Category Manager; Steel and Related Structural Components

Description

Title:

Category Manager - Steel and Related Structural Components

Department:
Flex Rack Center

Supervisor:
Director of Strategic Sourcing

FLSA Status:
Salary

Position Status:
Full-Time

Work Status:
Hybrid (4 days office, 1 day remote)

Work Location:

Highland Hills, OH

This is your chance to join the rapidly growing commercial solar energy business. FLEXRACK by Qcells is an integrated solar company that offers custom‑designed, fixed‑tilt ground mount and single‑axis solar tracking systems in the commercial and utility‑scale solar mounting industries. FLEXRACK by Qcells also offers full services, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, and layout design services to address the actual site conditions of a project site.

FLEXRACK by Qcells has completed over 3.5 GW of solar racking installations in over 40 U.S. states, 9 Canadian provinces and across the globe.

We are seeking a highly skilled and strategic Category Manager to manage the sourcing, procurement, and supplier relationships for all steel, structural components, and related hardware. This role is critical to ensuring a stable, cost-effective, and domestically compliant supply chain to support aggressive U.S. manufacturing goals and IRA tax credit requirements. This position reports to the Director of Strategic Sourcing or another management personnel that the CEO of the Company may designate.

This position is located in Highland Hills, OH. You will work out of the Qcells Flex Rack (Highland Hills) office 4 days per week. Working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. This position is expected to travel up to 10%.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

• Strategic Sourcing:
  Develop and execute comprehensive sourcing strategies for steel and related components, focusing on minimizing geopolitical risk and maximizing domestic content (U.S. origin).
• Supplier Relationship Management:
  Identify, evaluate, and negotiate long‑term contracts with major U.S. steel mills and fabricators. Manage ongoing supplier performance, quality control, and capacity planning.
• IRA Compliance & Traceability:
  Ensure rigorous documentation and traceability of all steel products to meet the stringent requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) domestic content incentives.
• Cost Management:
  Conduct total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, manage commodity hedging strategies, and identify cost reduction opportunities without compromising quality or compliance.
• Market Analysis:
  Monitor global and domestic steel market trends, pricing fluctuations, and capacity changes to inform sourcing decisions and budget forecasting.
• Collaboration:
  
  Work closely with engineering and R&D teams to optimize product design for steel sourcing advantages and manufacturability.
• Regular attendance, in accordance with company's attendance policy and supervisory assignment, is an essential job duty requirement for this position.
• Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned by Management.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field; MBA or CSCP certification preferred.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in strategic sourcing or category management, with at least 3 years specifically managing steel, heavy fabrication, or similar industrial raw materials.
• Direct experience within the solar energy, heavy manufacturing, or automotive sectors highly desirable.
• Proven track record of negotiating complex, multi‑year supply agreements and managing supplier performance programs.
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills, deep understanding of steel commodity markets, and knowledge of domestic content regulations (e.g., IRA or Buy America).

• Stationary Position: frequently remains stationary up to 90% of the time and sitting up to 8 hours in a day.
• Move/Traverse: infrequently bend, stand, stoop and/or walk.
• Carry Weight: infrequently carry weight and/or lift objects (light to…