NPI Sourcing & Materials Program Manager

Generac Power Systems Inc; Waukesha (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Generac Power Systems Inc. in Wisconsin seeks an experienced supply chain leader to design and drive sourcing strategies, manage supplier negotiations, and ensure material readiness for new product introductions. You will own BOM cost tracking and lead risk mitigation across key components.

The role requires 8+ years in supply chain, strong negotiation skills, and ERP/MRP/SAP proficiency, with a cross-functional leadership mindset to balance speed, cost, and quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business or related field.
• 8+ years in supply chain, purchasing, sourcing, or similar.
• Experience leading AVL development and sourcing execution.
• Strong negotiation, cost awareness, and cross-functional influence.
• Proficiency with Excel and PowerPoint; ERP/MRP and SAP experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies aligned with product requirements and cost targets.
• Lead RFQ, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and recommendations.
• Own material readiness for NPIs from development to ramp and launch.
• Manage BOM cost tracking, cost gaps, and value optimization.
• Assess supplier readiness, capacity, lead time, and risk for critical components.
• Lead cross-functional decision making and provide clear status updates.

Skills

Supplier negotiation

Analytics

Excel

PowerPoint

ERP/MRP systems

SAP

Power BI

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business

Tools

SAP

Power BI

Excel

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future.

Ready to Power a Smarter World with us?

Major Responsibilities

Supply Strategy & Component Sourcing

Develop and execute product-specific sourcing strategies aligned with product requirements, program timing, cost targets, supply chain resilience, and global commodity strategy. Partner with Engineering to translate product and technical requirements into sourcing strategies and supplier requirements. Assess AVL alignment and identify supplier capability, capacity, technology, cost, or resilience gaps; partner with Commodity Management on AVL expansion and modification. As Required Lead RFQ, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and sourcing recommendations, ensuring competitive market coverage and appropriate supplier alternatives. Develop and utilize should-cost models, market intelligence, and quotation data to drive competitive total cost. Maintain strong supplier relationships and contribute to supplier scorecards and business reviews.

Material Readiness & NPI Execution

Own material readiness for assigned NPI programs from early development through ramp and stabilization. Integrate sourcing actions, material requirements, supplier readiness, purchasing activities, cost targets, and risk mitigation into the overall program plan. Monitor BOM changes, engineering releases, lead times, purchase orders, supplier commitments, and material availability against build and launch milestones. Drive clear-to-build readiness, shortage resolution, risk buys, advanced purchasing, recovery plans, and other actions required to protect program timing. Provide clear visibility to material status, open issues, risks, and required decisions.

Cost & Commercial Management

Own BOM cost tracking, validation, and variance management throughout the NPI lifecycle. Align supplier quotations, cost assumptions, tooling, NRE, tariffs, logistics, and other material costs with program targets. Identify and communicate cost gaps and the impact of engineering, supplier, sourcing, or program changes. Support supplier negotiations, cost reduction, value analysis/value engineering, and other cost optimization opportunities. Balance piece price with quality, capacity, lead time, resilience, and total cost of ownership when making sourcing decisions.

Supplier Readiness, Risk & Resilience

Assess and manage supplier readiness, capacity, lead time, quality, part availability, and supply chain risk for critical components. Identify and actively manage single-source, sole-source, long-lead, constrained, and other high-risk components. Lead product-specific alternate sourcing, AVL expansion, dual/multi-sourcing, supplier qualification, capacity mitigation, and contingency strategies. Monitor supplier performance and drive recovery or corrective actions when risks threaten program timing or supply continuity. Partner with Commodity Management and suppliers to resolve escalated supply, capacity, quality, and commercial issues.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Process Excellence

Serve as the primary supply and material representative in NPI core teams, gate reviews, build readiness reviews, supplier reviews, and launch readiness discussions. Lead cross-functional decision-making and problem solving across Engineering, Project Management, Quality, Operations, Commodity Management, Purchasing, Finance, and suppliers. Use structured, data-driven decision tools to evaluate sourcing, cost, material, and supplier decisions. Provide concise leadership communication on sourcing progress, material readiness, cost, risks, mitigation plans, and decisions required. Maintain accurate sourcing, quotation, BOM cost, material readiness, supplier risk, and program data. Improve NPI sourcing and material management processes, tools, dashboards, and governance. Ensure clean transition of stabilized programs to Commodity Management, Purchasing, and sustaining supply chain teams.

Minimum Job Requirements

Education Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and relevant supply chain experience.

Work Experience Minimum of 8 years of experience in supply chain, purchasing, sourcing, materials management, program management, manufacturing operations, or related discipline. leading AVL development and comprehensive sourcing execution of assigned component categories Demonstrated skills in cost reduction and bidding techniques to maximize value Knowledge / Skills / Abilities Proven ability to negotiate with suppliers Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify supply chain risks, assess cost impacts, and develop practical mitigation plans. Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and influence stakeholders without direct authority. Strong communication skills with the ability to provide clear status updates, escalation summaries, and leadership-level reporting. Ability to operate independently in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and ambiguous requirements. Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel and PowerPoint.

Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, material planning processes, supplier management, and cost tracking tools. undefined

Preferred Job Requirements

Certification / License No certification or license is required. Preferred certifications include APICS CPIM, APICS CSCP, CPSM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or other relevant supply chain, program management, or continuous improvement certifications. Work Experience Experience with contract manufacturing, global suppliers, electronics, mechanical components, raw materials, or finished goods supply chains. Supplier Contract development and negotiation Experience with supplier capacity planning, dual sourcing, approved manufacturer list expansion, alternate component qualification, or supply risk mitigation. Experience managing BOM cost roll-ups, product cost targets, supplier quotations, cost reduction initiatives, and launch-related cost variances. Experience with ERP/MRP systems, SAP, Power BI, cost trackers, dashboards, or similar supply chain planning/reporting tools.

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Knowledge / Skills / Abilities Specific industry, market, and technical knowledge of assigned component suppliers/categories Knowledge of supplier quality, PPAP, compliance, product conformity, and problem-solving methodologies. Ability to evaluate supplier capacity, delivery risk, cost drivers, and supply continuity across a multi-tier supply base. Ability to develop scalable processes, dashboards, and best practices that improve component cost visibility and optimization Demonstrated ability to balance speed, cost, quality, and supply risk when supporting product dvelopment and launch decisions.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future.

Ready to Power a Smarter World with us?

As one of the leaders and largest suppliers of power generation equipment and technology, the work we do touches millions of lives. Employees at Generac are encouraged to be innovative and are valued as an integral part of our global team. Our challenging goals develop knowledgeable employees dedicated to helping continue Generac’s success. Generac provides individuals the opportunity to work in a fast-paced agile work environment where their work makes a difference in people’s lives and their own.