Purchasing Manager-Solar O&M

SAEL; Delhi; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,200,000; Full time

Job summary

SAEL is seeking an experienced Purchase Manager for Solar O&M procurement in Delhi. The role focuses on end-to-end sourcing of spare parts, tools, and service contracts to ensure plant uptime and cost-efficient operations.

You will manage RFQs, supplier onboarding, and negotiations while aligning with maintenance plans. Expertise in SAP/Ariba and strong vendor management are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, engineering, business administration, or related field.
• Certification in procurement (SAP MM and Ariba) is an advantage.
• 5–8+ years of procurement experience in solar/renewable energy industries only.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement for O&M activities including spare parts, consumables, tools, safety equipment, and service contracts.
• Source and purchase components such as inverters, modules, breakers, fuses, cables, transformers, SCADA parts, and BOS materials.
• Ensure timely availability of critical spares to minimize plant downtime.
• Issue purchase orders, manage RFQs, evaluate bids, and prepare comparative statements.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers for O&M products and services.
• Negotiate terms, pricing, delivery schedules, warranties, and SLAs.
• Maintain strong relationships with OEMs, contractors, and third-party service providers.
• Forecast material requirements and maintain optimal inventory levels.
• Coordinate with warehouse teams for stock management, dispatch, and record-keeping.
• Implement inventory control systems (FIFO, min & max stock).
• Work with site engineers and O&M managers to meet technical needs.
• Support preventive/corrective maintenance with timely materials.
• Align procurement plans with maintenance schedules and outages.
• Participate in root cause analysis to procure replacement parts.
• Prepare and manage O&M procurement budgets; analyze cost trends.

Skills

Vendor management

Negotiation

Forecasting

Budgeting

ERP systems

O&M knowledge

Solar PV components

Cross-functional coordination

Communication

Strategic sourcing

Cost saving

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain

SAP MM Certification

Ariba Certification

Tools

SAP MM

Ariba

Oracle ERP

Job description

The Solar Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Purchase Manager is responsible for overseeing the procurement of spare parts, equipment, tools, and service contracts necessary to support the efficient operation and maintenance of solar PV plants. This role ensures timely availability of materials, cost-effective purchasing, vendor management, and alignment of procurement activities with technical and operational requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Procurement & Purchasing

• Manage end-to-end procurement for O&M activities including spare parts, consumables, tools, safety equipment, and service contracts.
• Source and purchase components such as inverters, modules, breakers, fuses, cables, transformers, SCADA parts, and BOS materials.
• Ensure timely availability of critical spares to minimize plant downtime.
• Issue purchase orders, manage RFQs, evaluate bids, and prepare comparative statements.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers for O&M products and services.
• Negotiate terms, pricing, delivery schedules, warranties, and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Maintain strong relationships with OEMs, contractors, and third-party service providers.

3. Inventory & Material Management

• Forecast material requirements based on maintenance plans, past failures, and consumption patterns.
• Maintain optimal inventory of critical and non-critical spares.
• Coordinate with warehouse teams for stock management, dispatch, and record-keeping.
• Implement inventory control systems (FIFO, minimum & maximum stock levels).

4. Coordination with O&M Teams

• Work closely with site engineers and O&M managers to understand technical requirements.
• Support preventive and corrective maintenance activities by providing timely materials.
• Align procurement plans with annual maintenance schedules and outage planning.
• Participate in root cause analysis to procure appropriate replacement parts.

5. Cost Control & Budgeting

• Prepare and manage O&M procurement budgets.
• Analyze cost trends and implement cost-saving initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with company financial policies and procurement procedures.
• Reduce procurement lead times and logistic costs.

6. Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure purchasing processes comply with ISO, QHSE, and company guidelines.
• Maintain proper documentation including POs, invoices, GRNs, vendor contracts, and warranty records.
• Support audits by providing procurement-related documentation.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Engineering, Business Administration, or related fields.
• Certification in procurement (SAP MM and Ariba) is an advantage.

Experience

• 5–8+ years of procurement experience in solar and renewable energy industries only.
• Experience sourcing technical components for solar plants.
• Exposure to ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Ariba).

Skills

• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Good understanding of solar PV components and O&M requirements.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional coordination abilities.
• Strong analytical, budgeting, and reporting skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple procurement cycles.
• Strategic sourcing mindset
• Cost and quality awareness
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Technical understanding of solar equipment