Director of Procurement & Technical Sourcing

Turnkey Solar Solutions • Jackson, MS

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Harvest Solar, an equal opportunity employer, is a Michigan-based company that provides cost-effective renewable energy for agriculture, commercial, and utility customers yielding more energy independence by utilizing solar energy. With in-house design, engineering, installation, and manufacturing, Harvest Solar is a pivotal turnkey operation that believes in expanding energy independence today to achieve a sustainable future for tomorrow. We believe in energy independence and a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren. Our purpose is to empower people to create and use renewable energy by providing them with the best‐in‐class service, products, and experience.

Under the direction of the Chief Operating Officer and in full compliance with the associate handbook and all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, the Director of Procurement & Technical Sourcing will lead the procurement of equipment, materials, subcontracted services, and other critical goods and services required for Harvest Solar's construction and operating activities. This position combines strong commercial and negotiating skills with sufficient engineering and technical knowledge to evaluate product specifications, construction requirements, supplier capabilities, proposed substitutions, and total cost of ownership. The Director will work closely with Engineering, Estimating, Project Management, Construction, and Accounting to ensure purchasing decisions meet project requirements for quality, performance, schedule, risk, and cost. The position will also manage procurement personnel, key supplier relationships, inventory strategy, and subcontractor sourcing.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, engineering technology, supply chain management, or a related technical discipline. Substantial directly relevant technical, construction, or procurement experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in technical procurement, construction procurement, engineering, project management, estimating, supply chain, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret technical specifications, drawings, bills of material, scopes of work, and vendor documentation and translate them into accurate purchasing requirements.
• Experience procuring electrical equipment, mechanical systems, renewable-energy equipment, construction materials, or subcontracted construction services.
• Working knowledge of commercial electrical construction, solar PV systems, energy-storage systems, or comparable technically complex infrastructure.
• Valid State Driver's License.
• Strong technical judgment and the ability to identify when additional input from Engineering, Construction, Legal, Accounting, or executive leadership is required.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications, drawings, bills of material, scopes of work, and vendor documentation.
• Ability to analyze complex bid packages and normalize competing proposals for differences in specifications, scope, exclusions, schedule, warranty, and commercial risk.
• Strong commercial negotiation, vendor-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to balance technical performance, project schedule, supplier risk, and total installed cost when making sourcing recommendations.
• Strong organizational, planning, prioritization, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple active procurements and deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively and constructively with internal disciplines, vendors, subcontractors, and leadership, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel, and the ability to effectively use and learn ERP, purchasing, inventory, and project-management software.
• High expectation of confidentiality and professional judgment.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a cross-functional team.
• Commitment to continued technical and professional development.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement strategy and execution for assigned categories of equipment, materials, services, subcontractors, and capital expenditures.
• Meet the company's requirements for quality, compliance, volume, availability, schedule, risk, and pricing with respect to purchased goods and services.
• Develop sourcing strategies and present recommendations to leadership for major purchases, supplier relationships, and supply-chain risks.
• Lead negotiations of procurement and subcontract agreements within established approval authority and coordinate with executive leadership and legal counsel on material commercial and contractual risks.
• Review and interpret engineering drawings, bills of material, scopes of work, equipment data sheets, technical specifications, and applicable project requirements to support accurate purchasing decisions.
• Lead the technical and commercial evaluation of major equipment, material, and subcontractor bids, including identification of scope gaps, exclusions, qualifications, incompatibilities, and lifecycle risks.
• Accurately normalize and compare complex bids to evaluate specifications, scope, exclusions, schedule, warranty, commercial terms, and total installed cost.
• Vet and select subcontractors, in partnership with the Project Management team, primarily in the civil, mechanical and electrical trades, through a competitive bidding process that evaluates technical qualifications, scope completeness, safety performance, schedule capability, commercial terms, and overall value.
• Work with Engineering and Construction to evaluate proposed products, approved equals, alternates, and substitutions before purchase.
• Develop and maintain familiarity with the technical, installation, performance, warranty, and supply-chain characteristics of solar modules, inverters, racking systems, electrical equipment, energy-storage equipment, and other products used by Harvest Solar.
• Evaluate suppliers based on technical capability, manufacturing quality, product reliability, warranty support, lead time, financial stability, and total cost - not purchase price alone.
• Manage key suppliers and subcontractors and hold them accountable for quality, documentation, delivery, responsiveness, and contractual commitments.
• Identify long-lead and technically critical equipment early and develop sourcing strategies that protect project schedules.
• Continuously research qualified alternative products, vendors, and subcontractors to reduce costs, mitigate risk, and establish appropriate dual-source options.
• Support the Estimating team with vendor development, current pricing, technical comparisons, construction budget feedback, and procurement lead-time assumptions.
• Incorporate lessons learned from installation, commissioning, warranty claims, and field performance into future sourcing decisions.
• Research cost-reduction opportunities and implement practical measures that preserve required quality and technical performance.
• Oversee inventory strategy and maintain appropriate stocking levels for critical and frequently used goods.
• Ensure accurate tracking of material quantities and locations through departmental resources and internal software systems.
• Work with Accounting to maintain the accuracy of inventory, bills of material, cost of goods sold, month-end counts, purchasing commitments, and associated costs.
• Work with Project Management and Construction to support timely, complete, and on-budget delivery of goods and services.
• Work with Engineering to ensure relevant technical specifications and project requirements are accurately incorporated into purchase orders and subcontracts.
• Maintain visibility into material supplier and subcontract commitments and elevate significant commercial, schedule, warranty, and performance risks to leadership.
• Maintain and improve practical procurement procedures, controls, approval workflows, and reporting appropriate for the company's operations.
• Work closely with the Supply Chain Manager on day-to-day material planning, receipt, storage, transfer, and tracking.
• Manage, develop, and provide direction to departmental personnel.
• Travel as needed to vendor locations, manufacturing facilities, construction sites, company locations, and industry events, including occasional travel outside normal workday hours.
• Professionally represent Harvest Solar and support the company's vision and goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Annual Bonus Target representing 10% of your annual base salary/annual wages is paid based on meeting both organizational and individual targets.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) is available to assist with managing time away from the office.
• Transportation costs are covered for approved business travel.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director