Copy of Senior Manager, Sourcing and Procurement

Proper Voltage•Carlsbad, CA

12d•$165,000 - $175,000•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Sourcing and Procurement owns the commodity strategy and supplier ecosystem for Proper Voltage’s custom mechanical components. The role builds and manages supplier relationships, negotiates commercial terms, develops sources for custom-fabricated parts, and ensures production can meet schedule and target cost as the company scales from NPI to thousands of units per month. It is the commercial owner of the mechanical supplier book, from initial RFQs through long-term supplier development. The position is part of the supply chain team and reports to the Director of Supply Chain. It partners with Engineering on design-for-sourcing decisions, Finance on cost modeling and spend visibility, and the VP of Supply Chain on strategic sourcing direction and production readiness. The manufacturing model includes contract manufacturing in Mexico and a mixed U.S. and Asia sourcing base. The initial focus is custom mechanical components; electrical commodities may be added as the function grows. The role begins as an individual contributor with no inherited team. The person hired will personally own the mechanical sourcing and procurement function, with the expectation that a team will be built as the company scales. The position is remote-friendly, with monthly travel to Carlsbad, California, and periodic international supplier visits, potentially including Mexico.

Requirements

At least 8 years of strategic sourcing, procurement, or commodity management experience, with direct ownership of supplier relationships for custom-fabricated mechanical components.
Proven experience sourcing metals, machined parts, thermal assemblies, sheet metal, or similar mechanical categories through production scale.
Hands-on should-cost modeling experience, including building total cost of ownership from raw material inputs through landed cost and using the analysis to guide sourcing decisions and negotiations.
A track record of building supplier ecosystems from early stage through production scale, rather than only managing inherited vendor books.
Strong commercial instincts and the ability to identify cost-reduction opportunities and negotiate complex agreements.
Ability to work independently, set priorities without a defined playbook, and move quickly from incomplete or unclear requirements.
Demonstrated experience identifying and proactively mitigating supply risks, including single-source exposure, capacity constraints, and long lead-time items.

Nice To Haves

Asia sourcing experience, including on-site supplier visits and direct commercial negotiations in China, Southeast Asia, or similar markets.
Experience in battery, energy storage, or adjacent hardware categories such as power electronics, EV, BESS, or UPS.
An existing network of trusted fabricators and mechanical component suppliers that can be activated quickly.
Familiarity with Mexico cross-border manufacturing or IMMEX program structures.
Mandarin, Spanish, or other language skills relevant to the supplier base.
Early-stage startup experience building sourcing functions from zero.
Experience attracting, hiring, and developing high-performing sourcing and procurement teams as a function scales.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end commodity strategy for custom mechanical components, including precision CNC aluminum, sheet metal, thermal management assemblies, and flexible copper busbars.
Build and qualify a production-ready supplier base for components with prototype pricing or single-source risk.
Develop supplier relationships in North America and Asia, including factory visits, qualification audits, and supplier performance frameworks.
Drive should-cost modeling and total cost of ownership analysis across the mechanical bill of materials, including raw materials, tooling, NRE, lead times, MOQs, and freight-inclusive landed cost.
Lead supplier negotiations for mechanical commodities, including pricing, payment terms, lead times, tooling and NRE structure, warranties, and supply agreements.
Issue and manage RFQs from technical package through quote normalization, scorecards, and selection recommendations.
Develop cost narratives and trade-offs to support decisions with Engineering, Finance, and leadership.
Partner with Engineering during NPI to source custom mechanical components ahead of build events, manage long-lead items, and ensure material readiness for prototype and pilot builds.
Translate evolving or incomplete design requirements into supplier actions; pursue directional quotes and supplier engagement while specifications are being finalized and manage changes where possible without disrupting supply commitments.
Monitor mechanical BOM supply risks, including single-source dependencies, capacity constraints, long lead times, and material availability; qualify alternate suppliers proactively and raise risks early.
Establish supplier performance reviews, corrective action processes, and escalation paths.
Partner with the VP of Supply Chain on strategic sourcing direction and the Director of Supply Chain on production readiness and build planning.