Head of Strategic Sourcing

About Halter

Halter is revolutionizing the agricultural industry by enabling farmers and graziers to operate highly productive and sustainable farms. The company’s technology allows cattle to move calmly and efficiently between grazing breaks without traditional aids like quad bikes, dogs, or fences, fundamentally changing grazing practices and improving lives. Halter fosters a high-performance culture where tough challenges are met with dedication, innovation, and care. Supported by leading Tier 1 investors including Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Rocket Lab's Peter Beck, Halter is poised to make a significant global impact.

Role Overview

The Head of Strategic Sourcing is vital to Halter's future, responsible for shaping the supplier relationships that determine cost structure, product quality, supply chain resilience, and scalability. This role involves sourcing components, onboarding contract manufacturers, and negotiating advantageous commercial agreements. It demands building deep trust with suppliers, securing preferential deals, and ensuring partnerships align with the company's long-term vision.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the full cycle of identifying, evaluating, and onboarding new suppliers and manufacturing partners globally across all categories, from market research to contract finalization.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of the global supplier landscape, discovering opportunities to improve capabilities, reduce costs, and mitigate risks.
• Collaborate with engineering and quality teams to assess new suppliers' technical competence and quality standards before formal engagements.
• Support new product introductions by ensuring qualified suppliers are in place before production starts.
• Develop strategic suppliers to elevate their capability, capacity, and alignment with Halter’s needs over time.
• Identify performance gaps in existing suppliers regarding cost, quality, lead time, or service and implement improvement plans.
• Address supply base risks such as dependency on single sources with targeted sourcing strategies.
• Cultivate Halter’s reputation to secure priority access and long-term commitment from key suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Conduct complex commercial negotiations securing favorable pricing, payment terms, minimum order quantities, lead times, and contractual protections aligned with Halter’s growth plans.
• Employ total cost of ownership perspectives when negotiating major supplier contracts, integrating design-to-cost initiatives with engineering and volume consolidations with supply planning.
• Ensure contracts comprehensively cover quality, intellectual property, exclusivity, capacity commitments, and risk allocation.
• Manage senior-level supplier relationships, serving as the primary contact for commercial and strategic matters.
• Establish governance frameworks including regular business reviews to monitor supplier performance and explore joint development possibilities.
• Handle escalations proactively when supplier issues threaten production or commercial interests.
• Represent Halter as a credible and attractive partner, enhancing its market standing among suppliers.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain teams to align sourcing with overall business strategies and integrated supply plans.
• Provide market intelligence and supply risk insights for sales and operations planning and program development.

Candidate Profile

• Extensive experience in strategic sourcing or procurement within hardware or electronics manufacturing, including building and managing robust supplier ecosystems.
• Outstanding commercial negotiation skills with a record of securing long-term value beyond simple unit pricing.
• Proven ability to develop suppliers from basic adequacy to excellence across multiple categories.
• In-depth knowledge of global hardware component and contract manufacturing supply markets.
• Capacity to form authentic, trustful relationships with senior supplier and contract manufacturing representatives.
• Strong aptitude for cross-functional collaboration among engineering, quality, and supply chain stakeholders.
• Sharp commercial judgment with a holistic view of costs covering price, quality, lead times, risks, and implications of errors.
• Excellent communication skills enabling effective negotiation at board level and clear internal briefings.
• Decisive and swift decision-maker who can act confidently even with incomplete information without compromising critical aspects.
• Resilient and open to challenging conversations, addressing issues early and constructively managing tensions.
• Energetic and personable, bringing enthusiasm and sharp commercial insight to this high-stakes, relationship-driven role.

Why Join Halter?

• Engage in meaningful work that transforms agricultural practices and improves farmers’ lives and sustainability.
• Collaborate with a talented, diverse, and motivated team addressing complex challenges in an innovative environment.
• Benefit from autonomy and continuous learning supported by a personal development fund to grow your expertise.
• Experience a challenging but rewarding career with a fast-moving company committed to impactful change in its industry.

Diversity and Inclusion

Halter values diversity and inclusivity, encouraging candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to apply. The company supports equal opportunity and looks forward to discussing potential fits with a broad range of applicants.