Sourcing Manager

Job description

About the role The Sourcing Manager owns end-to-end supplier sourcing, development, qualification, cost control and supply chain risk management for core energy storage cell materials, including cathode, anode, electrolyte, nickel foam substrate, separators and chemical additives. You will build a stable, scalable raw material supply chain system aligned with the gigawatt-level capacity expansion roadmap of Changzhou manufacturing base, covering domestic localization, new product material matching, cost reduction, delivery assurance and quality coordination. You will closely collaborate with R&D, Process, Production, Quality and Engineering teams to break material supply bottlenecks, establish a replicable multi-site material procurement system. This role requires solid hands-on experience in cell material sourcing & development for energy storage industry, capable of independent technical alignment, commercial negotiation and cross-project delivery with fluent oral English for global communication. What you'll do 1. Supply Chain Strategy & Supplier System Establishment Formulate medium & long-term sourcing roadmap for core cell materials (cathode, anode, electrolyte, nickel foam, electroplating chemicals, separators etc.) matching factory capacity expansion targets; build tiered supplier portfolio with dual/multi-source layout to mitigate supply disruption risks. Develop standardized full-process SOP for procurement, including supplier entry audit, on-site assessment, annual review and elimination mechanism, complying with IATF16949, ISO9001 and factory EHS regulations. Set up core procurement KPI system covering material cost reduction rate, on-time delivery rate, incoming defect rate, localization progress and inventory turnover, and drive continuous improvement via systematic sourcing initiatives. 2. Energy Storage Cell Material Development, Qualification & Technical Alignment Lead full-cycle sourcing and validation of all Ni-MH storage cell raw materials: supplier identification, lab sampling, pilot trial, mass production introduction and lifecycle tracking. Cooperate with R&D, Process and Quality teams to complete reliability verification and batch stability testing of new materials; conduct supplier on-site technical audits, drive iteration of material formulas and performance indicators to meet long-cycle & high-safety storage product requirements. Drive domestic material localization projects, benchmark performance and cost against imported raw materials, accelerate onboarding of qualified local suppliers to reduce reliance on overseas supply. Manage closed-loop resolution of incoming material non-conformities such as internal resistance deviation, coating inconsistency and electrolyte instability; coordinate joint optimization projects with material vendors for long-term quality improvement. 3. Cost Management, Commercial Negotiation & Tender Administration Conduct regular market research and price trend analysis for battery raw materials; lead annual/quarterly commercial negotiations, long-term volume contract pricing and centralized purchasing to continuously lower overall material costs. Take charge of quotation review, cost breakdown, bidding process, framework agreement signing and payment term negotiation; strictly control procurement budget to support cost targets during capacity ramp-up. Build a raw material price database, track fluctuations of upstream mineral and chemical feedstock prices, and formulate cost hedging plans in advance to avoid inflation risks. 4. Capacity Securing, Delivery Control & Supply Risk Management Lock annual production capacity with material suppliers based on factory ramp-up schedules; formulate monthly/quarterly delivery plans and track production, logistics and inbound status to guarantee zero line-down risk from material shortage. Identify critical supply risks including single-source dependency, environmental production limits and capacity shortages; develop contingency plans such as secondary supplier development and safety stock strategy. Coordinate customs clearance and cross-border logistics for imported materials; align with global headquarters for cross-border procurement, reconciliation and delivery coordination. 5. NPI Material Support & Cross-Functional Collaboration Participate in full NPI process, engage in material selection at early R&D stage, develop corresponding suppliers in advance to shorten industrialization lead time of new storage products. Collaborate with Process and Engineering teams to complete new material qualification and mass delivery for production line renovation and capacity expansion projects, ensuring on-time capacity ramp-up. Partner with Finance on procurement reconciliation, payment arrangement and cost accounting; work with EHS team to audit qualification of hazardous chemical suppliers and ensure full compliance of heavy metal & chemical raw material procurement. 6. Full-Lifecycle Supplier Management & Continuous Improvement Conduct monthly/quarterly supplier performance evaluation (Quality, Delivery, Cost, Service & EHS), issue performance reports and push underperforming vendors to implement corrective actions; establish strategic cooperation and joint R&D mechanisms with top-tier suppliers. Organize annual supplier on-site audits to inspect production capacity, quality control, environmental safety and equipment conditions, and drive standardized & intelligent upgrading of supplier facilities. Launch special continuous improvement projects focusing on cost reduction and yield enhancement, promote process optimization and waste reduction at supplier side, and replicate successful optimization solutions across all material categories. 7. Internal Team Coordination & External Stakeholder Communication Manage the sourcing team, allocate material development tasks, track project milestones, and build centralized supplier database and material technical specification library. Resolve material matching, quality and delivery issues via cross-department alignment with Manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Finance and Engineering teams; communicate technically and commercially with domestic & overseas material manufacturers and third-party testing institutions. Prepare bilingual reports and conduct global online/offline technical meetings with corporate headquarters; independently handle all English business correspondence, verbal communication and contract drafting. Qualifications Education Bachelor’s degree or above; majors in Materials Science, Supply Chain Management, New Energy and other related fields are preferred. Mandatory Professional Experience A minimum of 5 years of end-to-end sourcing and development experience on core cell materials for energy storage or power batteries. Solid track record covering full-cycle supplier development, sampling verification and mass production launch of cathode, anode, electrolyte, substrate and other key raw materials. Candidates with experience sourcing materials for Ni-MH, aqueous or flow battery energy storage systems are highly preferred. Proven experience independently delivering full lifecycle projects including raw material supplier scouting, qualification, commercial negotiation and domestic localization substitution, with tangible successful cases in cost reduction and stable supply assurance. In-depth understanding of the energy storage cell raw material industrial chain, mainstream manufacturers, pricing mechanisms and key production process indicators. Able to interpret material performance test reports with fundamental professional knowledge of battery cell materials. Familiar with supplier entry audit and second-party audit standards, with basic understanding of IATF16949 and ISO9001 quality management systems. Leadership & Project Management Experience Solid experience managing multiple parallel material development and localization projects; able to control project timeline, budget and technical risks simultaneously. Mature supplier relationship management capability, with established industrial resource network covering cell raw material manufacturers. Language & Location Requirement Fluent oral English for daily global technical & commercial communication, capable of holding independent online/offline meetings with overseas teams and vendors; proficient in written English for reports, emails and contracts. Professional Mandarin for internal team management, domestic supplier negotiation and Chinese technical document compilation. Based in Changzhou, Jiangsu or willing to relocate to Changzhou manufacturing base on a long-term basis. Preferred Qualifications Direct Ni-MH energy storage cell material sourcing experience with successful gigawatt-scale factory supply matching cases. Working experience with foam nickel substrate, alkaline electrochemistry chemicals and metal-hydrogen battery raw material development. Established extensive industry resource network covering domestic cathode, anode, electrolyte and special substrate suppliers. Experience in large-scale raw material localization projects with significant cost-down achievements. Familiar with hazardous chemical procurement, heavy metal material compliance and EHS supplier audit standards. Six Sigma or supply chain management certification is a plus. About EnerVenue, Inc. Named one of the world’s Top Greentech Companies by TIME in 2024 and 2025, EnerVenue builds simple, safer, and flexible energy storage solutions for the clean energy revolution. Based on technology proven over decades under the most extreme conditions, EnerVenue offers a differentiated stationary storage solution that improves upon today’s alternatives. Commercialized from research completed at Stanford University and backed by well-funded investors, EnerVenue is redefining the stationary storage market.