evaluate specific projects and rate overall supply base using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach.
- Monitor and track commodity costs and other factors that affect pricing to ensure that related cost changes, especially cost reductions, are identified.
- Maintain existing commodity strategies to lead supplier selection and negotiate supplier pricing.
- Utilize supplier scorecards to assess performance of suppliers - conduct business reviews with suppliers to review scorecards, explore opportunities for improvements, develop future business layouts, and drive the implementation of actions identified.
- Monitor, audit, and report performance of suppliers to ensure that supplier performance issues are quickly addressed. Evaluate and manage supply chain risks.
- Work with critical suppliers to ensure they have and/or develop a business continuity strategy to prevent supply interruptions.
- Assist in the development and implementation of procurement plans, policies and procedures.
- Travel to meet with vendors and suppliers on a quarterly basis, or as needed.
- Other duties may be assigned that require other qualifications, physical demands, and/or work environments.
Preferred Skills and Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Engineering or similar.
- 3+ years’ experience in commodity management and/or project management with an emphasis in supply chain management and purchasing.
- Experience in procurement within the construction or Ag industry helpful but not required.
- Strong negotiation skills with a collaborative approach.
- Available for occasional overnight travel (less than 10%).
- Exceptional interpersonal and collaborative problem-solving skills across functional groups.
- Professional certification, such as APICS, or working toward obtaining professional certification is desired.
Great Plains Manufacturing, headquartered in Salina, KS, is a proud subsidiary of Kubota with more than 50 years as a Kansas leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of agricultural implements, including seeding, tillage, and landscaping equipment. Our new Construction Equipment Division adds Kubota-branded skid steers, compact track loaders, and CE attachments, supported by Kubota Construction R&D Engineering in Salina. Operating in eight Kansas communities with multiple divisions, including Great Plains Ag; Land Pride; Great Plains International; and the Construction Equipment Division, we employ over 2,000 people and are committed to innovation and professional growth. If you are self-motivated, goal-oriented, and collaborative, explore our open opportunities at www.WorkForGPM.com.
Strategic Sourcing Specialist
Salina, KS
Great Plains Manufacturing is seeking a dynamic Strategic Sourcing Specialist to join our Purchasing team.
This is an on-site position that works Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. from our Corporate Offices in Salina, KS. Occasional out-of-state overnight travel may be required.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead sourcing projects and participate in cross-functional teams to support projects for product development and project management.
- Collaborate with other internal teams to align strategies, drive project implementation, and support successful supply chain performance.
- Understand cost drivers and develop cost models based on material content, order quantities, tooling, and other factors affecting total cost of ownership. Evaluate specific projects and rate overall supply base using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach.
- Monitor and track commodity costs and other factors that affect pricing to ensure that related cost changes, especially cost reductions, are identified.
- Maintain existing commodity strategies to lead supplier selection and negotiate supplier pricing.
- Utilize supplier scorecards to assess performance of suppliers - conduct business reviews with suppliers to review scorecards, explore opportunities for improvements, develop future business layouts, and drive the implementation of actions identified.
- Monitor, audit, and report performance of suppliers to ensure that supplier performance issues are quickly addressed. Evaluate and manage supply chain risks.
- Work with critical suppliers to ensure they have and/or develop a business continuity strategy to prevent supply interruptions.
- Assist in the development and implementation of procurement plans, policies and procedures.
- Travel to meet with vendors and suppliers on a quarterly basis, or as needed.
- Other duties may be assigned that require other qualifications, physical demands, and/or work environments.
Preferred Skills and Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Engineering or similar.
- 3+ years’ experience in commodity management and/or project management with an emphasis in supply chain management and purchasing.
- Experience in procurement within the construction or Ag industry helpful but not required.
- Strong negotiation skills with a collaborative approach.
- Available for occasional overnight travel (less than 10%).
- Exceptional interpersonal and collaborative problem-solving skills across functional groups.
- Professional certification, such as APICS, or working toward obtaining professional certification is desired.
Great Plains Manufacturing, headquartered in Salina, KS, is a proud subsidiary of Kubota with more than 50 years as a Kansas leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of agricultural implements, including seeding, tillage, and landscaping equipment. Our new Construction Equipment Division adds Kubota-branded skid steers, compact track loaders, and CE attachments, supported by Kubota Construction R&D Engineering in Salina. Operating in eight Kansas communities with multiple divisions, including Great Plains Ag; Land Pride; Great Plains International; and the Construction Equipment Division, we employ over 2,000 people and are committed to innovation and professional growth. If you are self-motivated, goal-oriented, and collaborative, explore our open opportunities at www.WorkForGPM.com.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Director of Strategic Sourcing
Target companies with active procurement functions
Large manufacturers, retailers, and tech companies with dedicated supply chain teams are far more likely to sponsor than generalist employers. Search for organizations with established strategic sourcing departments, where this role is a core business function, not an ad hoc hire.
Lead with cost savings and supplier metrics in your resume
Directors of Strategic Sourcing are hired to reduce spend and build supplier relationships. Quantify your impact with specific metrics like cost reduction percentages, supplier consolidation results, or contract cycle improvements. Numbers make sponsorship feel like a clear return on investment.
Start your OPT job search at least four months before graduation
H-1B visa cap registration opens in March for an October 1 start. If your OPT begins in summer, you need your offer in hand before cap season closes. Delayed starts mean waiting a full additional year for the next lottery cycle.
Prioritize STEM-designated programs if your degree qualifies
Supply chain, operations research, and industrial engineering degrees often carry STEM OPT eligibility, extending your work authorization to 29 months. That extra 17 months significantly improves your odds of clearing two H-1B lottery cycles before your status expires.
Engage employers who have previously sponsored procurement roles
Past sponsorship behavior is the strongest predictor of future willingness. Focus your applications on companies with a documented track record of sponsoring supply chain and operations professionals, rather than trying to convince reluctant employers from scratch.
Frame your international background as a strategic sourcing asset
Global supplier networks, cross-border negotiation experience, and multilingual capability are genuine competitive advantages in strategic sourcing. Emphasize these strengths in cover letters and interviews to make your international profile a reason to hire, not a perceived complication.
Director of Strategic Sourcing OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Director of Strategic Sourcing on OPT?
Yes. Director of Strategic Sourcing is a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field such as supply chain management, business, or engineering. That makes it fully eligible for F-1 OPT work authorization. Your employment must be directly related to your degree field, which is straightforward for most supply chain and business graduates.
Does this role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If your degree is in a STEM-designated field, such as supply chain management, industrial engineering, operations research, or management information systems, you can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. The role itself must also be related to your STEM field, which is easily satisfied for most strategic sourcing positions.
How do I find Director of Strategic Sourcing employers who sponsor OPT?
Migrate Mate is the recommended starting point. It surfaces Director of Strategic Sourcing roles at employers with a history of sponsoring international candidates, saving you from applying to companies that won't move forward with OPT students. Focus on large enterprises with global supply chains, where strategic sourcing is a core function and sponsorship is a routine part of their hiring process.
Will employers view my OPT status as a problem for a director-level role?
Some will, but many won't. Director-level procurement roles have a small, competitive candidate pool globally, which works in your favor. Employers who have struggled to fill senior sourcing positions are often more willing to sponsor than those hiring for entry-level roles. Leading with your impact metrics and downplaying the visa complexity in early conversations helps. Let the employer see the value first.
What happens to my Director of Strategic Sourcing job if my H-1B isn't selected in the lottery?
If your H-1B registration isn't selected and your OPT expires, you lose work authorization and cannot legally continue in the role. Some employers will explore alternatives like the O-1A visa for candidates with exceptional ability, or the EB-1 or EB-2 green card paths for senior leaders. It's worth having this conversation with your employer well before your OPT end date, not after a lottery miss.