Manager, Strategic Sourcing & Technical Subcontracts

Thea Energy; Kearny (NJ); On-site; USD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Thea Energy in the United States seeks an experienced Manager of Strategic Sourcing & Technical Subcontracts to oversee high-value supplier contracts for our fusion-oriented systems. You will build strategic relationships with engineering firms, construction contractors, custom shops, and service providers, driving complex SOWs with autonomy.

Ideal candidates bring 6+ years of subcontract management in hard-tech or industrial energy, sharp contract drafting, IP protections, and proven

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience managing subcontracts, complex supplier agreements, or commercial procurement contracts.
• Background in hard-tech, aerospace, defense, or heavy industrial energy projects.
• Deep knowledge of contract law concepts, including warranties, intellectual property protections, termination, and liability limitations.
• Strong attention to detail in contract drafting and document control, including the ability to track and explain changes through a negotiation process.
• Negotiation and relationship skills, with a track record of handling high-stakes business agreements.
• Cross-functional leadership ability to coordinate inputs from engineering, finance, and legal teams seamlessly.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and execute significant technical subcontracts for custom-built fusion components (e.g., cryogenic systems, vacuum vessels).
• Manage supplier performance against complex statements of work, tracking milestone completions, cost, and technical quality.
• Formulate negotiation strategies including intellectual property terms that protect Thea Energy’s core technology, confidentiality obligations, liability, risk distribution, and long-term pricing.
• Partner with leadership, finance and legal team to ensure all vendor agreements and terms and conditions manage financial, operational and legal risk appropriately.
• Bridge engineering needs with business agreements, translating technical requirements and program milestones into contractual agreements, including statements of work, acceptance criteria, and payment schedules.
• Source and evaluate vendor capabilities globally to build an active pipeline of advanced manufacturing partners.
• Own non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements supporting supplier and partner engagement.

Job description

About Thea Energy

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

Position Overview

Thea Energy is looking for an experienced, highly motivated Manager, Strategic Sourcing & Technical Subcontracts to oversee high-value, partner contracts for our commercial fusion systems. You will build and manage strategic relationships with specialized engineering firms, construction contractors, custom machine shops, and technical service providers. The ideal candidate has deep experience handling complex statements of work (SOW) and driving contract execution with a high degree of autonomy.

Key Responsibility Areas

• Draft, negotiate, and execute significant technical subcontracts for custom-built fusion components (e.g., cryogenic systems, vacuum vessels).
• Manage supplier performance against complex statements of work, tracking milestone completions, cost, and technical quality.
• Formulate negotiation strategies including intellectual property terms that protect Thea Energy’s core technology, confidentiality obligations, liability, risk distribution, and long-term pricing.
• Partner with leadership, finance and legal team to ensure all vendor agreements and terms and conditions manage financial, operational and legal risk appropriately.
• Bridge engineering needs with business agreements, translating technical requirements and program milestones into contractual agreements, including statements of work, acceptance criteria, and payment schedules.
• Source and evaluate vendor capabilities globally to build an active pipeline of advanced manufacturing partners.
• Own non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements supporting supplier and partner engagement.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets

• 6+ years of experience managing subcontracts, complex supplier agreements, or commercial procurement contracts.
• Background in hard-tech, aerospace, defense, or heavy industrial energy projects.
• Deep knowledge of contract law concepts, including warranties, intellectual property protections, termination, and liability limitations.
• Strong attention to detail in contract drafting and document control, including the ability to track and explain changes through a negotiation process.
• Negotiation and relationship skills, with a track record of handling high-stakes business agreements.
• Cross-functional leadership ability to coordinate inputs from engineering, finance, and legal teams seamlessly.

$115,000 - $140,000 a year

Diversity and Inclusion

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.