Senior Manager, Electrical Sourcing and Procurement (Remote/Carlsbad CA)

Senior Manager, Electrical Sourcing and Procurement (Remote/Carlsbad CA) Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. About Proper Voltage Proper Voltage is unlocking the next generation of battery technology across robotics, data centers, and defense. We're building intelligent battery systems that make advanced chemistries (sodium-ion, lithium-titanate, lithium-silicon) work in products that were never designed for them. Humanoid robots can upgrade power systems without redesigning their entire platform. Data centers get safer, cheaper backup power. Drones and autonomous vehicles get higher energy density without lengthy integration cycles. If you want to work on hard problems that matter, with colleagues that you enjoy working with, this is the place. Job Overview The Senior Manager, Electrical Sourcing and Procurement owns the component‑level sourcing and supplier ecosystem for Proper Voltage's electrical BOM. This means building and managing supplier relationships for active and passive components, connectors, cables, harnesses, and related electrical commodities, negotiating commercial terms, developing new sources for hard‑to‑find or allocation‑constrained components, and ensuring the company can build on schedule and at target cost as it scales from NPI to thousands of units per month. This person sits within the supply chain team, reporting to the Director of Supply Chain, and partners closely with Engineering on component selection and AVL management, with Finance on cost visibility and spend tracking, and with the VP of Supply Chain on strategic sourcing direction. The role is the commercial owner of the electrical component supplier book, from initial RFQ through long‑term supplier development. Proper Voltage manages PCBA assembly through a contract manufacturer, but owns component‑level supplier relationships directly—Gerbers, AVL, and supplier commercial terms stay with us, not the CM. This role is the operational owner of that model: you will build and hold direct relationships with component suppliers and PCBA assemblers, negotiate terms independently of the CM, and ensure the company retains sourcing portability and leverage as we scale. Candidates accustomed to delegating component sourcing to a CM should expect a meaningfully different operating model here. Our manufacturing model includes contract manufacturing in North America with a component sourcing base that is heavily Asia‑weighted. The electrical BOM spans active components (power semiconductors, microcontrollers, FETs), passive components, connectors, cables, and wire harnesses. Many of these are sourced from Asia‑based distributors and manufacturers, with allocation risk and long lead times that require early, proactive engagement. This role starts as an individual contributor. You are not inheriting a team. You will own the electrical sourcing and procurement function personally, with the expectation that we will hire and build a team around you as the company scales. This is a role that grows with you. Who this role is for: You have hands‑on experience sourcing and qualifying suppliers for electrical components, not just managing a catalog or placing orders against an existing approved vendor list. You understand the difference between a spot buy and a strategic supply relationship, and you build the latter. You are deeply familiar with the electrical component supply chain: lead times, allocation constraints, distribution versus direct relationships, and the dynamics of sourcing in a market where the same component can have a 6‑week lead time one quarter and a 52‑week lead time the next. You monitor these signals and move early. You have direct sourcing experience in Asia, particularly China and Southeast Asia, and you are comfortable building and maintaining supplier relationships across geographies and time zones. You have visited factories or distribution facilities in market, not just managed relationships by email. You work comfortably at the intersection of engineering and procurement. You understand enough about circuit design and component specifications to have a credible conversation with an engineer about an alternate component or a second‑source candidate. You partner with engineering on AVL decisions rather than waiting for a fully locked spec before engaging suppliers. You are equally comfortable building a commodity strategy and chasing down a quote. You do not need a fully defined playbook to get started, and you get more energized by ambiguity than slowed down by it. You can take an incomplete spec or a fuzzy set of requirements and start moving: identifying potential suppliers, getting directional quotes, and narrowing options while the engineering details are still coming together. You do not wait for perfect information to act. You do not need a fully defined playbook to get started. You can take an incomplete BOM, a fuzzy set of requirements, or a design still in iteration and begin identifying suppliers, getting directional quotes, and flagging risk. Proactive supply risk management is built into how you work, not a separate exercise. This role is not a fit if: Your electrical sourcing experience has primarily been placing POs through a distributor or managing an existing approved vendor list rather than building direct supplier relationships and qualifying new sources. You have not sourced electrical components directly in Asia or worked with suppliers and distributors in China or Southeast Asia. You are not comfortable engaging with engineering on component selection, AVL decisions, or second‑source qualification. You need a fully locked BOM and stable requirements before engaging suppliers or committing timelines. You are primarily a planning or operations leader looking to move away from hands‑on commercial execution. What you'll do Commodity strategy and supplier development Own end‑to‑end commodity strategy for electrical components: active components (power semiconductors, FETs, microcontrollers, gate drivers), passive components, connectors, cables, and wire harnesses. Build and qualify a production‑ready supplier base for components currently on single‑source risk, allocation constraint, or prototype‑only relationships. Develop direct supplier and distributor relationships in Asia, including on‑site visits, qualification audits, and performance frameworks. Monitor component availability signals, lead time trends, and allocation risk across the electrical BOM, and move proactively to mitigate before shortages hit. Partner with engineering on AVL management and approved component selection, bringing commercial and supply chain perspective into component decisions alongside engineering's technical judgment. Commercial execution Lead all supplier and distributor negotiations for electrical commodities: pricing, payment terms, lead times, allocation commitments, and supply agreements. Issue and manage RFQs from technical package through quote normalization, scorecard, and selection recommendation. Build clean cost narratives and trade‑offs to support decisions with engineering, finance, and leadership. Identify cost reduction pathways across the electrical BOM through second sourcing, direct relationships, volume commitments, and design‑for‑cost input to engineering. NPI and program support Partner with engineering during NPI to source electrical components ahead of build events, manage long‑lead and allocation‑risk items, and ensure material readiness for prototype and pilot builds. Translate evolving and sometimes incomplete design requirements into supplier actions. Move early on directional quotes and supplier engagement even when the BOM is still being finalized. Monitor single‑source dependencies, allocation constraints, long lead time items, and end‑of‑life risk across the electrical BOM. Qualify alternate sources proactively and raise flags early. Build the supplier operating rhythm: performance reviews, corrective action processes, and escalation paths. Partner closely with the VP of Supply Chain on strategic sourcing direction, and with the Director of Supply Chain on component readiness for production builds. Required Qualifications 8+ years in strategic sourcing, procurement, or commodity management with direct ownership of supplier relationships for electrical components. Proven experience sourcing active components, passive components, connectors, cables, and wire harnesses through production scale. Direct Asia sourcing experience with on‑site visits and commercial negotiations in China, Southeast Asia, or similar markets. This is a hard requirement given the geography of the electrical component supply base. Deep familiarity with electrical component supply chain dynamics: lead times, allocation risk, distribution versus direct relationships, and end‑of‑life management. Experience managing direct component supplier relationships in a CM‑based manufacturing model—either through consignment, direct negotiation alongside a CM, or explicit split‑ownership of the supply base. Comfort with the operational complexity this creates (dual communication paths, CM coordination, BOM reconciliation) is expected from day one. Ability to partner with engineering on AVL and component selection decisions, not just execute commercially after specifications are locked. Track record of building supplier ecosystems from early‑stage through production scale, not just managing inherited vendor books. Strong commercial instincts with the ability to identify cost reduction pathways and negotiate complex agreements. Ability to operate independently, set priorities without a defined playbook, and move fast from incomplete or fuzzy requirements. Preferred Qualifications Experience sourcing power electronics components (FETs, gate drivers, power semiconductors) for battery, energy storage, EV, or similar high‑power applications. Mandarin, Cantonese, or other language capability relevant to the Asia supplier base. Experience managing component supply through a contract manufacturer, including direct component consignment or CM‑managed BOM coordination. Familiarity with North America cross‑border manufacturing, including Mexico IMMEX program structures if applicable. Experience in battery, energy storage, or adjacent hardware categories (power electronics, UPS, robotics). Early‑stage startup experience building sourcing functions from zero. Experience attracting, hiring, and building high‑performing sourcing and procurement teams as a function scales. Competitive cash compensation plus equity, depending on level and location. Base salary of $165,000 to $175,000, plus equity. Health, dental, and vision insurance. Flexible PTO with a generous holiday policy. Remote‑friendly with monthly travel to Carlsbad, CA and periodic international supplier visits, including Asia. Ready to work on power systems that matter? Let's talk. #J-18808-Ljbffr