Supplier Manager - Lamps, Switches, Throttle, Audio

Role:-Supplier Manager - Electrical & Electronics ( Lamps, Switches, Audio & Throttle)

Location:- IBC Knowledge Park

Reporting to:- Commodity Lead - E&E

Team Name:- Supplier Management 

About the Team and the Role The Electronics Supplier Management team at Ather is responsible for designing and executing comprehensive sourcing strategies for electronic components and Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) to ensure cost competitiveness and supply security. This team manages the end-to-end lifecycle of electronic commodities, from cost structuring and industry benchmarking to risk mitigation and capacity alignment across the value chain.

This role is for a Supplier Manager who will drive the EMS category performance by meeting stringent cost, quality, supply  and timeline targets. You will be responsible for sourcing E-components, identifying cost-down opportunities, managing Excess and Obsolete (E&O) inventory, and collaborating cross-functionally to ensure engineering changes and production line setups at supplier facilities align with Ather’s standards.

Responsibilities:-

• Identify the global supplier base available for the commodity along with the upcoming trends

• Identify and establish Part Cost/NRE cost/Lead Time structures for your category and sub-category parts

• Drive and Monitor the selection process of new suppliers, from identification of potential suppliers to qualification, audits, assessments & contracting and up to the validation of processes

• Collaborate with the Finance engineering team to understand the should-cost reports, and identify levers to bridge the gaps between should cost and quotes; Further, drive cost competitiveness of the commodity by working closely with internal stakeholders and conducting workshops with suppliers

• Negotiate on the development timeplan with the suppliers in sync with the overall project timeline

• Negotiate Contracts: Lead negotiations with suppliers on contracts, pricing with cost structures, lead times, and legal terms to secure the best value and drive cost savings

• Establish cadence with the engineering & MQA team to evaluate current performance of the supply base and devise a course of action for improvement, and support implementation

• Oversee all phases of NPD projects, from concept to mass production, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.

• Manage BOM structures, component selection, and EOL strategies, optimizing for cost and availability. Expertise in finding alternatives, reverse engineering techniques etc..

• Identify and mitigate technical and supply chain risks associated with NPD projects

• Collaborate with suppliers to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality components and materials.

• Align with Swimlane Module Leads to share updates/progress of tasks assigned to you

Experience and Qualifications:-

• Bachelors degree in Engineering from premier engineering institutes; MBA is desirable

• 7-10 years of relevant functional experience in supply chain with a reputed automotive organization

Must have competencies:-

• Prior experience in supplier development of Electrical & Electronics parts preferably automotive parts.(Lamps, switches, throttle & audio)

• Be Open-minded, proactive, and solution-oriented approach to tasks

• Strong understanding of technical drawings, specifications, BOMs, and manufacturing processes of E&E components

• Solid experience in supplier negotiations, cost breakdown analysis, and contract execution

• Good experience on understanding of supplier landscape, value chain mapping & understanding Zero based costing.

• Involve in the initial technical review meetings with potential suppliers along with the manufacturing engineering team.

• Product development life cycle experience and strong problem solving skills are must

• Ability to thrive under pressure – to manage challenging deadlines

• Strong planning, process management, and decision-making skills

• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.

• Exceptional negotiation and communication skills, with the ability to build lasting relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Strong leadership capabilities with experience in managing and mentoring a team.

• Proactive problem-solving abilities and a detail-oriented mindset

Good to have competencies:-

• Demonstrate compliance to corporate values and Departmental procedures

• Create templates/frameworks to support other members in their operational responsibilities such as- negotiations, commodity strategies et al.

• Create and share market intelligence reports for your commodities, apprising all members of trends/challenges/new developments in your commodities

• Participate in learning sessions keeping the teams informed and up to date in latest happenings/trends in their respective commodities

• Share best practices in your commodities with other team members to improve team’s performance

Want to know more?

At Ather, we’ve built India’s first intelligent scooter, from scratch. Based on the philosophy of clean design and smart technology, we are transforming the urban commute experience. We are expanding in India, and in the coming years, we look forward to scaling up and launching more products globally. Today, our product offerings include the Ather 450X, 450S, 450 Apex, and Rizta. Beyond the product, we are also setting up an extensive charging network and re-imagining end-to-end ownership experience. To know more, check out our Careers site and our Substack.

Be You, With Us.

The Ather story doesn't write itself - our people do. We believe everyone is equal, but not the same. Diversity is our strength, and building an inclusive and equitable workplace begins with acknowledging and embracing our differences. We are an equal opportunity employer, and our team reflects a wide range of identities, experiences, and perspectives - all united by a shared passion to shape the Ather journey.