Job Summary
The Materials Engineering General Manager is responsible for developing and leading various teams that proactively manages and delivers consistent raw materials to our manufacturing teams and drives continuous quality improvements in the supply chain. The manager will be a change agent that works closely with the global Procurement team and other Engineering leaders to initiate and drive effective supplier management practices that deliver value to PENA. The individual will direct teams and work closely with Manufacturing teams in order to resolve customer/internal issues related to raw materials.
Essential Duties:

Lead and manage a global material engineering team through talent acquisition, people development and coaching, and training
Support the team and own supplier interaction for raw materials if required
Align the Materials Engineering team with the Business, Operations and Customer Quality teams to identify and drive impactful improvements in the supply chain, including business continuity plans
Build effective working relationships with key individuals at all suppliers and with internal stakeholders to influence quality, variation reduction and cost improvement projects
Develop and execute continuous improvement plans on key raw material supply chains including, when appropriate, six sigma projects
Support Customer facing team for Customer Audits and inquiries on all raw materials
Be the primary technical resource for all supplier quality interactions including supplier corrective actions, audits and scorecards. Drive on-time root cause analysis and corrective action for deficiencies
Conducting hands-on failure analyses
Materials characterization, metallurgical analysis
Provide leadership during problem resolution events and management of change opportunities
Effective communication of results to technical and non-technical staff and clients
Establish and meet aggressive and achievable goals and metrics focusing on quality and productivity
Be a key player in the local leadership team for all issues
Champion and support all corporate EH&S and Quality initiatives.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:

Master’s Degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Materials Engineering. PhD and/or MBA a plus
Knowledge of Six-Sigma required. Six-Sigma Green Belt preferred

Experience:

Five years minimum work experience in Chemical or Materials Production environment, experience within lithium ion battery production industry a plus. Five + years experience in leadership role with demonstrated/proven effectiveness in a matrix organization and project management
Solid operations or R&D background in chemical or materials manufacturing environment with a focus in any or all of the following: Research and Development, Supply Chain management, Manufacturing, Quality, and/or Production management
Business acumen; ability understand the relevant business drivers and translate them in meaningful operational activities
Talent Development; ability to attract, develop, and retain highly capable team members in a global organization across multiple cultural and regional environments
Analytical; skill in applying statistics to seize opportunities, including SPC/SQC, Six Sigma, Measurement System Analysis, Analytical Methods and Metrology
Leadership; capability to build relationships, lead and empower teams and drive activity through a balance of influence and inspiration
Communications; skill in concise and clear verbal and written communications and experience with front line supplier and customer interactions
Systems Thinking; experience with implementing Quality Systems to support business growth

Preferred Experience:

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering or Metallurgical Engineering
Strong background in materials characterization techniques (e.g. metallography, SEM, EDS, FIB, and/or X-ray radiography/diffraction, etc.) is required
Knowledge of failure analysis desired
Must be team oriented
Extensive hands-on experience in analytical chemistry techniques, including spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (DSC, TGA, DMA) and rheology. Ability to provide an understanding beyond standardized protocols (e.g. ASTM, ISO)
Excellent verbal and written communication skills along with attention to detail are required
Expertise in organic and inorganic materials is considered a plus
Ability to interact effectively with various levels of management is required
Proficient in MS Office Suite, especially Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

About Us
Panasonic Energy of North America (PENA) is collaborating with Tesla at a massive battery factory near Reno, Nevada which is known for its quality of life and expansive outdoor adventures. Panasonic's role at the Gigafactory is to manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells to Tesla for their electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
Over the past few years, the Gigafactory has grown to the largest lithium-ion battery factory in the world. Together with our partner Tesla, we continue to revolutionize the lithium-ion battery space and accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy and transportation.
Our mission at PENA is to make the vision of affordable Electric Vehicles a reality by producing the world’s safest, high quality, and lowest cost batteries. Through this effort we will create a clean energy society and our products will change society’s use of and perceptions of electric power.
In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits. Supplemental Information:
Pre-employment drug testing is required. Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.
Panasonic is an Equal Opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy of North America. #LI-JW1