The Role
The Strategic Sourcing Manager for Battery Electrodes is responsible for securing a reliable, cost-competitive, and sustainable supply of critical electrode materials (such as graphite, silicon, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese). This role combines market intelligence, supplier relationship management, and cross-functional collaboration to support battery technology roadmaps and production scaling. The manager will develop and execute sourcing strategies, negotiate long-term supply agreements, qualify new suppliers, and drive cost and risk management initiatives. By monitoring global markets, tariffs, and regulations, they ensure supply chain resilience and alignment with sustainability goals. Ultimately, this position acts as the bridge between suppliers, R&D, and manufacturing, ensuring that electrodes and key raw materials are available at the right cost, quality, and scale to meet the company's growth objectives. This role may have additional scope of managing certain key strategic Capital Equipment suppliers in South Korea region.
- Responsibilities
- Hands on focus with requirement to self-drive resolution to identified deliverables. Responsibilities will range from entry level assignments to leadership reporting.
- Develop strong stakeholder support and cooperation across all locations.
- Provide comprehensive benchmarking of all competitive components and materials technology
- Establish measurement tools/metrics to monitor and report to executives the progress of team deliverables
- Develop and implement cost analysis and cost benchmarking tools for responsible materials
- Design, conduct and synthesize supplier, industry and market research for portfolio of commodity materials to develop sourcing strategy
- Provide analysis of existing requirements and pricing to ensure the most cost-effective options as utilized while maintaining quality and craftsmanship
- Perform make vs. buy analyses in support of processes for manufacturing of components and systems
- Negotiate and execute Master Supply Agreement terms and conditions as well as development contracts for tooling, prototype, pre-series and production materials
- Maintain day-to-day supplier relationships; act as the lead point of contact for all commercial issues.
- Identify and negotiate commercial cost reduction opportunities
- Develop and execute global sourcing strategies for electrodes which may include sourcing of anode and cathode active materials (e.g., silicon, binders, conductive aids, lithium metal).
- Build and manage supplier relationships across the battery electrode supply chain, including mining, refining, and processed material producers.
- Negotiate long-term supply agreements (LTAs), pricing, and risk-sharing mechanisms to ensure cost competitiveness and security of supply.
- Monitor global market trends, tariffs, and regulatory impacts affecting critical minerals and electrode materials.
- Partner with R&D, engineering, and manufacturing teams to qualify new suppliers and materials.
- Lead supplier performance management, including quality, cost, delivery, and sustainability (ESG / CO footprint) metrics.
- Drive cost reduction initiatives through value engineering, alternative sourcing, and supply chain optimization.
- Develop strategies for supply diversification and resilience, reducing reliance on single sources or regions.
- Collaborate with finance and operations to forecast demand and align sourcing with production ramp-up plans.
- Represent the company in strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and investment discussions with upstream suppliers.
- Requirements:
- Experienced in Consumer Electronics or Automotive industry required. Direct Battery Material Purchasing experience preferred.
- Battery/Engineering/Finance background required. Customer/supplier facing experience preferred.
- BS in Mechanical Engineering, or Supply Chain Management preferred. MBA is a plus.
- 5+ years in the related field is preferred.
- English. Korean is a preferred. Mandarin is a plus
- Working location is in Penang, Malaysia; Up to 25% travel required.
