Category Buyer

SolarSquare; Mumbai; On-site; INR 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

SolarSquare is seeking a Category Buyer to own procurement for assigned categories in Mumbai. You will build a reliable supplier ecosystem, drive RFQs and negotiate terms to optimize cost and performance.

You will collaborate with Supply Chain, Operations, Projects, Finance and Warehouse to translate business needs into effective sourcing plans and vendor strategies, while seeking ongoing process improvements.

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of experience in Procurement / Strategic Sourcing / Category Buying / Purchase.
• Experience independently managing one or more procurement categories.
• Strong vendor management and commercial negotiation skills.
• Ability to analyse quotations, pricing and market trends.
• Strong Excel and ERP/procurement system knowledge.
• Strong ownership and ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Experience in solar, electrical, EPC, manufacturing, consumer durables or related industries is preferred.
• Engineering or Supply Chain/Procurement-related education is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own procurement for assigned categories from sourcing to delivery.
• Identify, evaluate and onboard new suppliers and develop a strong vendor ecosystem.
• Drive RFQs, quotation comparisons and commercial evaluations.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times and other commercial terms.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction and margin improvement.
• Develop alternate suppliers to improve supply continuity and reduce vendor dependency.
• Manage Purchase Orders and ensure timely fulfilment.
• Partner with vendors to maintain quality, delivery and service standards.
• Track vendor performance across cost, quality and delivery.
• Work closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Projects, Warehouse and Finance to translate business requirements into effective sourcing plans.
• Track market prices, supplier capacity and category trends to make informed buying decisions.
• Build and maintain procurement MIS, vendor data and performance dashboards.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes, systems and operational efficiency.

Skills

Procurement

Strategic Sourcing

Category Buying

Vendor Management

Commercial Negotiation

Cost Optimization

Data Analysis

ERP/Procurement Systems

Supply Chain Collaboration

Ownership & Accountability

Education

Engineering or SCM/Procurement education

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

We are looking for a Category Buyer who can take ownership of assigned categories and build a strong, reliable and cost-efficient supplier ecosystem. This is not just a transactional buying role. You will be responsible for category sourcing, vendor development, commercial negotiations, cost optimization and supplier performance, working closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Projects, Warehouse and Finance. You will have the opportunity to understand the business deeply, influence sourcing decisions and help build procurement processes that can support SolarSquare's next phase of growth.

What You Will Do

• Own procurement for assigned categories from sourcing to delivery.
• Identify, evaluate and onboard new suppliers and develop a strong vendor ecosystem.
• Drive RFQs, quotation comparisons and commercial evaluations.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times and other commercial terms.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction and margin improvement.
• Develop alternate suppliers to improve supply continuity and reduce vendor dependency.
• Manage Purchase Orders and ensure timely fulfilment.
• Partner with vendors to maintain quality, delivery and service standards.
• Track vendor performance across cost, quality and delivery.
• Work closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Projects, Warehouse and Finance to translate business requirements into effective sourcing plans.
• Track market prices, supplier capacity and category trends to make informed buying decisions.
• Build and maintain procurement MIS, vendor data and performance dashboards.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes, systems and operational efficiency.

What We're Looking For

• 3–6 years of experience in Procurement / Strategic Sourcing / Category Buying / Purchase.
• Experience independently managing one or more procurement categories.
• Strong vendor management and commercial negotiation skills.
• Ability to analyse quotations, pricing and market trends.
• Strong Excel and ERP/procurement system knowledge.
• Strong ownership and ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Experience in solar, electrical, EPC, manufacturing, consumer durables or related industries is preferred.
• Engineering or Supply Chain/Procurement-related education is preferred.

Why SolarSquare?

• Build at scale: Be part of a rapidly growing residential solar business and work on categories that directly impact our ability to scale.
• High ownership: Own your categories and influence sourcing, vendors and commercial decisions.
• Visible impact: Your work will directly contribute to cost efficiency, supply reliability and customer delivery.
• Build, don't just maintain: Help create scalable procurement processes and supplier ecosystems as the business grows.
• Work cross-functionally: Partner closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Projects, Finance and leadership.
• Mission-driven work: Be part of the transition towards cleaner, more accessible energy for Indian households.