Materials Commodity Manager - PCBs

Title: Materials Commodity Manager - PCBLocation: Los Osos, CaliforniaReports to: EVP

Rantec Power Systems Inc. is growing — and we’re looking for a strong Materials Commodity Manager-PCB to join our team!

Based along California’s scenic Central Coast, Rantec is an upper‑tier designer and manufacturer of power supplies for the military and aerospace markets. We are an engineering‑driven company with deep expertise in power electronics, design, manufacturing, and test.

Why You’ll Love Working at Rantec

• Competitive wages
• Excellent benefits: Medical (PPO, HSA), Dental, Vision, FSAs
• Vacation: 2 weeks to start + Holidays + 5 days Paid Sick Leave
• 401(k) with up to 6% company match
• Tuition Assistance
• Peer‑to‑Peer Recognition & Years of Service Awards
• 9/80 schedule — every other Friday off!
• Free catered lunch on worked Fridays/paydays
• Voluntary overtime available
• Beautiful location near the Pacific coastScopeThe Materials Commodity Manager – PCBs is responsible for the strategic and tactical management of Rantec’s Printed Circuit Board (PCB) portfolio and supply base. This position serves as the business-wide owner of the PCB commodity, with responsibility for developing and executing sourcing and procurement strategies that ensure Rantec has the supplier capability, capacity, quality, cost, and delivery performance necessary to support current customer commitments and long-term business growth.In addition to strategic commodity management, this position will serve as the Buyer for PCBs and will be responsible for the day-to-day procurement activities required to support development, production, and customer demand. While accountable for execution of MRP requirements, the Materials Commodity Manager – PCBs is expected to look beyond individual MRP signals and proactively develop purchasing and supply strategies based on Rantec’s Strategic Master Plan, anticipated demand, supplier capacity, lead times, cost opportunities, and supply-chain risk. This individual will balance near-term material requirements with longer-term business objectives to improve material availability, delivery performance, cost, and supply continuity.This position will work closely with Rantec’s PCB subject-matter expert (SME) within Engineering, as well as Quality, Supplier Quality, Strategic Sourcing, Planning, Operations, and other functional organizations. Together with the PCB SME, the Commodity Manager will drive increased consistency across PCB drawings, specifications, technologies, supplier requirements, and sourcing practices and ensure Rantec’s supply base is technically capable of producing the PCB technologies required by the business.The Materials Commodity Manager – PCBs will maintain a comprehensive understanding of Rantec’s PCB portfolio, including suppliers, spend, technologies, lead times, demand, capacity, cost, performance, and risk. This individual will develop strong supplier relationships, establish a structured approach to supplier monitoring and development, identify and develop new sources where appropriate, and establish sourcing strategies that provide Rantec with a capable, competitive, and resilient PCB supply base.Utilizing Rantec’s Strategic Master Plan, MRP demand, backlog, forecasts, and other business inputs, this position will anticipate future PCB requirements and work proactively with suppliers and internal stakeholders to secure appropriate capacity, improve lead times, reduce cost, mitigate risk, and ensure the PCB supply base is positioned to support Rantec’s future growth.Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities include, but are not limited to:
  • Own and maintain Rantec’s overall PCB commodity strategy, balancing technical capability, quality, cost, delivery, capacity, lead time, inventory, supply continuity, and long-term business requirements.
  • Serve as the Buyer for Rantec’s PCB portfolio, utilizing the MRP/ERP system to interpret demand, generate and confirm purchase orders, communicate requirements to suppliers, and ensure material availability supports production schedules and customer commitments.
  • Manage PCB purchase orders from placement through receipt, including supplier acknowledgments, pricing, lead times, delivery commitments, expedites, reschedules, cancellations, and resolution of commercial or supply issues.
  • Look beyond current MRP demand to anticipate future PCB requirements using Rantec’s Strategic Master Plan, backlog, forecasts, historical demand, Business Development inputs, and other available information. Translate anticipated requirements into proactive sourcing, purchasing, capacity, inventory, and supplier strategies.
  • Maintain timely and accurate visibility of PCB material availability and proactively communicate shortages, supplier constraints, and other supply risks. Develop and drive supplier recovery plans when material availability threatens production or customer requirements.
  • Maintain comprehensive visibility of Rantec’s PCB portfolio, including spend, suppliers, technologies, demand, inventory, lead times, pricing, capacity, quality, delivery performance, and supply-chain risk.
  • Develop sourcing, procurement, and capacity strategies that position the PCB supply base to support Rantec’s current requirements and anticipated growth. Proactively address capacity, lead-time, material, obsolescence, or other supply constraints before they impact customer delivery.
  • Develop strong relationships with key PCB suppliers and serve as Rantec’s primary commercial and materials interface for the PCB supply base. Negotiate price, lead time, delivery, capacity commitments, and other commercial terms while representing Rantec’s best interests.
  • Partner with Strategic Sourcing Managers to develop and implement Long-Term Agreements (LTAs), pricing agreements, capacity commitments, volume arrangements, and other strategic commercial agreements with key PCB suppliers to improve cost, delivery, lead time, capacity assurance, and supply continuity.
  • Identify opportunities to leverage Rantec’s aggregate and anticipated PCB demand to negotiate improved commercial terms, consolidate purchases, secure capacity, optimize order quantities, reduce lead times, and achieve sustainable cost reductions.
  • Analyze PCB cost drivers, supplier quotations, market conditions, and purchasing history to identify and execute cost-reduction initiatives while maintaining required quality, technical capability, delivery, and supply continuity.
  • Establish supplier performance expectations and scorecards and regularly evaluate PCB suppliers based on quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness, capacity, technical capability, and overall performance. Conduct regular supplier business reviews and drive improvement plans where performance gaps exist.
  • Partner closely with the PCB Engineering SME to understand Rantec’s current and future PCB technology requirements and ensure the supply base has the technical capability and manufacturing processes necessary to support those requirements.
  • Partner with the PCB Engineering SME and other functional stakeholders to drive consistency and standardization across PCB drawings, specifications, materials, technologies, requirements, and supplier expectations where appropriate.
  • Develop and maintain, in partnership with the PCB SME and Quality/Supplier Quality as appropriate, a risk-based PCB supplier audit and monitoring schedule. Ensure key suppliers receive appropriate ongoing oversight based on technical complexity, business criticality, performance, capability, and risk.
  • Participate in supplier audits and capability assessments with the PCB SME and appropriate Quality resources to evaluate supplier manufacturing processes, technical capability, capacity, quality systems, process controls, performance, and ability to support Rantec’s current and future requirements.
  • Translate supplier audit findings, scorecard performance, technical assessments, and business requirements into supplier development plans. Work with the PCB SME, Supplier Quality, Strategic Sourcing, and suppliers to drive improvements in capability, quality, delivery, capacity, cost, and overall performance.
  • Partner with Strategic Sourcing, Engineering, Quality, and Supplier Quality to identify gaps or risks within the existing PCB supply base and evaluate, qualify, develop, and onboard new or alternate suppliers when required.
  • Support bid and proposal efforts by obtaining PCB quotations, lead times, tooling/NRE requirements, and other relevant cost and availability information. Provide informed cost estimates and supply-chain input when firm supplier quotations are not available.
  • Support New Product Introduction (NPI) and production readiness activities involving PCBs to ensure sourcing strategy, supplier capability, pricing, lead time, capacity, material availability, and technical requirements are appropriately considered early in the product lifecycle.
  • Work closely with Planning, IPTLs, Operations, and suppliers to prioritize PCB requirements when supply is constrained and communicate risks, recovery plans, and expected delivery performance.
  • Partner with Supplier Quality and Quality to address significant or systemic PCB supplier quality issues and ensure commercial and supplier-management actions support effective corrective action and sustained improvement.
  • Monitor PCB market conditions, supplier capabilities, industry trends, technology changes, capacity conditions, and other external factors that may create risk or opportunity for Rantec.
  • Identify and maintain appropriate risk mitigation strategies for critical PCB technologies and suppliers, including alternate sources, capacity commitments, strategic inventory, LTAs, or other approaches as appropriate.
  • Use and improve MRP/ERP data, system-generated reports, supplier information, and other analytical tools to optimize PCB procurement decisions, inventory levels, material availability, and supplier performance.
  • Establish and maintain PCB commodity metrics and provide leadership with visibility into spend, cost performance, supplier performance, lead times, capacity, shortages, inventory, risks, savings initiatives, and strategic sourcing activities.
  • Identify and drive continuous improvement opportunities across PCB procurement, sourcing, supplier management, technical standardization, cost, inventory, lead time, and supply-chain performance.
  • Promote strong communication and coordination between Materials, Engineering, Quality, Supplier Quality, Strategic Sourcing, Planning, IPTLs, Operations, and the PCB supply base.
  • Ability to work flexible hours and/or different shifts, as required.
  • Ability to work in a safe professional manner adhering to all Rantec and regulatory requirements including OSHA, EPA, State, and Federal Regulations.
  • As the Company’s success relies on the productivity of our team and adherence to customer product schedules, an essential function of this position is the ability to arrive to work on-time and work each day as scheduled.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
  Qualification RequirementsTo perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. 
• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  This position requires access to our export-controlled commodities, technical data, technology and services.  These items are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to U.S. Citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S. and properly licensed foreign persons.  Therefore, employment is contingent on compliance with ITAR regulations and successfully obtaining and maintaining the necessary export authorization license from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of IndustryEducation and Experience
  • B. S. Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Industrial Technology, Industrial Engineering, or similar field. 
  • 10+ years production support experience, preferably in electronics manufacturing with product development experience, is preferred.
  • Knowledge of MRP/ERP systems
  • Experience with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is desirable.
  • Knowledge of First Article Inspection in accordance with AS9102 is desirable.
  • Experience working in PCB procurement, manufacturing, or design is desirable.
  • Ability to develop and maintain planning solutions using tools such as Gantt charts, Line and Balance charts, MS Project.
  • Ability to successfully execute duties under pressure from deadlines. 
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills; ability to provide accurate concise management summary of status and information.
  Physical Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Work within a factory environment, including moderate noise and chemical odors
  • Moving between sitting, standing and walking
  • Consistently lifting and handling up to 10 pounds and periodically lifting up to 25 pounds.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to focus, with correction, if needed, to perform hand soldering and wiring of assemblies.
  Rantec is proud to be an Equal Opportunity 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 status as a protected veteran. Rantec will consider reasonable accommodation to its policies for employees and applicants due to sincerely held religious belief.Salary Range: $105,900 - $137,700

  Powered by JazzHR