Strategic Sourcing Specialist

Role Description

As a Strategic Sourcing Specialist at Kimbal, you will play a critical role in building a robust, cost-effective, and reliable supply base for mechanical commodities that power our next-generation smart metering products. You will lead end-to-end sourcing activities covering supplier identification, development, tooling, new product introductions, cost optimization, and supplier performance management.

The role demands a strong blend of technical understanding of manufacturing processes and commercial acumen to drive quality, cost, delivery, and innovation across the supply chain.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive strategic sourcing and supplier development for mechanical commodities including plastics, sheet metal, fasteners, packaging, and related components.


• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and new supplier development to strengthen Kimbal's supply ecosystem.


• Ensure timely development of new projects by coordinating supplier readiness, tooling, PPAP approvals, and quality validations.


• Drive component re-development and localization initiatives while ensuring uninterrupted mass production supplies.


• Identify and execute cost optimization opportunities through value engineering, supplier negotiations, and commercial excellence.


• Manage tooling development, tooling investments, lifecycle tracking, and tooling cost optimization.


• Build strong supplier relationships while continuously improving supplier performance on quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness.


• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and New Product Development teams to ensure successful product launches and sustained production.

Current Challenges

At Kimbal, we're scaling rapidly to become one of India's leading energy technology companies. This role offers the opportunity to solve complex sourcing challenges such as:

• Building a scalable supplier ecosystem capable of supporting rapid business growth.


• Reducing product costs while maintaining world-class quality and delivery performance.


• Accelerating new product development timelines through faster supplier readiness and tooling development.


• Driving localization and alternate source development to improve supply chain resilience.


• Managing high-value sourcing spends across multiple mechanical commodity categories.


• Developing strategic supplier partnerships that foster innovation and long-term competitiveness.

Job Requirements

Experience

• 5–8 years of experience in Strategic Sourcing, Direct Procurement, or Supplier Development.


• Experience in the Metering, Automotive, Consumer Durables/FMCD, or related manufacturing industries.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of Injection Moulding manufacturing processes.


• Hands-on experience in tooling development and tooling lifecycle management.


• Expertise in ZBC (Zero-Based Costing) for mechanical commodities.


• Strong supplier development and supplier quality management experience.


• Excellent commercial negotiation and cost management capabilities.


• Understanding of PPAP processes and new product development.


• Knowledge of plastics, sheet metal, fasteners, packaging, and other mechanical commodity sourcing.

Behavioural Competencies

• Strong analytical and logical reasoning skills.


• Excellent negotiation and influencing abilities.


• Ownership mindset with strong execution capability.


• Effective stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.


• Problem-solving orientation with attention to detail.


• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Why Kimbal?

At Kimbal, you'll work on sourcing the components that power millions of smart energy devices across India. This role offers significantly more than traditional procurement.

You'll get the opportunity to:

• Own and manage high-value sourcing spends with significant business impact.


• Build strategic supplier partnerships across India's manufacturing ecosystem.


• Gain deep technical exposure to mechanical commodities, manufacturing processes, and new product development.


• Work closely with Engineering, R&D, Manufacturing, and Leadership on next-generation energy technology products.


• Drive meaningful cost optimization and localization initiatives that directly improve business competitiveness.


• Be part of a high-talent-density team that's building one of India's fastest-growing energy technology companies.