NPI Sourcing & Materials Program Manager

Location: Waukesha, WI - USA

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most.

For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future.

Ready to Power a Smarter World with us?

Major Responsibilities

Supply Strategy & Component Sourcing

• Develop and execute product-specific sourcing strategies aligned with product requirements, program timing, cost targets, supply chain resilience, and global commodity strategy.

• Partner with Engineering to translate product and technical requirements into sourcing strategies and supplier requirements.

• Assess AVL alignment and identify supplier capability, capacity, technology, cost, or resilience gaps; partner with Commodity Management on AVL expansion and modification.

• As Required Lead RFQ, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and sourcing recommendations, ensuring competitive market coverage and appropriate supplier alternatives.

• Develop and utilize should-cost models, market intelligence, and quotation data to drive competitive total cost.

• Maintain strong supplier relationships and contribute to supplier scorecards and business reviews.

Material Readiness & NPI Execution

• Own material readiness for assigned NPI programs from early development through ramp and stabilization.

• Integrate sourcing actions, material requirements, supplier readiness, purchasing activities, cost targets, and risk mitigation into the overall program plan.

• Monitor BOM changes, engineering releases, lead times, purchase orders, supplier commitments, and material availability against build and launch milestones.

• Drive clear-to-build readiness, shortage resolution, risk buys, advanced purchasing, recovery plans, and other actions required to protect program timing.

• Provide clear visibility to material status, open issues, risks, and required decisions.

Cost & Commercial Management

• Own BOM cost tracking, validation, and variance management throughout the NPI lifecycle.

• Align supplier quotations, cost assumptions, tooling, NRE, tariffs, logistics, and other material costs with program targets.

• Identify and communicate cost gaps and the impact of engineering, supplier, sourcing, or program changes.

• Support supplier negotiations, cost reduction, value analysis/value engineering, and other cost optimization opportunities.

• Balance piece price with quality, capacity, lead time, resilience, and total cost of ownership when making sourcing decisions.

Supplier Readiness, Risk & Resilience

• Assess and manage supplier readiness, capacity, lead time, quality, part availability, and supply chain risk for critical components.

• Identify and actively manage single-source, sole-source, long-lead, constrained, and other high-risk components.

• Lead product-specific alternate sourcing, AVL expansion, dual/multi-sourcing, supplier qualification, capacity mitigation, and contingency strategies.

• Monitor supplier performance and drive recovery or corrective actions when risks threaten program timing or supply continuity.

• Partner with Commodity Management and suppliers to resolve escalated supply, capacity, quality, and commercial issues.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Process Excellence

• Serve as the primary supply and material representative in NPI core teams, gate reviews, build readiness reviews, supplier reviews, and launch readiness discussions.

• Lead cross-functional decision-making and problem solving across Engineering, Project Management, Quality, Operations, Commodity Management, Purchasing, Finance, and suppliers.

• Use structured, data-driven decision tools to evaluate sourcing, cost, material, and supplier decisions.

• Provide concise leadership communication on sourcing progress, material readiness, cost, risks, mitigation plans, and decisions required.

• Maintain accurate sourcing, quotation, BOM cost, material readiness, supplier risk, and program data.

• Improve NPI sourcing and material management processes, tools, dashboards, and governance.

• Ensure clean transition of stabilized programs to Commodity Management, Purchasing, and sustaining supply chain teams.

Minimum Job Requirements

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and relevant supply chain experience.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in supply chain, purchasing, sourcing, materials management, program management, manufacturing operations, or related discipline.

• leading AVL development and comprehensive sourcing execution of assigned component categories

• Demonstrated skills in cost reduction and bidding techniques to maximize value

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Proven ability to negotiate with suppliers

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify supply chain risks, assess cost impacts, and develop practical mitigation plans.

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to provide clear status updates, escalation summaries, and leadership-level reporting.

• Ability to operate independently in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and ambiguous requirements.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel and PowerPoint.

• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, material planning processes, supplier management, and cost tracking tools.

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Preferred Job Requirements

Certification / License

No certification or license is required. Preferred certifications include APICS CPIM, APICS CSCP, CPSM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or other relevant supply chain, program management, or continuous improvement certifications.

Work Experience

• Experience with contract manufacturing, global suppliers, electronics, mechanical components, raw materials, or finished goods supply chains.

• Supplier Contract development and negotiation

• Experience with supplier capacity planning, dual sourcing, approved manufacturer list expansion, alternate component qualification, or supply risk mitigation.

• Experience managing BOM cost roll-ups, product cost targets, supplier quotations, cost reduction initiatives, and launch-related cost variances.

• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, SAP, Power BI, cost trackers, dashboards, or similar supply chain planning/reporting tools.

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Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Specific industry, market, and technical knowledge of assigned component suppliers/categories

• Knowledge of supplier quality, PPAP, compliance, product conformity, and problem-solving methodologies.

• Ability to evaluate supplier capacity, delivery risk, cost drivers, and supply continuity across a multi-tier supply base.

• Ability to develop scalable processes, dashboards, and best practices that improve component cost visibility and optimization

• Demonstrated ability to balance speed, cost, quality, and supply risk when supporting product development and launch decisions.

“We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”