Manager, Direct Procurement

AESC • Murfreesboro, TN

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Direct Procurement Manager leads the BESS (Module, Pack, DC block, and PCS/EMS) category, procuring a substantial portion of the battery system across multiple component industries. The role develops commodity strategies that support competitive costs, compliance with governmental regulations, and a global supply base. It involves flexible work hours to coordinate with partners and suppliers, as well as business travel.

The manager works with global procurement and cross-functional teams to develop and execute sourcing strategies, business cases, supply agreements, risk mitigation plans, and projects that strengthen AESC’s competitiveness in the energy storage systems market. The role also tracks sourcing progress and capacity, analyzes cost and market data, and supports supplier ESG assessments and corrective actions.

The position is based at AESC’s office in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The work environment is primarily an automated manufacturing plant with concrete floors, temperature extremes, moderate noise, and forklift traffic. Duties may also take place on the plant floor and in meetings with employees, management, customers, and suppliers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business administration, industrial engineering, economics, or a related technical field.
• 5–7 years of experience in procurement, logistics/transportation, supply chain, finance, operations, or related fields.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and SAP.
• Ability to sit for extended periods.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and hear; stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach and lift with hands and arms frequently throughout the day.
• Occasionally lift, push, pull, and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 35 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• MBA.
• Experience in the battery, automotive, or manufacturing industry.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Mandarin.

Responsibilities

• Develop BESS commodity strategy.
• Work with the global procurement team to analyze value-chain partnership structures and investment opportunities.
• Lead the development and execution of BESS business cases, focusing on cost, project feasibility, timing, localization, and risk.
• Execute MOUs, offtakes, and sourcing agreements with suppliers to support AESC’s plant capacity needs.
• Establish baseline measurements of supplier ESG performance; drive participation in audits and assessments, evaluate compliance with sustainability and ESG standards, and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Provide supply-base data transparency to support fact-based negotiations and deliver cost targets.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of cost drivers, historical prices, and future cost projections.
• Monitor the team’s progress toward strategy implementation and supply procurement.
• Design an analytical tool to quantify sourced and secured supply progress and compare annual output capabilities with required capacities.
• Analyze AESC’s cycle plans and translate changes into actions addressing potential future capacity issues for AESC and the raw materials team.
• Contribute to cross-functional risk mitigation plans with raw material suppliers, engineering teams, and other battery-cell purchasing stakeholders.
• Analyze market trends, industry dynamics, and technology announcements, translating findings into data collection and actionable insights.
• Lead cross-functional project implementation to enhance AESC’s competitiveness in the ESS market.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• HSA and flexible spending accounts.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Company-paid life insurance, with additional voluntary life insurance available.
• Paid vacation and 14 paid holidays.
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Inclusive and diverse work environment supporting professional and personal development.

What This Job Offers

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