Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Supply Chain Manager focused on plastics tooling

Job Description

Supply Chain Manager, CapEx, Optimus Plastics Tooling | Tesla

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Tesla. Tesla is a leading company known for its electric vehicles, energy storage, and AI, now developing the Optimus humanoid robot. This position is critical for the Optimus program, focusing on the specialized area of plastics tooling within a fast-moving and first-of-its-kind initiative. The role ensures the strategic sourcing and efficient execution of critical manufacturing components for Tesla’s internal plastics production.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person

• Team: Reports to the Group Manager, supporting the Optimus humanoid robot program and internal plastics manufacturing.
• Mission: Lead global sourcing and supplier execution for injection molding tooling in direct support of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot program.
• Tech Stack:

What You’ll Actually Do
• Sourcing: Lead end-to-end global sourcing of precision injection molding molds, including supplier identification, benchmarking, and capacity planning.
• Negotiation: Drive high-stakes commercial negotiations for pricing, contracts, scope, and change management to achieve optimal total costs and terms.
• Project Management: Own CapEx project execution, ensuring on-time delivery, adherence to budget, and proactive risk mitigation.
• Cost Analysis: Build and leverage should-cost models to perform rigorous cost analysis of supplier proposals and provide tooling cost estimation.
• Supplier Performance: Manage and elevate supplier performance across critical metrics including quality, delivery, cost, and innovation, validating technical scope and commercial assumptions.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Degree in Mechanical, Plastics, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent experience with evidence of exceptional ability.
• Experience: 5+ years of technical experience in plastic injection molding tooling (tooling/mold engineering, mold build, tooling supplier technical roles, or manufacturing engineering focus on IM tooling); plus 5+ years in supplier management for production tooling, preferably injection molding tooling, within a high-complexity, high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Skills: Demonstrated ability to validate supplier quotes, perform tooling cost estimation, conduct should-cost/cost breakdown analysis on mold proposals, lead commercial negotiations, and work with tooling drawings, steel layouts, and validation plans.
• Bonus: Proven track record delivering cost reductions, schedule adherence, and supplier performance improvements in fast-paced, first-of-its-kind programs, with experience in quality and launch discipline (APQP/PPAP or equivalent).