Procurement & Materials Manager, Lithium Refining

What To Expect
Tesla’s Gulf Coast Lithium Refinery is seeking an experienced Procurement & 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—maintaining mechanical integrity, process safety, and asset availability in a dynamic and innovative environment.

What You'll Do

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

What You'll Bring

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

Benefits
Compensation and Benefits
Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction

Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits

Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution

Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA

Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits

Company paid Basic Life, AD&D

Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)

Employee Assistance Program

Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays

Back-up childcare and parenting support resources

Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance

Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs

Tesla Babies program

Commuter benefits

Employee discounts and perks program

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