--- title: 'Global Sourcing Director - Supply and Demand Planning at Graphcore' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/global-sourcing-director-supply-and-demand-planning-graphcore-milpitas-yx97a3ytmanv' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-13' --- # Global Sourcing Director - Supply and Demand Planning at Graphcore - **Company:** Graphcore - **Location:** Milpitas, CA - **Posted:** 2026-05-08 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/graphcore/jobs/8540402002 ## Job description ## About us Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute! It is developing hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and power the widespread adoption of AI solutions across every industry. As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. Together, they share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone. Graphcore’s teams are drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring a broad range of skills and perspectives. A melting pot of AI research specialists, silicon designers, software engineers and systems architects, Graphcore enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation. Job Summary We are seeking a Global Sourcing Director to lead supply and demand planning across Graphcore’s global operations. This role will sit at the intersection of Finance, Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and Operations to translate market demand into actionable supply chain strategies. You will drive forecasting, sourcing, inventory optimization, and operational scalability to support the rapid growth of next-generation AI infrastructure platforms. The Team The Supply Chain and Operations team is responsible for enabling Graphcore’s global product delivery and operational excellence. The team collaborates cross-functionally to manage sourcing, forecasting, inventory, and supplier engagement to ensure reliable execution across the business. ## Responsibilities and Duties - Develop and execute end-to-end demand and supply plans across global product lines and inventory channels. - Own the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process and align supply plans with financial and business objectives. - Collaborate with Finance, Sales, Marketing, and Engineering teams to support operational and product planning. - Identify supply risks, demand fluctuations, and operational constraints, and develop mitigation strategies. - Drive New Product Introduction (NPI) transitions, minimizing excess and obsolete inventory exposure. - Define, track, and report key performance indicators including forecast accuracy, inventory metrics, and delivery performance. - Lead business process optimization initiatives to improve supply chain scalability, automation, and operational efficiency. - Partner with suppliers and external stakeholders to ensure supply continuity and sourcing effectiveness. - Provide leadership and mentorship across sourcing and planning functions. Candidate Profile Essential: - Demonstrated ability in logistics management, sourcing, or demand planning related to AI infrastructure or high-scale technology environments. - Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Supply Chain, Business, Economics, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or related field. - Strong expertise with forecasting, ERP systems, and supply planning tools such as SAP, Oracle, Kinaxis, or Blue Yonder. - Advanced analytical and data-driven decision-making skills. - Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex operational data to executive leadership. - Experience leading cross-functional operational planning and process improvement initiatives. - Strong interpersonal skills paired with the capacity to balance multiple priorities in fast-paced environments. Desirable: - MBA or MS complemented by comparable experience in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. - Experience with SQL, Tableau, Power BI, Python, or R for reporting and forecasting automation. - Background in consumer electronics, AI infrastructure, or data center hardware environments. - Professional certifications such as APICS (CPIM/CSCP) or PMP. - Experience working in global sourcing and supply chain organizations. In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing and financial future. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), disability and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, commuter benefits, wellness services and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we're committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments. ## About Graphcore ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Graphcore designs and builds the Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU), a processor purpose-built for machine intelligence, and provides a complete AI compute stack from silicon to software. - **Entity Type**: Private (wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp as of 2025/2026) - **Headquarters**: Bristol, England, UK - **Founded**: 2016 - **Founders**: Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: AI hardware/accelerators, semiconductor design, AI software platform - **Target customers**: Cloud providers (Microsoft Azure), enterprises, AI researchers, hyperscalers - **Mission statement**: “Let innovators create the next breakthroughs in machine intelligence to enhance human potential” ## Products & Services - **[IPU (Intelligence Processing Unit)](https://www.graphcore.ai/)**: A processor designed from the ground up for machine intelligence workloads; uses a massively parallel architecture (MIMD) with fine-grained compute and on-chip memory. - **[IPU-Machine M2000](https://www.graphcore.ai/about)**: Second-generation IPU platform – a 1U server appliance housing 4 MK2 GC200 IPU processors, delivering an 8× performance uplift over the first generation. - **[C2 IPU Accelerator PCIe Card](https://www.graphcore.ai/about)**: PCIe form factor accelerator for server integration, first demonstrated at ICML 2018. - **[Poplar Software Stack](https://www.graphcore.ai/)**: Full SDK and framework integration (PyTorch, TensorFlow) that lets developers target the IPU directly. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Acquired by SoftBank Group Corp (amount undisclosed); prior to acquisition valued at $2.77 B (Series E, lead by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board). - **Key Metric**: Total funding raised prior to acquisition – over $680 M across Series A through E. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: SoftBank (owner), Microsoft (customer and investor), BMW, Samsung, Dell Technologies, Bosch, Sequoia Capital, Atomico, Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Ontario Teachers’. - **Growth Signals**: Part of the fast-growing SoftBank AI ecosystem; expanding teams globally (Bristol, London, Cambridge, Gdańsk, Hsinchu, Bengaluru); first customer (Microsoft Azure) live since 2018. ## Competitive Advantages - **First purpose-built AI processor**: The IPU architecture is fundamentally different from GPUs – designed specifically for the sparse, parallel nature of neural network computation. - **Full stack ownership**: Graphcore controls silicon, system hardware, and software (Poplar), enabling tight optimisation across the entire compute chain. - **Cloud + on‑prem availability**: IPUs are available in the cloud on Microsoft Azure and as hardware from Dell, giving customers flexible deployment options. - **Strong IP and ecosystem**: 99+ engineering staff; deep expertise in semiconductor, systems, and AI software, backed by long-term SoftBank investment. ## Strategic Focus - **Scale AI infrastructure**: Delivering key technology into SoftBank’s global AI ecosystem and expanding the IPU platform to meet growing demand for AI compute. - **Expand into new regions**: Opening offices and hiring in India (Bengaluru) and across Europe (Gdańsk, London, Cambridge) to accelerate R&D and customer support. - **Democratise AI**: Continuing to lower the barrier for machine intelligence by providing accessible, high-efficiency hardware and software for innovators worldwide. ## Why Work Here - **Flexible hybrid work**: Employees are expected on-site three days a week, with trust and flexibility to balance work and life. - **Comprehensive benefits**: Unlimited annual leave, private medical insurance (UK), dental & health cash plan, income protection, life assurance, pension matched up to 5%, generous parental leave, and a personal development plan. - **Culture and growth**: ML reading groups, board game socials, book clubs, yoga, running, watersports, team events; strong DE+I initiatives; ambitious but supportive environment. - **Perks**: Free barista‑made coffee, snacks, and wellbeing rooms; cycle‑to‑work scheme; gym membership discount; education/training allowances. - **Purpose-driven work**: Opportunity to shape the future of AI compute and see your contributions used by global innovators. ## Sources 1. [graphcore.ai/about](https://www.graphcore.ai/about) 2. [graphcore.ai/](https://www.graphcore.ai/) 3. [graphcore.ai/careers](https://www.graphcore.ai/careers) 4. [graphcore.ai/jobs](https://www.graphcore.ai/jobs) 5. 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