Fluence (Nasdaq: FLNC) is a global market leader delivering intelligent energy storage and optimization software for renewables and storage. Our solutions and operational services are helping to create a more resilient grid and unlock the full potential of renewable portfolios. With gigawatts of successful implementations across nearly 50 markets, we are transforming the way we power our world for a more sustainable future. For more information, please visit fluenceenergy.com.
Job Description:
Role Summary
The Category Manager owns the end‑to‑end category strategy and commercial outcomes for strategically important spend categories. This role ensures the company achieves sustainable cost competitiveness, supply continuity, and supplier alignment with product, technology, and manufacturing strategies.
This role exists to protect long‑term business performance through deliberate, strategic sourcing decisions, not transactional buying.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic category ownership
Owns and maintains a multi‑year category strategy aligned with business growth, product roadmaps, and manufacturing plans
Defines supply market structure, sourcing models, and regional strategy
Anticipates cost, capacity, or technology inflection points and positions the category accordingly
2. Supplier sourcing and selection
Leads sourcing for strategically critical programs, including NPIs and major ramps
Owns RFx processes and supplier evaluations based on TCO, scalability, quality, risk, and capability
Makes clear, data‑backed sourcing recommendations with documented trade‑offs
3. Cost leadership and value creation
Owns category cost targets and long‑range cost roadmaps
Drives structural cost reduction through:
should‑cost models
supplier productivity initiatives
design‑to‑cost and specification influence
Acts as the internal authority on category cost drivers and benchmarks
4. Commercial strategy and negotiations
Leads high‑value and high‑complexity negotiations, including:
long‑term agreements
capacity or volume commitments
indexation and risk‑sharing mechanisms
Ensures contracts balance commercial advantage with long‑term supplier sustainability
5. Supplier performance and development
Owns executive‑level relationships with strategic suppliers
Leads supplier governance (QBRs, scorecards, escalation)
Drives supplier development priorities aligned with future business needs
6. Risk management and supply resilience
Serves as the category risk owner
Proactively identifies and mitigates:
geopolitical and supply concentration risks
financial or operational supplier risks
Develops and executes mitigation strategies (dual sourcing, localization, exit plans)
7. Cross‑functional leadership
Acts as a trusted advisor to Product, Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, and Strategy teams
Influences decisions beyond sourcing, including design choices and footprint strategy
May coach junior sourcing professionals informally, without people‑management accountability
Success Measures
Category delivers sustained cost advantage, not just one‑time savings
Supply continuity is maintained through ramps and disruptions
Category strategy is actively referenced in leadership decision‑making
Supplier base is aligned with future technology, volume, and regional requirements
Requirements
Experience
Bachelor’s degree with 8–12+ years of category or strategic sourcing experience
or
Master’s degree with 5–8+ years of progressive responsibility
Core expertise
Strategic category management and global sourcing
Contracting and complex commercial negotiations
Cost modeling, TCO analysis, and financial acumen
Supplier risk and performance management
Professional capabilities
Executive‑level written and verbal communication
High degree of independence and accountability
Comfort operating in international, cross‑cultural environments
Role Characteristics
Individual Contributor role
High autonomy and high accountability
Direct impact on cost structure, supply risk, and strategic execution
Our Culture
At Fluence, our culture is the foundation that drives our ambitious growth strategy and fuels our mission to transform the future of energy. Our core cultural pillars empower us to innovate, collaborate, and lead with purpose, ensuring we continue to deliver unparalleled value to our customers and the world.
Unleash Voices
We believe every voice matters. We encourage openness, active listening, and decisive action to create a culture where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to our success. We foster an environment where diverse perspectives are heard and valued, driving innovation and progress.
Customer Fluent
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We’re committed to delivering exceptional value that exceeds expectations by understanding our customers' needs and adapting swiftly to meet them. Our deep focus on customer satisfaction drives us to continuously improve and innovate.
Infinite Impact
We are committed to creating the impossible. We push boundaries to deliver sustainable, game-changing solutions that shape a brighter, more energy-efficient future for all. Our team is passionate about making a lasting impact that will resonate for generations to come.
All In
We are all in for growth. Our teams are relentlessly focused on identifying and seizing opportunities that propel us forward. We embrace an ownership mindset, pushing ourselves and each other to accelerate progress and create lasting success.