Manager, Supply Chain & Operations
Location: Santa Clara, California (On-site)
Type: Full-Time
About Us
Elevated Materials leads in battery innovation with ultra-thin lithium films. Our films enhance performance by improving energy density, cycle life, and charge rates. With decades of materials engineering expertise and a strong patent portfolio, our technology applies to graphite, silicon, and lithium metal anodes and can be customized for specific customer needs. We can help electric vehicles, eVTOL aircraft, energy storage systems, and consumer electronics achieve superior performance and longevity.
About the Role
Elevated Materials is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Manager, Supply Chain & Operations, to oversee critical supply chain and operational functions across our production and R&D operations. As a key member of the Operations team, you will oversee end-to-end logistics and material flow, including shipping and receiving, inventory management, procurement, supplier coordination, and trade compliance. The role also provides support for EHS, facilities, ERP process development, and cross-functional initiatives. Success in this position requires a proactive, hands-on approach to driving operational excellence and ensuring seamless execution across the supply chain and broader organization. This is a full-time, onsite position based across our two locations in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, five days a week. Regular collaboration with our Germany team requires flexibility for meetings across time zones.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Sourcing, Procurement, and Supplier Management
- Lead sourcing and procurement for production and R&D materials, equipment, packaging, and services, including supplier identification, evaluation, negotiations, purchase orders, delivery management, and issue resolution.
- Partner with Engineering, Quality, and other relevant stakeholders to assess material specifications and supplier capabilities, support qualification, and identify alternative sources for critical materials.
- Lead cost optimization through supplier benchmarking, contract renegotiations, and continuous performance reviews; track delivery, quality, cost, and supply risks.
- Negotiate procurement terms and conditions within approved authority and coordinate associated legal reviews.
Materials Planning and Inventory
- Partner with Production and R&D to translate material requirements into purchasing and replenishment plans, manage supplier lead times, identify shortages, and balance material availability with inventory investment.
- Maintain inventory integrity through regular cycle counts, accurate ERP transactions, material traceability, and timely receipt and storage of materials. Monitor inventory aging and enforce material handling standards.
Logistics, Packaging, and Trade Compliance
- Coordinate shipping and receiving operations, including preparing documentation, tracking shipments, and ensuring adherence to applicable Dangerous Goods requirements for assigned shipping activities.
- Manage outbound logistics for customer orders, samples, and international shipments, including shipment planning, documentation, service-provider coordination, and issue resolution.
- Own day-to-day trade-compliance execution, including coordination and documentation of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classifications and country-of-origin requirements, with designated internal or external specialists supporting complex determinations and escalations.
- Select and implement appropriate Incoterms rules and delivery arrangements for customer and intercompany shipments, in coordination with Sales, Finance, and Legal.
- Coordinate with packaging vendors and internal stakeholders to develop and maintain packaging solutions for current and future products, supporting qualification and applicable shipping and certification requirements.
Systems, Process Improvement, and Cross-Functional Execution
- Lead the US supply chain business workstream for SAP implementation, including process definition, master-data readiness, user testing, training, and adoption, in partnership with IT and implementation resources.
- Create and maintain SOPs, controls, and standardized processes across purchasing, logistics, and inventory management.
- Ensure accurate purchase coding and supporting documentation in coordination with Finance to support appropriate asset capitalization and financial reporting.
- Enable Sales by assessing operational feasibility and coordinating execution of customer commitments. Resolve cross-functional issues with Germany Supply Chain, R&D, US Production, Finance, Legal, IT, customers, and service providers.
- Establish and monitor practical measures for material availability, inventory accuracy, supplier delivery, and cost improvement; escalate operational and commercial risks and drive corrective actions.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in a related field (Business Administration, Materials Management, Engineering) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain, procurement, or materials management within manufacturing or an industrial R&D environment, including responsibility for suppliers, inventory, and logistics.
- Demonstrated experience in sourcing, supplier negotiations, purchasing, materials planning, inventory control, and hands-on shipping or receiving operations.
- Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Office (Excel, SharePoint), with experience implementing or improving purchasing, inventory, or logistics workflows.
- Working knowledge of international shipping, packaging, material management, trade-compliance documentation, and collaboration with international suppliers and cross-border teams.
- Experience coordinating Dangerous Goods shipments and related documentation, with the ability to complete and maintain training required for assigned shipping functions.
- Ability to work with Engineering and R&D on material specifications, supplier requirements, and operational constraints, and to lead improvements across functions.
- Excellent negotiation, organizational, and stakeholder communication skills.
- Ability to adapt to shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in advanced materials, batteries, chemicals, semiconductor equipment, or comparable technical manufacturing environments.
- SAP experience, particularly business-side implementation, process design, or user adoption.
- Experience building supply chain processes in a smaller or growing organization and delivering operational improvement initiatives.
- Familiarity with cleanroom protocols and coordination of EHS or facilities service providers.
Compensation & Benefits
The base salary range for this position is $160,000 - $185,000 per year, based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience. The total rewards package will also include company equity and an annual discretionary bonus.
Company benefits include:
• Insurance: Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.
• Tax Savings Programs: FSA, HSA, Dependent Care FSA, and Commuter Benefits.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with 4.5% match and immediate vesting.
• Wellbeing Programs: One Medical, Rightway, Spring Health, XP Health, and SoFi.
• Additional Benefits: Flexible vacation policy, paid holidays, and 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Additional Perks: Company cell phone, employee resource support, and more.
If you’re a driven supply chain professional with facility operations experience and a passion for efficiency, this is your chance to make a real impact. Join Elevated and help power innovation through operational excellence!
Equal Opportunity Employer
Elevated Materials is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital or domestic partner status, age, military or veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Elevated Materials uses E-Verify to ensure employment eligibility. We welcome all qualified candidates to apply.
Industries
Electrochemical, Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing, Battery Manufacturing, and Advanced Materials.
