4,126 jobs for "Operational Excellence Lead"

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, innovative ideas have a way of quickly becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences. This is where individual imaginations and experiences gather together that leads to great work. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish.

The people here at Apple don't just create products - they create the kind of wonder that's revolutionized entire industries. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple, and help us leave the world better than we found it.

This role currently focuses on supporting Apple's recycled rare earth element (REE) supply chain for use in magnets across our product portfolio - a critical part of Apple's commitment to transitioning to 100% recycled rare earth elements. Beyond REEs, this role is designed for a versatile GSM who can flex across a range of raw materials or part categories, including polymers, metals, and enclosure components that go into Apple's world-class products.

Description

GSMs thrive in dynamic environments, balancing Apple's engineering and business priorities while driving operational excellence. In this role, you will develop and own supplier relationships for one or more raw material categories, driving strategy from sourcing and qualification through mass production scale. You will work cross-functionally with engineering, design, operations, and environmental teams to ensure materials meet Apple's technical, quality, cost, and sustainability requirements.

Whether you're qualifying a new recycled REE supply chain, scaling a new adhesive chemistry, or optimizing the economics of an injection-molded enclosure part, you bring the same rigor, creativity, and ownership to every challenge.","responsibilities":"Develop and implement Apple's global sourcing strategy for raw materials, identifying and qualifying new supply sources worldwide across the full value chain

Own strategic supplier relationships end-to-end - from commercial negotiation and contracting to performance management against key metrics

Lead supplier qualification processes, including technical validation, process audits, and integration with downstream manufacturing partners

Negotiate strategic commercial agreements that achieve goals across cost, supply assurance, technology access, and quality

Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, including geopolitical exposure, single-source dependencies, and capacity constraints

Partner closely with engineering and environmental teams to ensure materials meet Apple's technical specifications and sustainability commitments

Drive operational and cost efficiencies through process improvement, design changes, and competitive sourcing

Serve as a subject matter expert and internal advocate for your material category, communicating clearly across all levels of the organization

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with one or more of the following material categories: rare earths or magnet supply chains, critical minerals, battery materials, polymers, adhesives, surface finishes, or closed-loop recycling and scrap operations

Consistent track record of scaling new supply chains and bringing new manufacturing capabilities to mass production

Outstanding negotiation skills - you can build a position and defend it with data

Ability to toggle fluidly between strategic thinking and granular execution

Tenacious problem-solving; you drive toward resolution, not around it

Proven ability to influence across engineering, operations, finance, and design without direct authority

Executive-level presentation and communication skills - crisp, confident, and calibrated to your audience

Flexibility to adapt in dynamic, rapidly changing environments and bring others along with you

MBA preferred

Minimum Qualifications

5+ years of experience in supply chain development, strategic sourcing, supplier management, or a strong engineering background in product development or materials

Hands-on technical experience in one or more relevant disciplines: materials science, manufacturing processes (e.g. injection molding, casting, coatings, chemical processing), or related fields

BS in Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical degree

Ability to travel internationally up to 25%

Pay & Benefits

At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $175,500 and $263,800, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits

Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

About Apple

Working at Apple means doing more than you ever thought possible and having more impact than you ever imagined.

Size: 10,000+ employees
Industry: Technology

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