Senior Project Procurement Manager
Lightsource bp is a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects. We are a 50:50 joint venture with bp with a mission to help drive the world’s transition to low carbon energy.
With solar set to increase tenfold in the next 20 years, we are well-positioned to capitalize on this growth. By joining the Lightsource bp team, you will ‘be the change’ on the world’s energy transition to a more sustainable future.
We pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit as we continue to push the boundaries of an ever-changing energy landscape. By choosing a career with us, you can expect a challenging and fulfilling role surrounded by people who are passionate and have brilliant ideas about sustainable technology, innovation and making the world a better place.
Our Values: Lightsource bp truly cares about creating a sustainable future through safe, responsible and meaningful low carbon energy projects. Our core values are guiding principles for everything we do.
What You’ll do
The Senior Procurement Manager will be responsible for the overall procurement process, from RFI to Contract Executions. He/She will support the Vice President of Procurement, Americas executing strategies for major capital equipment transactions, including solar panels (modules), trackers/racking (structures), inverters, batteries/cells, and/or main power transformers. He/She will collaborate with construction project teams, development, engineering, estimating, legal, insurance, and other functional groups and stakeholders to procure services, materials, and equipment to support successful construction projects.
The role in LSbp’s global sourcing and procurement strategy development and implementation is to enable growth, profitability and operational excellence of the company by maximizing the value from global and local supply bases, developing mutually beneficial long-term partnerships with selected suppliers, and supporting project execution of global projects by ensuring on budget, on time and on quality deliveries.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES
• Collaborates with stakeholders to develop and execute negotiation strategies that include optimal targets for pricing, service, and quality
• Works with the category management team to issue RFPs, performs bid evaluations, and negotiate pricing and contracts to including schedule, scope, performance guarantees, specifications, other legal and commercial terms
• Negotiate and manage power generation equipment and service transactions for solar and energy storage; manage the interdisciplinary team across legal, finance, development, operations, and technical personnel
• Assist with the project’s financial close processes
• Guide development strategy relating to power generation procurement, from prospecting through financial close
• Steadily develops and implements improvement programs that result in a continuously lower total cost of ownership and reduced time to market
• Manages Purchase Orders with the company’s accounting system and issues
POs to suppliers and subcontractors with documentation upon approval
• Arranges, tracks, and expedites the timely delivery of services, materials, and equipment to meet site expectations
• Reports status updates regularly to all relevant internal stakeholders
• Participates in required training and follows safety management system (SMS), quality management system (QMS), and environmental management system (EMS) procedures
• Works with Health, Safety, Quality, and Environment (HSQE) group to evaluate subcontractors, implement safe practices, and mitigate safety risks
• Assist with the creating and maintenance of a procurement database system showing a year-over-year forecast for: panels, inverters, mounting structures, HV equipment, batteries and other Balance of Plant costs
• Ensuring that all suppliers are pre-qualified, and equipment purchased is of a suitably high level of quality
• Synthesize market intelligence with internally gathered intelligence to perform forecasts for major equipment and related items
• Monitor and evaluate the risk of geopolitical and regulatory initiatives that impact the supply chain and develop the mitigation and/or contingency procurement strategies, including safe harbor / investment tax credits (ITC)
Who we’re looking for
KNOWLEDGE
• Renewable energy products and project procurement with experience in global sourcing and international negotiations
• Familiarity with the exportation/importation of equipment/materials
• Strong product knowledge of PV modules, batteries, inverters, trackers/racking, and HV equipment
• Experience with a solar (or renewable) energy developer or solar EPC contractor
• Deep understanding and ability to read, write and negotiate contracts; particularly contracting for large generation and related equipment
• Market intelligence and supply disruption risk analysis
• Key supplier relationship management
• Project management experience
SKILLS
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, can make yourself understood at any level of the business
• Strong organizational and leadership skills
• Positive mindset, with a strong interest in developing relationships with stakeholders
• Experience in direct purchase of technically complex products and services
• Ambition to be a part of an international, highly engaged team
• Ability to drive change processes
• Advanced influence and negotiation skills
• Ability to work with variety of software packages, such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, to produce documents and maintain presentations, records, spreadsheets, and databases
• Knowledge of construction industry and associated field concepts, practices, and procedures, with knowledge of renewable industry
• Good communication skills (written and verbal) and able to build strong, effective relationships with team members, work colleagues and suppliers
• Detail and result orientated
• Excellent time management, planning, and prioritization
• Project financing and financial modelling skills
• Supplier quality management
• Knowledge of the global transport and logistics markets
• Risk management and compliance
• Effective working remotely (if applicable)
• Self-starter
• Ability to travel as needed (up to 10-20%) to LSbp offices, project sites, conferences, meetings with suppliers, possibly to Europe or Asia \
QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor of Science in STEM, business, or significant related experience in technical procurement
• MBA preferred
• Professional certification like CPSM, CSCP, CIPS is preferred
• Fluency in spoken and written English is essential
• Ability to read and write in another language would also be a plus, French Spanish or Mandarin preferred
EXPERIENCE
• Business experience of 7-10+ years in a global sourcing function (emphasis on renewable energy procurement) with 5-7+ years in a similar role
• Utility-scale experience 200-1000MW, large projects, substations & high voltage
• Experience in supporting multi-functional projects in an international work environment with remote locations
• Understanding of category management and application thereof
• Proven track record in the solar PV industry
• Strong understanding of the global solar market (suppliers, distributors, and contractors) is essential
Why you’ll make a great member of the team
PERSONAL QUALITIES
• Team player and “can do” attitude
• Forward thinking, a problem solver and solution provider
• Proactive, flexible with strong time management skills
• Able to promote a positive working culture within the team
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Ability to deal confidently building strong relations with stakeholders
• Analytical, detail oriented
Why you’ll want to work for us
Our company is a place where you can be yourself and grow; a place where your ideas and opinions matter.
Be you: We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where every individual is valued and treated with respect.
Be responsible: Our culture is driven by our core values. From operating safely to ensuring our solar projects are responsible and promote biodiversity.
Be recognized: Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits including annual bonus, retention bank, health insurance, pension and other local benefits.
Be inspired: Beyond your day-to-day working life at Lightsource bp, there’s a variety of initiatives that will contribute to your own personal development. Initiatives to get involved with including our charitable causes or supporting our solar honey project.
We offer:
· US team members are entitled to medical benefits, life insurance, dental benefits, vision benefits and short- and long-term disability benefits. Lightsource bp pays for the first $800 of the monthly insurance premium. For staff members with dependents, Lightsource will cover 50% of the costs of covering dependents. The team member contributes the remainder of the premium, if any, through pre-tax payroll deduction.
· Lightsource bp offers US team members immediate eligibility for a 401(k) plan, with a 3% nonelective employer contribution.
· Our team members are eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, calculated based on corporate, team and individual objectives. Team members in the US may receive an additional 50% of their annual bonus in a “retention bank” as well, available for withdrawal after three years of bonus awards have accrued.
· Lightsource bp currently observes the following 11 holidays in the US: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
· US team members accrue 20 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave annually. All team members are also eligible for COVID-19 leave.
· Team members in the US enjoy a hybrid work environment.
· US team members receive a monthly personal phone bill reimbursement of up to $100 and a monthly commuter benefit of up to $150. Team members also receive one-time wellness and remote work allowances
Lightsource bp is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.
This position requires satisfactory proof of COVID vaccination or your obtaining an approved accommodation or exemption that exempts you from compliance with the mandatory COVID vaccination requirement in accordance with applicable law. “Fully vaccinated” means that at least two weeks have passed since the administration of the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.