Strategic Sourcing Lead- BESS

Role Description

We are looking for a Strategic Sourcing Lead Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to build and scale Kimbal's supplier ecosystem for our rapidly growing Energy Storage business. Reporting to the Business Head BESS, this role will be responsible for developing sourcing strategies, identifying and qualifying global suppliers, driving commercial negotiations, optimizing procurement costs, and ensuring uninterrupted availability of critical components required for our Battery Energy Storage Systems.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience in strategic sourcing, supplier development, commodity management, and procurement within industries such as Battery Energy Storage Systems, Renewable Energy, Power Electronics, EV, or Industrial Manufacturing. This role requires close collaboration with Engineering, Product, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and Planning teams to establish a resilient, scalable, and cost-competitive supply chain that supports Kimbal's growth ambitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for critical Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) components aligned with business, cost, quality, and delivery objectives.
• Build and develop a robust domestic and international supplier ecosystem to support business growth and product scalability.
• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and onboard suppliers through market research, capability assessments, supplier audits, and benchmarking exercises.
• Lead RFQs, RFPs, commercial negotiations, supplier contracts, long-term pricing agreements, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Manage sourcing across key commodities including Battery Cells, Battery Management Systems (BMS), Power Conversion Systems (PCS), Energy Management Systems (EMS), Inverters, Transformers, Switchgear, Thermal Management Systems, Sheet Metal, Busbars, Wiring Harnesses, Connectors, Electronic Components, and Mechanical Assemblies.
• Drive value engineering, should-cost analysis, localization, benchmarking, and productivity initiatives to improve overall cost competitiveness.
• Establish supplier performance scorecards covering quality, delivery, responsiveness, cost, and continuous improvement metrics.
• Collaborate closely with Product Engineering and Quality teams during component selection, supplier qualification, product development, and New Product Introduction (NPI).
• Develop dual sourcing strategies and mitigate supply chain risks for business-critical components.
• Monitor commodity trends, market dynamics, and global supply chain risks to proactively address sourcing challenges.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Planning, Logistics, and Finance teams to improve material availability, inventory optimization, working capital, and procurement efficiency.
• Establish sourcing governance, procurement policies, supplier development frameworks, and best practices to enable business scalability.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on supplier quality, procurement efficiency, lead time reduction, localization, and cost savings.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Industrial, or Production Engineering.
• MBA in Supply Chain, Operations, Procurement, or General Management is preferred.
• 10-15 years of experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Vendor Development, Commodity Management, or Supply Chain.
• Experience in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Lithium-ion Batteries, Renewable Energy, Power Electronics, Electrical Equipment, EV Components, Industrial Manufacturing, or related industries.
• Demonstrated experience sourcing components such as Battery Cells, BMS, PCS, EMS, Inverters, Transformers, Switchgear, Electronic Components, Fabricated Assemblies, or Electromechanical Systems.
• Strong expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier development, supplier qualification, and vendor relationship management.
• Proven experience in commercial negotiations, contract management, and managing high-value supplier agreements.
• Experience working with international suppliers across India, China, South Korea, Europe, and other global markets.
• Strong understanding of value engineering, should-cost analysis, localization strategies, cost optimization, and procurement best practices.
• Experience establishing supplier performance management frameworks and governance mechanisms.
• Working knowledge of ERP platforms such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or equivalent procurement systems.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using Excel and procurement dashboards to monitor supplier performance, inventory, lead times, and sourcing metrics.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across Engineering, Product, Manufacturing, Quality, Planning, Finance, and Supply Chain teams.
• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation capability, problem-solving skills, and data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment while independently managing multiple sourcing initiatives.