Supplier Development Engineering Manager

Energy storage is the most exciting area in energy today. Massive amounts of energy storage are required if renewable energy is to take its rightful place on the electric grid. Invinity provides an alternative to the most common type of battery, lithium-ion because the battery technology that works so well in our pockets doesn’t work as well at the grid scale; it wears out, limits use, and even catches fire.

Manufactured as a standardized product in a factory, Invinity’s vanadium flow batteries don’t degrade, won’t catch fire, and can be operated continuously from full charge to full discharge for 25 years. Invinity has 75,000 kilowatt-hours of its modular battery systems in 82 projects across 15 countries - more than any other company in the space. We’ve deployed the largest flow battery systems in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK, and are supported by the UK Infrastructure Bank, the U.S. Department of Energy, and some of the world’s leading institutional investors.

A compelling product and recent funding put Invinity in a position to grow dramatically as it addresses the global imperative for stationary energy storage. Join us as we help transform renewable energy into a stable and dependable contributor to the transition to net zero.

Invinity has operations in the UK, Canada, the U.S., Australia, and China and trades publicly in the UK on AIM and AQSE and in the U.S. on OTCQX. For more information about us visit our webpage.

As the Supplier Development Engineering Manager, you will play a vital role in ensuring Invinity's suppliers meet our global quality standards and requirements. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Development, you will lead a team focused on developing and implementing supplier quality improvement and audit programs. You will be responsible for creating supplier metrics, managing performance targets, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. In addition, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support our strategic objectives.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead Invinity’s Supplier Development Engineering department, including direct supervision and coaching/mentoring of Supplier Development Engineers (SDE’s)
• Lead and support supplier cost savings projects through process improvements, design changes, and/or supplier resourcing activities.
• Act as a liaison between Engineering, Procurement, and Suppliers to successfully match Invinity’s’ needs with suppliers’ capabilities.
• Responsible for the quality of purchased parts and services from suppliers. Request, review, and approve the Production Part Approval Process (PPAPs).
• Work directly with suppliers to resolve any quality issues that may arise during production, with responsibility for the technical resolution of Corrective Action Reports (CARs), Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs), and Technical Data Sheets (TDS).
• Work directly with suppliers regarding technical resolution of supplier warranty claims, Return Material Authorizations (RMAs), and Material Review Board (MRB).
• Lead re-sourcing efforts in support of corporate quality, delivery, and productivity goals.
• Develop, support, and maintain production schedules based on demand forecasts, resource availability, and production capacity.
• Collaborate with procurement teams to coordinate the timely procurement and delivery of materials needed for production.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by participating in cross-functional teams and contributing ideas for process optimization and cost reduction.
• Prepare reports and presentations summarising production performance and other key metrics for management review.

New Product Introduction (NPI) Responsibilities:

• Participate in new product development and product life cycle management by understanding the function, identifying, and documenting critical performance characteristics, and developing performance specifications for purchased components.
• Lead efforts in identifying, evaluating, quoting, and selecting suppliers for purchased parts with the procurement team.
• Provide support to the NPI teams and act as the liaison between the Invinity team and suppliers.
• Provide regular updates regarding the status of purchased part development, the approval process, and the status of purchased parts.
• Correlate supplier documents (Control Plan, Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA), and Process Flow Diagrams) to pertinent drawing requirements.

Supplier Relationship Management Responsibilities:

• Monitor supplier performance and provide feedback to suppliers.
• Nurture and establish new relationships with suppliers across all commodities and categories.
• Provide engineering and technical support to the supplier during the development of new, custom, and outsourced finished parts.
• Work with our internal supply chain team to help source parts at the appropriate supplier from a technical perspective.
• Perform and coordinate supplier audits and/or self-assessments, to ensure suppliers can produce various parts per technical requirements and drawings.

Required Knowledge, Experience, and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required; MBA strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in Supplier Quality or Supplier Management roles within high-complexity industrial manufacturing, particularly in environments focused on technology commercialization.
• Thorough knowledge of purchasing techniques including strategic supplier concepts.
• Knowledge of supplier contracts, product conformity, quality toolbox, and problem-solving methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience in management and implementation of successful change management and implementing continuous productivity and cost reduction programs within supplier networks.
• Knowledge and previous experience of supply chain management practices, ERP knowledge, lean manufacturing concepts including continuous improvement, Six Sigma concepts and methodologies.
• Strong financial, analytical, organizational, and prioritization skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions with a focus on accuracy and precision.
• Experience managing international associates with the ability to nurture relationships, negotiate deals, and resolve conflicts across multiple cultures and diverse personalities.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Self-motivated, ability to work well under pressure, with an ability to adapt and maintain composure during rapidly changing situations, analyze situations, and take effective actions to meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to establish a strong connection and credibility through the highest level of professionalism, ethics, integrity, mutual respect, and value-added approach.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to influence collaborate, and interact with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills and quick to adapt to different internal and external audiences.
• Recognize and support the organization's preferences and priorities while willing to be held accountable for delivering results.
• Ability to travel 20-40% of the time.

At Invinity Energy Systems, we are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals and practicing wage transparency to ensure fairness and equity. The salary for this position ranges from $125,000 to $145,000 and will be determined by a combination of the interview process, prior work experience, and educational background.

If you are great at what you do, willing to engage with our collaborative culture, and motivated by making a difference in the world, consider joining us. Invinity Energy Systems is small enough that every team member plays a critical role in our daily business, but large enough to participate in landmark clean energy projects around the world.