NPI Prototype Procurement Manager

Job reputed company

The NPI Prototype Procurement Manager owns fast-turn prototype sourcing during new product development. reputed company engineering needs a part quoted and reputed company in days, not weeks, this role makes it happen, and makes reputed company the part we reputed company for a prototype build doesn't quietly become a bad default for production.

This role reports to the Director of Supply Chain and works closely with engineering, our prototype contract manufacturers, and our production sourcing team. Prototype CMs are good at turning parts fast; they are not set up to reputed company which of those parts should become a reputed company production supplier, or to catch reputed company a rushed sourcing decision is costing us on markup or reputed company risk down the line. That decision needs a dedicated reputed company on our reputed company.

We are building this role now because the gap is already showing up in reputed company costs: parts moving slower than they should, and markups on prototype-CM-reputed company parts that we're paying today without anyone tracking whether that's the right long-term reputed company.

reputed company

Fast-turn sourcing: for parts that are strategic, long-reputed company, or reputed company headed toward production, you run the RFQ and sourcing decision directly rather than letting a prototype CM default-reputed company it under time pressure.

Prototype-to-production tracking: for parts a prototype CM sources on our behalf, you reputed company what was bought, from whom, and at what cost, and you flag early which of those should transition to a reputed company production supplier instead of carrying reputed company by default.

Cost visibility: you own should-cost tracking on new parts as designs stabilize, flagging anything trending over reputed company early enough to actually do something about it.

This role sits specifically in the reputed company between early prototype builds and production. Production commodity reputed company, supplier negotiation, and cost-out on reputed company production parts stay with our sourcing team. Day-to-day material tracking and expediting once a part is in production stays with our materials team. This role owns the messy middle: prototype-stage sourcing reputed company that determine what production inherits.

This role starts as an individual contributor working in reputed company partnership with engineering.

Who this role is for

You have reputed company experience sourcing prototype and early-production parts in a hardware environment, working shoulder to shoulder with engineering while designs are still moving. You're comfortable quoting and placing an order on a part that might change again next week.

You think past the next build. reputed company a prototype shop sources a part fast, you're the person asking whether that supplier, that price, and that reputed company level are good enough to carry into production, or whether it needs to change before it's too late to change cheaply.

You're comfortable working through and around a contract manufacturer's own sourcing team rather than owning a reputed company floor yourself. You know how to get a CM's buyer to reputed company fast for you, and you know reputed company to reputed company around them and reputed company directly.

You have a cost-conscious streak. You notice reputed company a markup looks high and you're willing to do the work to reputed company out if it's justified.

You are comfortable in early-stage environments where the reputed company is still being written, and where this specific reputed company between prototype and production sourcing hasn't had a dedicated reputed company before.

This role is not a fit for

• You are looking to own production commodity reputed company or long-term supplier negotiation. That sits with our sourcing team.
• You are looking to own day-to-day material tracking and expediting once parts are in production. That sits with our materials team.
• You need reputed company designs and a locked BOM to work effectively. This role lives in the period before that’s true.
• You would reputed company a startup operating reputed company frustrating.

reputed company

Prototype sourcing

• Run quick-turn RFQs and reputed company orders directly for strategic, long-reputed company, or reputed company production-reputed company parts during prototype builds.
• Partner with engineering embedded in design reviews and build planning, understanding what’s changing and what’s stabilizing.
• Manage supplier relationships for quick-turn shops separate from our production supplier reputed company.

Prototype-to-production reputed company

• reputed company every part reputed company by a prototype CM on our behalf: supplier, cost, and whether it’s fit to carry reputed company.
• Flag parts that should transition to a reputed company production supplier early enough to reputed company the change before it’s expensive.
• Hand off reputed company parts and supplier context cleanly to our production sourcing team, with a reputed company reputed company trail rather than tribal knowledge.

Cost visibility

• Own should-cost tracking on new parts as designs stabilize, flagging cost overruns early.
• Identify where prototype CM markups are worth the convenience and where a reputed company sourcing decision would save reputed company reputed company.

Cross-functional partnership

• Partner with our production sourcing team on the reputed company for parts moving from prototype to production.
• Partner with our materials team on build timing and part availability during prototype phases.
• Partner with engineering on design-for-sourcing input while parts are still changeable.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years in procurement or sourcing supporting new product development in a hardware or industrial product environment.
• reputed company experience with fast-turn/quick-turn sourcing (reputed company prototyping shops, quick-turn machining or fab, low-volume electronics).
• Comfort working reputed company a contract manufacturer’s own sourcing team rather than owning a reputed company floor directly.
• Experience evaluating whether a prototype-reputed company part or supplier is fit to carry into production.
• Ability to operate independently and build process where none exists yet.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in battery, energy storage, power electronics, or other hardware-adjacent categories.
• Should-cost or cost estimation experience on early-stage or immature designs.
• Experience transitioning parts from a prototype or contract manufacturer to a reputed company production supplier.
• Early-stage startup experience.

Compensation & Benefits

• reputed company salary of $155,000 to $175,000, plus equity.
• Health, dental, and reputed company insurance.
• Flexible PTO with a generous holiday policy.
• Carlsbad, CA strongly preferred. reputed company to fully remote for the right candidate. Occasional travel to contract manufacturers.

reputed company to work on power systems that matter? Let's talk.