Supply Chain Manager

We seek a Supply Chain Manager to develop an international supply chain for a proprietary specialty polymer at the heart of Sepion’s next-generation battery separator technology. Sepion’s materials are being qualified with Tier-1 global EV and energy storage (ESS) companies, and the supply chain this person builds will determine whether we can deliver at mass scale, quality, and cost.
This is a first-of-its-kind supply chain: no one has made and moved this material at commercial scale before. You will secure raw material supply, find and qualify manufacturing partners, negotiate commercial terms, and make sure every link in the chain delivers on spec, on time, and at the right cost.
You will lead vendor sourcing, price negotiation, scoping compliance, supply planning, cost modeling, and managing supplier performance with the Product team and our partners. In your first year, success looks like: a qualified supply chain running from raw materials to finished product; at least two qualified sources for critical materials; and a landed-cost model and supplier cost-down roadmap that support commercial pricing.
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA. Expect roughly 30–50% international travel.

• Develop the international supply chain: Design and launch an end-to-end supply chain across international manufacturing and conversion partners, covering logistics, Incoterms, lead times, safety stock, and dual-sourcing.
• Secure raw material supply: Establish reliable, cost-competitive sources of key raw materials, with second sources and mitigation of single-point-of-failure risks.
• Source and qualify vendors: Identify, interview, and audit new manufacturing partners; run RFI/RFQ processes and site visits; lead commercial qualification while Quality and R&D lead technical approval of qualification lots.
• Negotiate commercial terms: Lead negotiations on pricing, volume tiers, cost-down roadmaps, supply agreements, and quality agreements to achieve the lowest total landed cost, while protecting Sepion’s intellectual property and confidentiality at every partner.
• Manage supplier performance: Own supplier relationships and scorecards; enforce specifications, change-notification requirements, and corrective actions through supply and quality agreements, in partnership with the Product team.
• Scope and evaluate risks to logistics and trade compliance: Identify risks or issues for international shipping of specialty chemicals, including dangerous-goods classification, customs, tariffs, export controls, safety data sheets, and chemical registration requirements.
• Plan and report: Own demand and supply planning, inventory, landed-cost models, and lot traceability from raw materials through finished product; support supply chain requirements and audits from Tier-1 EV and ESS customers.
• Develop and own the cost roadmap with quarterly targets. Establish and own the cadence of supply chain quarterly reviews with Sepion’s leadership.

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; MS or MBA a plus
• 7+ years of experience in supply chain, procurement, or sourcing for specialty chemicals, polymers, or battery materials, including experience leading people or teams
• Proven track record of establishing a new supply chain or qualifying contract/toll manufacturers for a specialty chemical or polymer, from pilot to commercial scale
• Hands-on experience negotiating supply agreements and pricing with international suppliers
• Experience with international chemical logistics and trade compliance (customs, dangerous-goods classification, chemical registration such as REACH or TSCA)
• Experience managing suppliers and partners in Asia
• Technical fluency to work with chemists and engineers on specifications and tech transfer; familiarity with supplier quality tools (CoA, PPAP, 8D, supplier audits)
• Business fluency in Mandarin strongly preferred
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally roughly 30–50% of the time
• A deep alignment with Sepion’s core values and mission to sustainably power humankind
• Desire to learn and implement DE&I best practices to solidify a culture of inclusion; commitment to regular self-reflection to understand and mitigate inherent biases
• Experience providing and receiving impactful feedback to support professional growth in the spirit of continuous improvement 

Health Benefits
Sepion provides 100% employer-covered healthcare for our employees and 50% employer-covered healthcare for their dependents. Our commitment to balance is demonstrated through our competitive time off plan, including but not limited to vacation, volunteer, sick, and national holidays.

Export Control Notice
This position will require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including Export Administration Regulations (EAR).  Please note that any offer for employment will be conditioned on any required authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations necessary to perform the responsibilities of the position.

EqualEmploymentOpportunity: Sepion Technologies is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.