Strategic Sourcing Specialist

IONATE is a deep tech scale-up building the hardware and software backbone for smart grids. Our mission is to transform power systems - from grids and microgrids to renewables and data centres - unlocking the massive potential in this under-innovated sector that touches every aspect of our modern lives.

We are looking for a Strategic Sourcing Specialist to join our Operations team and build a resilient, commercially competitive supply base as the Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT) progresses from engineering builds to low-volume UK manufacture and scaled contract manufacturing. You will lead direct-material sourcing strategy, component requirements and order recommendations, commercial supplier selection and contracting, product cost and supply-risk mitigation.

During pilot builds and the pre-production ramp, you will also manage day-to-day material planning and purchasing; these activities will transfer to dedicated resources as the operation grows. Working across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Finance, you will engage suppliers directly, resolve urgent sourcing gaps and complete detailed commercial work as well as develop category strategies.

Engineering will retain authority for product design and BOM revisions, while you will manage the commercial and supply implications of approved changes.

What you will do

• Build direct-material sourcing strategies. Own category and supplier strategies for critical components, assemblies, tooling and production equipment, using product roadmaps, approved bills of materials, demand scenarios and make-or-buy decisions.
• Translate demand into material requirements. Translate approved unit demand and BOM revisions into dated component requirements, shortages and order recommendations. During pilot builds and the pre-production ramp, maintain the material plan, purchase-order coverage, supplier acknowledgements, confirmed delivery dates, shortage status and kit readiness.
• Find and qualify the right suppliers. Map capable suppliers, issue requests for information and quotation, lead commercial due diligence, and coordinate the technical, quality and manufacturing assessments and approvals required before supplier onboarding.
• Run robust supplier selection. Lead competitive supplier selection by creating comparable bid packs, clarifying specifications and assumptions, evaluating total cost, capacity, lead time, quality, resilience and scalability, and documenting commercial recommendations and approvals.
• Negotiate commercial agreements. Secure competitive pricing, minimum order quantities, lead times, payment terms, capacity commitments, tooling ownership, warranties, change-notification rights, intellectual-property protections, liability provisions and appropriate delivery terms.
• Establish transparent product cost. Own the costed bill of materials, should-cost and total-cost models, supplier cost challenges, value-engineering opportunities and the cost-down roadmap linked to volume and design maturity.
• Manage pilot-build purchasing and supply. Work across Engineering and Operations to close specification gaps, convert approved material requirements into purchase orders, place approved orders, obtain supplier acknowledgements, expedite constrained items and resolve supplier issues that threaten pilot and low-volume build dates.
• Manage supply-chain risk and resilience. Identify sole-source exposure, long lead times, obsolescence, financial weakness, geopolitical risk, constrained capacity and logistics dependencies. Develop proportionate mitigation, dual-source and recovery plans.
• Establish supplier and purchasing governance. Own supplier onboarding, approved-supplier records, contract documentation, commercial master data and purchasing controls. Maintain clear performance and shortage reporting, and establish the planning data, buying controls and working methods needed to transfer day-to-day planning and purchasing to dedicated resources as volumes increase.
• Own commercial manufacturing-partner work. Define responsibility boundaries, preserve commercial leverage and supply continuity, and establish the scalable sourcing model for a future Tier 1 partner in North America.

Requirements

• Hands-on sourcing experience. Experience taking sourcing requirements from incomplete engineering inputs through supplier research, quotation, evaluation, negotiation, contracting and launch.
• Complex hardware knowledge. Experience sourcing engineered components, electronics, electromechanical assemblies, fabricated parts, tooling or production equipment.
• Technical and commercial understanding. Able to interpret bills of materials, drawings, specifications, manufacturing processes and cost drivers, and turn technical uncertainty into clear sourcing requirements.
• Negotiation and supplier selection. Experience comparing bids, assessing supplier capability and risk, and negotiating pricing, lead times, payment terms, capacity, tooling, warranties, liability, intellectual property and change control.
• Cost and supply-risk analysis. Comfortable using reliable data to build cost comparisons, analyse supplier performance and manage supply, capacity, obsolescence, financial, geographic and logistics risks.
• Relevant foundation. A degree, professional procurement qualification or equivalent practical experience in engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement or commercial management. You should also be comfortable working with technical and senior stakeholders and travelling to suppliers when required.

It would be useful to have:

• Power-sector supply-market experience. Sourcing experience involving power electronics, magnetics, transformers, high-voltage equipment, grid products, energy infrastructure or another safety-critical hardware environment.
• Scale-up and new-product sourcing. Experience supporting engineering builds and low-volume production, then resetting commercial terms and the supply base as design maturity and demand increase.
• CEM and outsourced-manufacturing experience. Experience defining component and CEM sourcing responsibilities, supporting manufacturing transfer and establishing transparent commercial arrangements with contract manufacturers.
• International sourcing and trade. Working knowledge of Incoterms, duties, customs, logistics, currency exposure, export controls and the practical implications of sourcing across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia.
• Supplier quality and development. Experience working with Quality and Engineering on first-article approval, supplier process assessment, corrective action, APQP, PPAP or equivalent proportionate supplier-development methods.

Benefits

• Employee Option Plan: You get equity in IONATE, so as we succeed so do you.
• Private Medical & Dental Insurance: From day one, we provide you with full, comprehensive private medical and dental cover through Bupa. You also have the option to add any dependents to your cover. Please ask us for more details.
• Company pension: a flexible, and sustainable pension product to help you plan for your future.
• Career Development: It’s important to us that you have the opportunity for ongoing professional development and career growth. You will receive an annual budget for professional development and work with your team to set and reach goals every year.
• Flexible working schedules: You will have the flexibility for occasional work-from-home arrangements. Talk to us at the application stage about this.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Low carbon travel is important for everyone, so we have in place a cycle scheme to help you purchase a bicycle.
• Slow travel: We believe in a low carbon future, so if you wish to travel by a lower carbon method – but it takes much longer than flying - we will give you an extra 2 slow travel days per year.