Director of Strategic Sourcing

Observable Space•Los Angeles, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for a Director of Strategic Sourcing to support our operations across Los Angeles, CA and our manufacturing campus in Adrian and Detroit, MI. You will be responsible for building and leading the organization's sourcing, procurement, and logistics functions while partnering closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, Quality, and Program Management. You will lead a team of several direct reports and continue to grow the organization from there. This is a high-impact leadership role with real organizational scope for a true builder. You will build a world-class supply chain organization capable of supporting Observable Space’s growth over the next decade – developing people, creating scalable processes, and forging resilient supplier relationships. You will own strategy and execution while driving category strategy, supplier development, and cost optimization across the organization. Your decisions will directly influence product cost, production capacity, customer delivery, working capital, and our ability to scale and deliver on programs that matter – from ground-based observation systems to space optics and laser communications platforms.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive leadership experience across supply chain, sourcing, procurement, logistics, or operations
Demonstrated experience building and developing teams and managers
Track record of scaling supply chain or manufacturing organizations through periods of significant growth
Strong understanding of ERP systems, supplier management, inventory optimization, and operational metrics
Proven ability to build and use data to drive sourcing decisions and report to leadership
Experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing
Bachelor's degree required

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with optical systems, precision hardware, or electromechanical components strongly preferred
MBA or advanced technical degree a plus
CPSM, CPIM, or equivalent certification is a plus

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the company's long-term sourcing and supply chain strategy
Lead strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, make-versus-buy decisions, and supplier development initiatives
Monitor supply market conditions and proactively surface risks and opportunities to leadership
Identify and mitigate supply chain risks through dual sourcing, business continuity planning, and proactive supplier management
Build and own relationships with key suppliers across the organization
Lead high-stakes supplier negotiations on pricing, lead times, payment terms, and contractual conditions
Drive supplier performance improvement and corrective actions where needed
Onboard and develop suppliers in coordination with quality and engineering teams
Own procurement operations, purchasing controls, logistics strategy, inventory policy, import/export coordination, and transportation planning
Lead Corporate IT through the department's IT leader, ensuring technology, infrastructure, cybersecurity coordination, and business systems scale with the company
Develop operational dashboards and KPIs that enable data-driven decision making
Drive continuous improvement across cost, quality, delivery, and operational efficiency
Build and develop the sourcing, procurement, and logistics team
Develop future leaders while fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration, and accountability
Serve as a trusted strategic partner to executive leadership on supply chain strategy and risk