Procurement & Materials Manager - Lithium Refining

Job Description

<p> </p><p>Tesla&#8217;s Gulf Coast Lithium Refinery is seeking an experienced Procurement &amp; Materials Manager to own the end-to-end procurement and materials management strategy for the Operations Team. This leadership role ensures the timely, cost-effective, and reliable supply of spares, materials, and equipment that directly support Maintenance, Reliability, Process Controls, and small capital projects&#8212;maintaining mechanical integrity, process safety, and asset availability in a dynamic and innovative environment. </p>

Job Responsibilities

• Lead all strategic sourcing, negotiation, contracting, and supplier performance management activities for maintenance spares, reliability-critical components, consumables, and small capital equipment supporting autoclaves, calciners, pressure filters, crystallizers, slurry pumps, and solids handling systems in caustic, high-temperature service
• Own the site materials management program—including inventory optimization (ABC analysis, min/max/safety stock strategies), warehouse operations, kitting/staging for outages, and demand forecasting—to minimize downtime while controlling working capital and obsolescence risk
• Integrate procurement workflows with the CMMS, reliability data systems, and outage planning tools to automate replenishment, ensure material master data accuracy, and support Management of Change (MOC) and Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR) requirements under the PSM program (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119)
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, long-term agreements, vendor-managed inventory (VMI), and consignment programs with a first-principles focus on total cost of ownership, lead-time reduction, and supply chain resilience
• Coordinate materials readiness for major planned outages and turnarounds, working directly with the Maintenance & Reliability Engineering Lead and Small Capital Project Manager to align procurement with critical-path schedules and post-startup performance targets (MTBF, availability, corrosion control)
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement KPIs (cost savings, on-time delivery, inventory turns, supplier quality) through data-driven analysis, digital tools, and cross-functional collaboration with Production, Process Safety, and Reliability teams
• Ensure full compliance with Tesla policies, hazardous materials regulations, lithium-specific handling requirements, and quality standards for pressure-containing and PSM-covered assets

Job Requirements

• Degree in in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience; Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPIM, or CSCP strongly preferred
• 5+ years of progressive experience in procurement and materials management within chemical processing, hydrometallurgy, mineral processing, or heavy industrial facilities
• Proven track record optimizing spare-parts inventory, negotiating complex contracts, and delivering measurable reductions in total cost of ownership and unplanned downtime in PSM-regulated environments
• Deep working knowledge of CMMS/ERP systems (EAM preferred), inventory optimization methodologies, strategic sourcing tools, and supplier relationship management
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and leadership skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and build high-performing supplier networks in a fast-paced, commissioning-to-steady-state refinery environment