We're looking for a globally experienced Director of Supply Chain and Strategic Sourcing to help repower industrial heat at scale. You will lead the sourcing strategy and supplier partnerships required to scale the Rondo Heat Battery (RHB) from breakthrough technology to reliable global deployment.
This role will own sourcing strategy for critical equipment and components, establish scalable commercial frameworks, and build a resilient global supply base capable of supporting Rondo's growth. You will partner closely with Engineering, Project Delivery, Manufacturing, Finance, Legal, and executive leadership to balance cost, quality, capacity, risk, and schedule across Rondo's projects and product roadmap.
What You Will Do (key responsibilities include, but are not limited to):
- Develop and lead Rondo's global supply chain and strategic sourcing strategy in alignment with the company's product, project-delivery, and growth objectives.
- Build and manage a scalable global supplier network for critical equipment, components, and services.
- Translate product, engineering, and project requirements into clear sourcing strategies, supplier-selection criteria, and commercial plans.
- Lead strategic supplier selection, qualification, negotiation, contracting, and performance management.
- Establish senior-level relationships with key suppliers and negotiate favorable terms related to cost, quality, capacity, delivery, warranties, risk allocation, and intellectual property.
- Develop sourcing strategies for long-lead equipment and ensure alignment with engineering, manufacturing, commissioning, and customer-project milestones.
- Oversee procurement strategies for construction contractors, ensuring that equipment purchasing supports project schedules and contractual commitments.
- Establish commercial frameworks for industrial equipment (such as boilers and other heat exchange systems), including equipment purchase agreements, milestone-based payment structures, performance guarantees, and change-order mechanisms.
- Develop supplier capacity, risk-mitigation, and continuity plans to support Rondo's global deployment pipeline. Recommend a regional based vs global/centralized supplier strategy
- Create and execute cost-reduction roadmaps for critical components, existing products, and next-generation RHB systems.
- Partner with Engineering to incorporate supplier capabilities, manufacturability, cost, and lead-time considerations into product-development decisions.
- Collaborate with Quality and Engineering teams to improve supplier performance and resolve significant technical, quality, schedule, or commercial issues.
- Establish supply chain metrics, operating processes, governance, and reporting to provide leadership with visibility into cost, capacity, risk, and supplier performance. Drive supplier scorecard methodology in the areas of cost, quality, technology and availability
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing global supply chain and strategic sourcing capability as the organization scales.
What You Will Bring- Approximately 10 or more years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, supply chain, procurement, or supplier management, including leadership of complex global sourcing initiatives. This requires actual hands on experience in identifying suppliers of complex industrial parts. This is not a materials planning role.
- Experience sourcing industrial equipment for capital projects, including factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning, and milestone-based delivery. Examples of industrial equipment would be boilers and other complex heat exchange equipment.
- Strong knowledge of construction contractors and how capital-equipment procurement integrates with engineering, construction, commissioning, and project-delivery schedules.
- Experience negotiating complex industrial-equipment agreements, including equipment purchase agreements, milestone-based payment terms, warranties, performance guarantees, liquidated damages, and commercial risk allocation.
- Experience managing the procurement of long-lead equipment, such as boilers, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, electrical equipment, or other industrial process systems.
- Demonstrated success developing global supply bases, managing strategic suppliers, and delivering measurable improvements in cost, quality, capacity, and lead time.
- Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, process flow diagrams, equipment datasheets, specifications, and supplier technical submittals.
- Strong commercial judgment and a proven ability to lead complex, high-value negotiations.
- Experience partnering effectively with Engineering, Project Delivery, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and Legal teams.
- Ability to establish strategy while remaining close enough to the work to resolve critical supplier and project issues.
- Strong executive communication, analytical, project-management, and problem-solving skills.
- High integrity and sound judgment in managing sensitive commercial relationships and decisions.
- Ability to prioritize and resolve multiple complex issues in a fast-paced, rapidly scaling environment.
- Proficiency with business productivity and analytical tools, including Google Workspace and Microsoft Excel.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical or Chemical), Supply Chain, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Bonus Points - Experience building or scaling supply chain capabilities within a high-growth industrial, energy, climate-technology, manufacturing, or hardware company.
- Experience sourcing equipment for thermal-energy, power-generation, energy-storage, chemical-processing, or other heavy-industrial applications.
- Experience supporting projects and suppliers across multiple international markets.
- Experience recruiting, managing, and developing strategic sourcing or supply chain teams.
- Advanced degree or relevant professional certification in supply chain, procurement, engineering, or business.
What We Offer - Comprehensive Medical Benefits
- Dental & Vision Benefits
- Life Insurance and ADD
- Up to 13 paid holidays per year, in addition to a company week-long holiday in December
- Flexible time off policy
- Catered lunches on-site
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Rondo HQ is close to Oakland airport - one block from the Bay - and has stunning Bay views!
This role is on-site and necessitates being on-site at our Alameda HQ several times per week. The estimated annual salary range for this role is $225,000 to $250,000 and it would be eligible for Rondo's excellent benefits listed above plus additional compensation in the form of equity. Please note that some pay bands may have wide ranges of compensation to accommodate candidates' diverse sets of skill levels and experience.
This role is hybrid, and necessitates being on-site at our Alameda, California HQ ~3 days per week when not traveling.
