Job Description:Function: Supply Chain / Strategic Sourcing
Location: Nashville, TN - Onsite
Travel: Up to 30% Domestic
Position OverviewNextpower is seeking a
Sourcing Manager, US Steel Foundations to support and execute sourcing activities across assigned Steel Foundations categories within Nextpower's product portfolio. This role will manage supplier relationships, support supplier selection and qualification, negotiate commercial terms, monitor supplier performance, and drive improvements in cost, quality, delivery, and supply continuity.
This position serves as the U.S. regional sourcing lead for assigned Steel Foundations suppliers and categories, including tubes, frames, piers, structural steel components, and related mechanical assemblies. The role partners closely with internal stakeholders, including engineering, operations, quality, finance, logistics, and global sourcing teams, to align sourcing execution with business objectives and established category strategy.
The successful candidate will be a fully qualified, experienced sourcing professional who can work independently, evaluate supplier and market information, adapt existing sourcing approaches, and advise stakeholders on difficult supplier, cost, quality, and delivery matters. Work is performed independently and reviewed at key milestones or critical decision points.
Key Responsibilities Sourcing Execution & Supplier Selection - Support and execute sourcing strategies for assigned Steel Foundations categories, including tubes, frames, piers, structural steel components, fabricated steel, and related mechanical assemblies.
- Serve as the U.S. regional sourcing lead for assigned supplier relationships and category activities.
- Identify, evaluate, qualify, and onboard suppliers to support business requirements for cost, quality, delivery, capacity, and reliability.
- Conduct supplier capability assessments, RFQs, bid analysis, benchmarking, and total cost evaluations.
- Recommend supplier selections and sourcing actions based on supplier capability, pricing, quality, delivery, engineering support, reliability, and business needs.
- Monitor market trends, supplier landscape, pricing, and material availability to support sourcing recommendations and category execution.
Supplier Relationship & Performance Management - Establish and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers across assigned Steel Foundations categories.
- Manage supplier performance related to cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, engineering support, and reliability.
- Support supplier scorecards, business reviews, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement activities.
- Partner with suppliers to resolve performance issues, improve delivery and quality outcomes, and support business continuity.
- Collaborate with suppliers on cost reduction, value engineering, process improvement, and innovation opportunities.
- Escalate supplier risks, performance concerns, and commercial issues at appropriate decision points.
Negotiation, Cost Reduction & Commercial Support - Lead or support negotiations with suppliers related to pricing, payment terms, lead times, capacity, service levels, quality requirements, and delivery expectations.
- Drive cost reduction initiatives through competitive bidding, negotiation, supplier selection, value engineering, and process improvement.
- Support supplier agreements and contract execution in partnership with legal, finance, procurement, and business stakeholders.
- Track and communicate savings, cost avoidance, supplier performance improvements, and sourcing impact.
- Use data, market intelligence, and business judgment to evaluate sourcing options and recommend the right course of action.
Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with engineering, operations, quality, finance, logistics, and global sourcing teams to align supplier capabilities with product, production, quality, and delivery requirements.
- Support new product introductions, supplier transitions, design changes, production ramp activities, and supplier-related issue resolution.
- Advise internal stakeholders on difficult sourcing, supplier performance, cost, quality, delivery, and supply risk matters.
- Adapt communication style to different audiences and influence internal and external partners who may not be familiar with the sourcing subject matter.
- Foster collaboration, accountability, disciplined execution, and continuous improvement across supplier and internal teams.
Risk Management & Process Improvement - Identify and mitigate risks related to supplier capacity, quality, delivery, financial stability, material availability, logistics constraints, and supply chain disruptions.
- Support contingency planning to reduce the impact of potential supplier or market disruptions.
- Evaluate supplier and market issues using available data, precedent, and business judgment.
- Recommend improvements to sourcing processes, supplier management practices, procurement workflows, and reporting tools.
- Ensure sourcing and procurement activities comply with internal policies, business controls, contractual requirements, and applicable regulations.
Required Qualifications - 5+ years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field.
- Experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, category management, or supply chain management.
- Experience sourcing Steel Foundations categories, including tubes, frames, piers, structural steel components, fabricated steel, or similar mechanical categories.
- Strong experience managing supplier relationships and supplier performance.
- Experience working with global or cross-regional teams.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, mechanical components, or mechanical assemblies.
- Demonstrated ability to evaluate supplier, cost, quality, delivery, and supply chain issues using available data and business judgment.
- Strong negotiation, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and escalate risks or decisions at appropriate points.
- Ability to collaborate with and influence internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
Preferred Qualifications - Experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, category management, or related supply chain roles.
- Experience sourcing Steel Foundations, including tubes, frames, piers, structural steel components, fabricated steel, or similar mechanical categories.
- Experience in solar, renewable energy, construction, automotive, infrastructure, heavy manufacturing, or industrial equipment environments.
- Experience with supplier qualification, supplier performance management, competitive bidding, cost reduction, value engineering, supplier scorecards, or supplier corrective actions.
- Experience supporting supplier transitions, production ramps, new product introductions, or supplier issue resolution.
- Willingness to travel up to 30% within the U.S.
- Fluency in English, written and spoken, required; additional languages are a plus.
