Procurement Manager / Director - Solar & Storage Development

About the Role

NextGrid, a developer of solar and storage projects across the Northeast, PJM, and ISO-NE markets, is seeking its first dedicated procurement leader. This role involves establishing the procurement function from the ground up, owning equipment sourcing, building and managing vendor relationships, and negotiating supply agreements. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of the solar equipment market and established relationships with key suppliers to effectively manage pricing, lead times, and allocation. This position reports to the VP of Operations and can be filled at either the Manager or Director level depending on experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and implement procurement processes, including purchase order workflows, approval hierarchies, vendor qualification, and equipment tracking from order to delivery.
• Develop a robust vendor management framework to maintain a qualified and bankable supplier base across all critical equipment categories.
• Define, track, and report on key procurement performance indicators such as cost variance, on-time delivery, lead-time accuracy, and supplier performance.
• Lead the sourcing and negotiation for all equipment, including modules, inverters, racking systems, transformers, switchgear, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and balance-of-system components.
• Negotiate comprehensive supply agreements, master purchase agreements, and volume agreements, incorporating milestone payments, delivery terms, liquidated damages, and warranty provisions.
• Conduct competitive Requests for Quotation (RFQs) and multi-vendor analyses, collaborating with engineering and development teams on value engineering initiatives.
• Manage the procurement of long-lead equipment, such as transformers and switchgear, which may have lead times of 12-18 months, ensuring timely allocation, payment milestones, expediting, and delivery coordination to meet Commercial Operation Dates (COD) and interconnection schedules.
• Maintain a dynamic demand forecast for the development pipeline to proactively identify and mitigate supply and schedule risks.
• Structure and document all purchases to ensure compliance with domestic content bonus credit requirements and restrictions on Prohibited Foreign Entities (PFE) under the OBBBA.
• Ensure supply chain compliance by maintaining documentation for UFLPA (Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act) traceability and analyzing exposure to Anti-Dumping/Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD) and tariffs.
• Collaborate with development and finance teams to establish equipment budgets, cost curves, and procurement assumptions for project pro formas.
• Liaise with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors and owner's engineers regarding owner-furnished equipment, logistics, and on-site staging.
• Monitor and communicate market trends, including pricing fluctuations, allocation challenges, tariff impacts, and policy changes that influence sourcing strategies.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in procurement, supply chain, or sourcing, with at least 3 years specifically within the solar or renewable energy sector (developer, EPC, IPP, or major distributor).
• Possess established, active relationships with suppliers and distributors of modules, inverters, racking/trackers, transformers, and/or BESS.
• Proven track record in negotiating supply agreements and managing equipment procurement aligned with construction and interconnection timelines.
• Solid understanding of solar equipment bankability, warranty terms, and technical specifications.
• Familiarity with the regulatory and compliance landscape impacting solar procurement, including Investment Tax Credit (ITC)/§48E and safe harbor mechanisms, domestic content requirements, FEOC/PFE regulations, UFLPA, and module tariff/AD-CVD dynamics.
• Demonstrated strong commercial acumen, negotiation capabilities, and contract management skills, with a proactive approach to process development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience procuring long-lead transformers or MV equipment and structuring associated milestone payments.
• Prior experience working within the Northeast, PJM, or ISO-NE energy markets.
• Experience supporting safe harbor programs and qualifying for tax credits.
• Understanding of project finance principles and how procurement assumptions influence project economics.
• Established relationships with logistics providers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers.

Leveling

This position can be filled as a Manager or Director based on the candidate's experience. A Manager will function as a key individual contributor responsible for sourcing and vendor management, with senior leadership guiding overall strategy. A Director will own the end-to-end procurement strategy, represent procurement at executive levels, and be positioned to build and lead a team as the company's project pipeline expands.