Procurement Manager

Aston Carter•Carlsbad, CA

13d•$110,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Manager defines and executes the company’s global sourcing and procurement strategy to support lithium-ion battery manufacturing and advanced industrial production. The role leads supplier selection, commercial negotiations, supplier performance management, risk mitigation, and cost optimization. It partners with Engineering, Manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Finance, and Operations to build a reliable, high-quality, cost-effective supply base for pilot programs and high-volume production. The position is based fully onsite in Carlsbad, California, in a fast-paced, quality-driven and highly regulated advanced manufacturing environment. It involves strategic sourcing, supplier management, contract negotiations, executive reporting, and regular interaction with domestic and international suppliers, including Asia-based manufacturing partners. Occasional domestic and international travel is required for supplier visits, audits, qualification activities, and business reviews. The role supports pilot-line development as well as high-volume manufacturing operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business, Materials Science, or a related field.
At least 7 years of strategic sourcing and procurement experience within a manufacturing environment.
Extensive experience developing and executing strategic sourcing initiatives for direct materials, components, capital equipment, and manufacturing services.
Proven success leading supplier negotiations involving pricing, LTAs, payment terms, Incoterms, warranties, and commercial risk management.
Strong supplier relationship and performance management capabilities, including supplier scorecards, business reviews, and corrective action processes.
Expertise in TCO analysis, cost modeling, and implementing cost-reduction initiatives.
Ability to establish sourcing strategies that mitigate supply chain risks through dual sourcing, supplier diversification, and contingency planning.
Demonstrated success negotiating complex supplier agreements and delivering measurable cost savings.
Experience sourcing from global suppliers, particularly in Asia and China.
Strong analytical, negotiation, financial, and communication skills.
Experience supporting NPI, pilot-line development, and production ramp activities.
Familiarity with supplier quality systems, manufacturing processes, and supplier capacity assessments.
Experience using ERP systems such as NetSuite or SAP.
Advanced Excel and PowerPoint proficiency.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally (5%–10%).

Nice To Haves

Lithium-ion battery industry experience.
Mandarin language proficiency.
Aerospace, defense, or other regulated manufacturing industry experience.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute global sourcing strategies for materials, components, equipment, and services.
Lead supplier identification, qualification, onboarding, and supplier lifecycle management.
Negotiate pricing, contracts, long-term agreements (LTAs), payment terms, Incoterms, and commercial agreements.
Drive cost-reduction initiatives using total cost of ownership (TCO) and spend analysis methodologies.
Establish supplier risk management and dual-sourcing strategies.
Support new product introduction (NPI) programs, pilot builds, and manufacturing scale-up activities.
Lead supplier performance reviews focused on quality, delivery, cost, and responsiveness.
Conduct supplier audits and site visits as required.
Partner with cross-functional teams on sourcing decisions and supply chain optimization efforts.
Report sourcing performance metrics and procurement strategies to leadership.