Blake Workman
Central,SC
Summary
Results-driven Sourcing Professional with a proven track record in global supplier negotiation and category strategy development. Expertise in supply chain optimization enhances operational efficiency, while strong communication and leadership skills facilitate effective team collaboration. Demonstrated success in aligning purchasing strategies with organizational objectives to drive impactful sourcing initiatives.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Group Souring Manager - Electronics
Milwaukee Tool
Milwaukee , WI
06.2023 - Current
- Led and managed $170M North American Electronics spend across multiple technologies, including PCBAs, Passives, Actives, Chargers, and Electrical Motors.
- Developed and executed the North American Electronics strategy to support key KPIs and drive business growth.
- Created monthly reports for senior management summarizing operational performance metrics.
- Led a multinational team of managers and analysts to develop and execute category strategies, supporting multiple North American locations.
- Hold regular one-on-one meetings with employees to review performance and priorities and provide feedback.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to execute nearshoring and value engineering projects, supporting KPIs and growth.
SENIOR CATEGORY BUYER - CONDUCTORS AND CONNECTORS
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
04.2018 - Current
- Responsible for the management of conductors and connectors, with a combined annual productive spend of $60 million USD for all production locations across North America.
- Support the development of supply strategies for North America.
- Work closely with the business units and the Procurement network to develop and implement sourcing strategies for ETO (Engineered to Order) and MTS (Made to Ship) production.
- Lead and manage the sourcing process (RFI, RFQ, RFP, etc.). For key strategic contracts and highly complex negotiations, to ensure the most competitive supply advantage.
- Conduct market intelligence research by interacting with key suppliers, industry associations, and internal stakeholders to collect industry-relevant information, and rationalizing to assess current and future raw material market impacts.
- Identifying and executing ideas that will drive costs out of direct materials.
- Global Strategic Supplier Leader for three suppliers.
- Responsible for relationship management, cost savings, and deliverables impacting more than 200 internal factories globally.
Sr Sourcing Manager - Motors and Chargers
Milwaukee Tool
Milwaukee, WI
02.2023 - 06.2025
- Directed Chargers and Motors Categories management across North America, representing an annual spend of $50M USD.
- Led initiative for new purchasing protocol proposal and implementation.
- Monitored relevant raw material market prices to develop sourcing strategies.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to implement nearshoring strategies for parts.
- Developed and implemented sourcing strategy to drive key KPIs, supporting business operations and growth.
REGIONAL CATEGORY MANAGER, NAM
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
01.2020 - 02.2023
- Responsible for the management of $120M USD in direct spend across four categories: Thermosets, Electro-Mechanical Assemblies, Tooling, and Scrap.
- Lead, develop, and manage the three-to-five-year supplier strategy within direct scope to deliver key metrics to support the overall business needs.
- Drive business impacts through highly complex negotiations, market benchmarking, COS project execution, and supplier contract execution.
- Conduct market intelligence research by interacting with key suppliers, industry associations, and internal stakeholders to collect industry-relevant information, and rationalizing to assess current and future raw material market impacts.
PROGRAM MANAGER - PROCUREMENT ADP PROGRAM, NAM
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
06.2019 - 02.2023
- Designed and created a procurement-specific Advanced Development Program (ADP), as an extension of the overall ADP supply chain program.
- Two one-year rotational programs: category management and plant procurement.
- In addition to my full-time role, I am responsible for the overall management of the program.
- Hiring, funding, program placement, and post-program placement.
- Currently managing and providing mentorships for four ADPs in the U.S. and Mexico.
SENIOR BUYER - MATERIAL PRODUCTIVITY LEADER
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
01.2016 - 04.2018
- Responsible for the management of a combined annual productive spend of $51.8 million USD for three production locations across North America.
- Collaborate with cross-functional global teams to manage and execute projects that provide productivity and cost savings through negotiation, change of supplier, rebalancing, and/or Quality Value Engineering efforts within the supply base.
- Responsible for monitoring material price trends and raw material indexes to provide an accurate forecast and ensure productivity and cost-saving goals are met.
- Responsible for driving, managing, and implementing the commodity strategy for production material at the plant level.
OPERATIONAL BUYER
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
08.2014 - 12.2015
- Responsible for the management of annual productive spend of $10 million USD in addition to $12 million non-productive spend
- Assigned Buyer for Wire, Chemicals, Machined Parts, Barriers, Plating, Fuses, Packaging, MRO, Labels, Tooling/Capital Equipment and Hardware for designated facility responsible for driving material productivity, order placement timing, expedite requests, material replenishment and resolving all invoicing issues across all assigned commodities
- Perform negotiations, RFPs, RFQs, RFIs and overall cost reduction projects for assigned commodities
- Collaborate with cross functional global teams to manage and execute projects that provide productivity and cost savings through negotiation, change of supplier, re-balancing and/or Quality Value Engineering efforts with in the supply base
- Analyze industry trends and market competitions to develop business improvement initiatives while maintaining, evaluating and improving supplier performance and relations
ECONOMIC CONSULTANT
SIX MILE CONSULTING GROUP, LLC
03.2014 - 04.2015
- Analysis in economic development, business planning, supply chain management and procurement for a wide range of sectors include private business, public agencies and athletics
FINANCIAL ANALYST/UNDERWRITER
AGENCY ADVISORS, INC
01.2011 - 11.2013
- Analyze and evaluate both historical and projected property operations
- Evaluate the credit worthiness and management capabilities of a borrower/guarantor for commercial lenders in the U.S under Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac FHA and CMBS guidelines
- Collaborated with colleagues to underwrite over $1 billion in assets in the commercial lending market
INFANTRYMAN
UNITED STATES ARMY
09.2006 - 09.2010
- Served as a team leader in combat operations
- Served as a member of an embedded training team, teaching Afghan National Army forces military combat operation procedures and in collaboration with team members, lead a battalion size element of Afghan forces in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom 07-08
Education
MASTERS OF ARTS - ECONOMICS
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CLEMSON, SC12.2018
BACHELORS OF SCIENCE - ECONOMICS, Financial Management
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CLEMSON, SC08.2013
Skills
- Category strategy
- Pricing strategy determination
- Project planning
- Budget control
- Time management
- Task delegation
- Cross-functional team management
- Bid process management
- Vendor evaluation
- Supplier negotiation
- People management
- Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications, SAP and Oracle
Honors and Recognitions
- Secret Military Clearance, 2007
- Combat Infantry Badge, 2007
- ARCOM, 2008, 2009, 2010
- AAM, 2008, 2010
- Afghanistan Tour medal, 2007
- NATO Medal, 2008
- Overseas Service Ribbon, 2007
- National Service Ribbon, 2006
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Group Souring Manager - Electronics
Milwaukee Tool
06.2023 - Current
Sr Sourcing Manager - Motors and Chargers
Milwaukee Tool
02.2023 - 06.2025
REGIONAL CATEGORY MANAGER, NAM
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
01.2020 - 02.2023
PROGRAM MANAGER - PROCUREMENT ADP PROGRAM, NAM
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
06.2019 - 02.2023
SENIOR CATEGORY BUYER - CONDUCTORS AND CONNECTORS
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
04.2018 - Current
SENIOR BUYER - MATERIAL PRODUCTIVITY LEADER
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
01.2016 - 04.2018
OPERATIONAL BUYER
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
08.2014 - 12.2015
ECONOMIC CONSULTANT
SIX MILE CONSULTING GROUP, LLC
03.2014 - 04.2015
FINANCIAL ANALYST/UNDERWRITER
AGENCY ADVISORS, INC
01.2011 - 11.2013
INFANTRYMAN
UNITED STATES ARMY
09.2006 - 09.2010
MASTERS OF ARTS - ECONOMICS
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
BACHELORS OF SCIENCE - ECONOMICS, Financial Management
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
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