Category Manager

Job Description

Position: Category Manager - ESS Raw Materials

Location: Smyrna, TN

About FIXX Energy

FIXX Energy is a battery manufacturer headquartered in Smyrna, Tennessee, operating one of the most established LFP battery production facilities in the United States. The site’s history traces back over a decade as a cornerstone of early U.S. EV battery manufacturing, representing a foundation of deep technical expertise and large-scale operational experience. Building on this heritage, FIXX Energy is evolving the platform into a modern, flexible manufacturing business serving the fast-growing energy storage market. The company is focused on delivering high-performance battery cells and solutions and modernizing the American grid—delivering resilient, intelligent power infrastructure that enables the next era of human connection, AI, and advanced manufacturing. By combining proven manufacturing capability with a forward-looking product and market strategy, FIXX Energy is positioned to be a key enabler of the electrified, resilient energy systems of the future.

About the Role

The Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for Energy Storage System (ESS) with primary responsibility for electrode materials, separators, mechanical parts and related components. This role drives Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), supplier performance, supply continuity, risk mitigation, and commercial excellence across assigned categories. The Category Manager partners closely with Engineering, R&D, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and key suppliers to ensure competitive cost, quality, technology, and delivery performance supporting company growth objectives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Category Management & Strategic Sourcing

• Develop and execute global category strategies for electrode, separator, and related battery cell material commodities.
• Maintain category roadmaps aligned with technology, product, and manufacturing strategies.
• Identify, qualify, and develop strategic suppliers to support business growth and localization initiatives.
• Lead RFQ, RFI, and RFP processes to identify best-value sourcing opportunities.
• Drive supplier competition while maintaining long-term strategic partnerships.
• Monitor market trends, supply-demand dynamics, capacity expansions, and emerging technologies.

2. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

• Develop and implement TCO models for assigned commodities.
• Analyze material, conversion, logistics, inventory, quality, tariff, duty, and supply risk impacts.
• Identify and execute cost reduction initiatives while maintaining quality and performance requirements.
• Conduct should-cost and benchmark analyses to support negotiations.
• Drive year-over-year cost improvement targets across assigned categories.

3. Supplier Relationship Management

• Manage strategic supplier relationships and executive-level business reviews.
• Establish supplier performance metrics including cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, and innovation.
• Lead supplier scorecard reviews and corrective action planning.
• Support supplier development initiatives and continuous improvement programs.
• Ensure suppliers meet ESG, sustainability, compliance, supplier traceability, and ethical sourcing requirements.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed for ongoing supplier management and site visits

4. Contract & Commercial Management

• Lead commercial negotiations including pricing, payment terms, capacity commitments, LTAs, and supply agreements.
• Negotiate cost recovery, productivity improvements, and index-based pricing mechanisms where applicable.
• Collaborate with Legal to develop and maintain supply agreements.
• Ensure commercial terms support business objectives and mitigate supply chain risk.
• Create, manage, and maintain purchase orders for assigned electrode, separator, and battery material commodities to support production and inventory requirements.
• Monitor open purchase orders to ensure on-time delivery, accurate pricing, and compliance with contracted terms and conditions.
• Expedite critical material deliveries and resolve shipment, invoicing, receipt, and payment discrepancies with suppliers.
• Partner with Planning, Operations, and Logistics teams to ensure uninterrupted material flow and support production schedules.

5. Supply Risk Management

• Assess geopolitical, financial, capacity, tariff, and operational supplier risks.
• Develop contingency sourcing and business continuity plans.
• Monitor raw material market conditions and potential disruptions.
• Support dual sourcing and localization strategies.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Engineering and Product Management during new product introductions.
• Support supplier qualification and PPAP/APQP activities with Quality teams.
• Collaborate with Operations and Planning on demand forecasting and capacity planning.
• Work closely with Finance to support budgeting, forecasting, and cost tracking activities.

7. Market Intelligence

• Maintain deep understanding of battery industry trends, technologies, and supply chains.
• Track key performance indicators including commodity indices, market pricing, and supplier capacity.
• Provide market intelligence and sourcing recommendations to leadership.

8. Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Category Specialists, Strategic Buyers, and Procurement Analysts.
• Establish team OKRs, performance metrics, and professional development plans to build strategic supply chain capability.
• Delegate tactical purchasing workflows (PO creation, expedited shipping, standard order tracking) to direct reports while maintaining functional oversight.
• Manage category budgets, departmental resources, and headcount planning.

9. All other duties as assigned.

• Performs other duties as assigned to support the evolving needs of the team and organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related discipline required. An MBA, CPA, or CMA is highly preferred.
• 8+ years of strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management experience.
• 3+ years in direct management/people leadership roles.
• Experience sourcing battery materials, renewable energy procurement, ESS components, automotive, energy storage, electronics, or advanced manufacturing commodities preferred.
• Strong experience managing global suppliers and international sourcing activities.
• Experience negotiating complex commercial agreements and long-term supply contracts.
• Strong executive presence and clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint.
• Advanced understanding of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) principles.
• Strategic sourcing and category management expertise.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills.
• Supplier performance management experience.
• Contract negotiation and commercial management expertise.
• Proficiency with ERP and procurement systems.

Travel

Occasional domestic and international travel required.

What We Offer

Welcome to FIXX Energy, where you will have the opportunity to tackle the world's most fascinating challenges alongside exceptionally talented individuals who are driven to make a difference. We strive to ensure that our employees are well taken care of, enabling them to focus on their work and contribute to our collective mission.

We offer:

1. Comprehensive compensation packages including a competitive salary and a bonus.
2. An inclusive work environment that fosters professional and personal development.
3. Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
4. HSA and Flexible Spending Accounts
5. 401K with company match
6. Life Insurance (Company paid and additional voluntary life available)
7. Paid Vacation and 14 Paid Holidays
8. Short term and long-term disability coverage (Company Paid)
9. Tuition reimbursement

Equal Employment Opportunity

At FIXX Energy, we are committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all individuals. We participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

1. Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
2. Ability to read, write, speak, hear; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach and lift with hands and arms frequently throughout the day.
3. Required to occasionally lift, push, pull and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally required to lift, push, pull and/or move up to 35 pounds.

Work Environment

The individual must be able to perform all essential functions as appropriate in an office, on the plant floor, in meetings, and with employees, management, customers and suppliers.

Candidate must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately, and without causing significant safety threat to self or others.

The statements made herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive and inclusive list of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required of personnel so classified.

Hiring is contingent upon successful completion of drug screen and background check. FIXX Energy, LLC is a drug-free workplace.

This position is not eligible for sponsorship