Director of Supply Chain

Kodiak•Mountain View, CA

1d•$190,000 - $245,000

About The Position

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. is seeking a Director of Supply Chain to manage and scale its end-to-end supply chain function. This leadership role is responsible for planning, procurement, inventory management, contract manufacturing, warehouse operations, and supply chain finances and compliance. The Director will partner closely with the Partnership team, which manages relationships with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Key accountabilities include establishing a robust supply chain control environment, ensuring real-time material visibility, and accurate tracking of purchases for vehicle builds. The role involves building the necessary processes, team, and infrastructure to scale production from tens to thousands of units annually, while driving cost reduction and operational excellence. This position requires a hands-on leader with experience in a public company environment, strong collaboration with Accounting and Finance for compliance and reporting, and the ability to quickly identify and resolve supply chain issues.

Requirements

12+ years of progressive supply chain leadership experience, including 5+ years in a senior management or director-level role
Proven experience leading a supply chain function within a public company environment, including exposure to audit, controls, and financial reporting requirements
Demonstrated experience scaling manufacturing or supply chain operations from low-volume/prototype to high-volume production in a hardware or electro-mechanical product environment
Demonstrated ability to both build supply chain functions from early-stage/immature processes and optimize established operations
Deep experience managing outsourced/contract manufacturing models with multi-tier supplier networks, including consignment and complex sub-assembly flows
Strong background in procurement, commodity management, and supplier negotiations across both domestic and international supply bases
Strong understanding of supply chain control environments, including segregation of duties, approval workflows, and system-based controls
Experience with S&OP processes, demand planning, MRP/ERP systems (SAP strongly preferred), and inventory management best practices
Proven track record of delivering continuous cost reductions and process improvements (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent)
Strong financial acumen; experience owning supply chain P&L and balance sheet elements, BOM cost management, and working capital targets including experience with CIP accounting and cost tracking for labor and overhead
Experience ensuring compliance with procurement policies, inventory accounting standards (GAAP), and trade/import regulations
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field

Nice To Haves

Experience in autonomous vehicles, automotive, aerospace, robotics, or related advanced hardware industries
Hands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA (Public Cloud strongly preferred)
Familiarity with vehicle OEM, upfit, retrofit, or aftermarket integration processes
MBA or advanced degree
APICS (CSCP/CPIM), ISM (CPSM), or equivalent professional certification
Experience working in a high-growth, venture-backed, or startup-to-scale environment
Experience supporting NPI and design-for-manufacturability initiatives in close partnership with Engineering

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end supply chain strategy, performance, and risk management across a multi-tiered, outsourced manufacturing model
Build and lead a high-performing supply chain organization spanning planning, procurement, inventory management, and manufacturing/contract manufacturer oversight
Develop and execute the roadmap to scale supply chain operations from low-volume to high-volume production
Serve as the primary supply chain interface with Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Operations, and Commercialization teams
Establish and enforce a strong internal control environment across all supply chain activities, including procurement, inventory tracking, and vendor management
Drive accountability, responsiveness, and execution rigor across the supply chain function, setting clear expectations for communication and delivery
Drive a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies to improve quality, reduce lead times, and eliminate waste
Lead S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) and demand planning processes to align supply with customer commitments and sales forecasts
Own master production scheduling, inventory targets, and risk mitigation planning
Drive system-based planning through SAP MRP
Ensure accurate, system-driven visibility into material requirements, purchase order status, and supply risks at any point in time, including the ability to clearly report status of open purchase orders and allocation to specific vehicle builds
Manage excess and obsolete inventory exposure; own E&O review cadence and disposition decisions
Develop and execute supplier strategy, including selection, onboarding, and performance management for both domestic and global suppliers
Coordinate with the Partnerships team on suppliers with strategic commercial relationships, ensuring alignment on commercial terms and relationship ownership
Manage commodity strategy across electronics, mechanical, and automotive components
Perform supplier qualifications, audits and drive continuous improvement
Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers and contract manufacturers
Oversee tactical purchasing execution and ensure procurement processes are compliant with internal controls, audit requirements, and public company standards, including approval workflows and system-based controls within SAP
Manage the flow of consigned materials to contract manufacturers and coordinate multi-tier sub-assembly builds across the supply base
Own the strategy and day-to-day management of contract manufacturers who build sub-assemblies from a combination of procured and consigned components
Coordinate the complex flow of components and sub-assemblies across multiple contract manufacturers, culminating in final integration at the upfitter or OEM
Ensure traceability of components and sub-assemblies through to final vehicle allocation and build completion
Partner with Engineering on new product introduction (NPI), design-for-manufacturability, and prototype-to-production transitions
Manage build plans, manufacturing engineering support, and in-house labor/build activities as needed
Oversee warehouse management, including receiving, storage, cycle counts, logistics, and reverse logistics
Ensure inventory accuracy and compliance through physical controls and system-controlled transactions (SAP), including support of the reconciliation between physical, system, and financial records
Strengthen working capital management and inventory valuation processes in partnership with finance and accounting
Own the financial performance of the supply chain function, including cost reduction targets and working capital optimization
Partner with FP&A on supply chain planning, BOM analysis, and forecasting, including alignment to financial plans.
Partner with accounting on inventory valuation, allocations, write-downs, and deployment accounting
Ensure timely, accurate, and audit-ready reporting aligned with public company requirements and SOX-compliant processes
Lead recurring inventory counts and ensure timely resolution of discrepancies
Ensure compliance with company procurement policies, GAAP inventory requirements, and applicable trade/import regulations for global sourcing
Drive year-over-year cost reductions through supplier negotiations, design collaboration, and process improvements
Support the Commercialization and Sales teams by ensuring supply availability aligns with customer delivery commitments
Provide clear, real-time updates on order status, supply risks, and allocation of materials to specific vehicle programs with a high standard for responsiveness and accuracy
Provide supply chain data, lead times, and capacity information to support customer-facing communications and proposals
Key role in S&OP to balance demand signals against supply constraints and optimize delivery timelines