Job Description

The Should Cost Leader is responsible for establishing and leading the global should-cost capability, setting the strategy, standards, priorities, and governance required to deliver fact-based component cost targets and reliable cost models across assigned commodities and manufacturing technologies. This role leads the Should Cost team and ensures cost insights support sourcing decisions, supplier negotiations, product and project cost requirements, and business planning.

As the organizational leader for should-cost analysis, the role develops a team of component and manufacturing-technology specialists and partners with Category Management, Product Line, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Procurement, and suppliers. The Should Cost Leader drives consistency in cost-modeling methods, challenges assumptions, prioritizes high-value opportunities, and translates technical findings into commercial recommendations, cost-reduction roadmaps, and executive-level decisions.

What kind of work will you be doing?

Should-Cost Strategy and Governance

· Define and deploy the global should-cost strategy, operating model, standards, tools, governance, and performance expectations.

· Establish consistent methodologies for component cost targets, should-cost models, cost-driver analysis, and savings validation.

· Prioritize the should-cost portfolio based on sourcing activity, business impact, product and project needs, supplier risk, and cost-reduction potential.

· Ensure should-cost models, assumptions, market inputs, and reporting remain accurate, current, traceable, and aligned across the organization.

Business and Commercial Leadership

· Lead the delivery of cost analysis and actionable insights for sourcing strategies, supplier selection, negotiations, and product cost roadmaps.

· Lead make-versus-buy analyses by coordinating evaluation of internal capabilities, capacity, capital investment, operational and supply risks, and total landed cost.

· Partner with Category Management and Product Line leaders to translate should-cost insights into category strategies, sourcing actions, negotiation plans, and measurable cost outcomes.

· Present recommendations, opportunities, risks, and progress to senior leadership and drive alignment on required actions.

Team and Technical Capability Leadership

· Build, lead, coach, and develop a team of should-cost specialists with clear ownership by component, commodity, or manufacturing technology.

· Ensure each team member develops deep subject-matter expertise in the design, materials, production processes, tooling, labor, overhead, capacity constraints, and cost drivers under their responsibility.

· Review and challenge complex cost models and technical assumptions, ensuring the quality and credibility of outputs used in commercial decisions.

· Drive cross-functional cost-reduction workshops and continuous improvement of tools, data, methodologies, and team capabilities.

What will make you successful?

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical, or a related engineering discipline.
• Eight or more years of progressive experience in cost engineering, manufacturing engineering, design engineering, strategic sourcing, or a related technical field, including experience leading teams or global programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in should-cost methodologies and manufacturing cost structures, with the ability to guide specialists across multiple components, commodities, and technologies.
• Proven experience establishing component cost targets, reviewing complex cost models, analyzing cost drivers, and applying insights to sourcing decisions and supplier negotiations.
• Experience leading make-versus-buy analysis and evaluating manufacturing capability, capacity, capital investment, risk, and total landed cost.
• Experience with should-cost software, preferably aPriori, and strong working knowledge of engineering drawings, specifications, bills of materials, and three-dimensional models.
• Strong people leadership, analytical, commercial, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to engage technical teams, suppliers, and senior executives.
• Ability to manage a global portfolio, collaborate across regions and functions, and travel to Vertiv and supplier locations as required.