Responsibilities

Indirect Sourcing Analyst

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Meet the Recruiter: Perry Golden

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

The Indirect Sourcing Analyst III supports strategic and tactical indirect procurement initiatives for Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America (PECNA) across capital equipment, tooling, construction, design services, and operating expense (OPEX) categories. This role independently manages sourcing projects, supplier relationships, contract negotiations, and procurement activities while partnering with internal stakeholders to achieve cost, quality, delivery, and service objectives. The Indirect Sourcing Analyst III utilizes spend analysis, market intelligence, and procurement best practices to support sourcing decisions and supplier performance improvements. Success in this role requires strong sourcing knowledge, analytical capabilities, business acumen, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Essential Duties:

Functional Operations:

• Execute sourcing strategies for indirect spend categories, including construction, design services, capital equipment, tooling, and OPEX
• Support construction, design, capital project, and tooling procurement activities, leveraging knowledge of procurement processes, supplier capabilities, and commercial contracting practices
• Manage end-to-end procurement activities, including scope development, RFx management (RFI, RFQ, RFP), supplier evaluation, bidder engagement, contract negotiations, and supplier selection
• Negotiate supplier, consultant, and contractor agreements, including Statements of Work (SOW), Master Service Agreements (MSA), Master Purchase Agreements (MPA), and other commercial contracts
• Conduct spend analysis, total cost of ownership assessments, and market intelligence to support sourcing recommendations and procurement decisions
• Manage supplier relationships and serve as the primary contact for assigned suppliers
• Monitor supplier performance, support supplier reviews, and facilitate improvement actions to enhance quality, cost, delivery, and service
• Develop sourcing recommendations and business cases to support procurement and operational objectives

Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement:

• Identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve supplier performance, mitigate risk, and enhance procurement processes
• Lead sourcing and supplier improvement initiatives supporting operational efficiency and business objectives
• Utilize data analytics, ERP systems, and reporting tools to monitor spend, identify trends, and support informed decision-making
• Support procurement governance, policy compliance, and process standardization initiatives
• Support continuous improvement and procurement excellence initiatives that enhance stakeholder value and operational performance

Training & Team Support:

• Provide guidance to less experienced team members on sourcing processes, supplier management, and procurement best practices
• Share market intelligence and sourcing insights with procurement team members and stakeholders
• Support onboarding and training activities for new team members as needed
• Contribute to sourcing processes, procedures, and tools
• Serve as a resource for assigned sourcing categories and procurement activities

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication:

• Partner with Design, Construction, Supply Chain, Legal, Risk Management, Finance, and business stakeholders to support successful sourcing and procurement outcomes
• Collaborate with global procurement teams to align sourcing activities with business objectives and sourcing strategies
• Present sourcing recommendations, supplier performance updates, market intelligence, and project results to stakeholders and management
• Support contract, supplier, and sourcing decisions through data-driven analysis and recommendations
• Build strong relationships across the organization to support business and procurement objectives

Quality, Safety, & Compliance:

• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, contractual requirements, applicable regulations, and ethical sourcing standards
• Follow established procurement policies, procedures, templates, and contracting processes
• Support supplier risk management activities, including performance monitoring, issue escalation, and mitigation planning
• Maintain accurate sourcing documentation, contracts, supplier records, and procurement files
• Support procurement compliance and continuous improvement efforts
• Follow all company safety policies, procedures, and PPE requirements when accessing operational, construction, or manufacturing environments

Travel Requirement:

• Up to 10% domestic and international travel as business needs require

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, STEM, or a related field
• Relevant experience may be substituted for required education

Preferred:

• Master's degree (MBA, MS in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Engineering, or related discipline)
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)
• Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• SAP Procurement Certification

Essential Qualifications:

• 4+ years of strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, supply chain, or related experience
• Experience supporting supplier relationship management, contract negotiations, sourcing initiatives, and cost optimization efforts
• Experience managing sourcing projects across indirect procurement categories, including construction, capital equipment, tooling, engineering services, professional services, IT, or OPEX spend
• Working knowledge of RFx processes, supplier evaluation and selection, contract administration, category management, and procurement best practices
• Strong analytical capabilities, including spend analysis, total cost of ownership (TCO) modeling, market intelligence, business case development, and data-driven decision-making
• Proficiency with ERP systems, eSourcing platforms, contract management tools, Microsoft Excel, Power BI, and reporting tools
• Demonstrated ability to manage sourcing initiatives, influence stakeholders, and deliver business results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, negotiation, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 6+ years of strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, supply chain, or related experience
• Experience sourcing construction, engineering, capital equipment, tooling, professional services, IT, HR services, consulting services, or other indirect spend categories
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations, industrial construction projects, facility expansions, capital improvement projects, or large-scale procurement initiatives
• Knowledge of procurement contracts, supplier performance management, sourcing methodologies, and supplier risk management practices
• Experience participating in category management, supplier optimization, procurement transformation, or continuous improvement initiatives
• Experience collaborating with global teams and suppliers, including familiarity with Japanese business culture
• Experience in battery manufacturing or related industries, including automotive, electronics, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor, or energy storage
• Lean, Six Sigma, procurement certifications, and/or bilingual English-Japanese proficiency

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 50%
• Walk: 30%
• Stand: 20%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (
For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Rare
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Rare

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Health Benefits - Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits - Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) - 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits - Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance - Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs -Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.
• Employee Recognition Program - High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Annual Bonus Program - Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.
• On-site Food Options: Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.