Global Supply Chain Manager- Electronics

Salient Motion•Hawthorne, CA

About The Position

The Category Manager, Electronics owns the electronics supply base supporting Salient Motion's actuator, power supply, and integrated system product lines. This strategic, high-visibility role sets commodity strategy for PCBAs, connectors, power conversion components, motor drives, and avionics-adjacent electronics, and serves as the business's strategic authority when supplier issues threaten program milestones. The role works closely with engineering, program management, and quality to translate design intent into a resilient, cost-competitive supply base. U.S. Person status is required because of the export-controlled components and programs involved. Salient Motion is developing modular motion technologies for industrial, aerospace, and defense applications. The company describes itself as lean and well-funded, with revenue and a high degree of employee autonomy. It is currently located in Torrance, California, and plans to move to a new Hawthorne, California facility in the summer.

Requirements

At least 5 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or supply chain for electronic components, ideally in aerospace, defense, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience sourcing semiconductors, PCBAs or electronic sub-assemblies, connectors, and power electronics.
Working knowledge of DMSMS and obsolescence-management practices.
Experience negotiating supply agreements, pricing, and long-term commitments with distributors and OEM electronics manufacturers.
Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and counterfeit electronic-parts avoidance standards AS5553 and/or AS6081.
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR (22 CFR §120.15); applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ERP/MRP systems such as NetSuite, SAP, or Epicor for demand planning and purchase-order management.
Prior experience supporting flight controls, actuation systems, or aircraft-systems programs.
Exposure to power-supply or motor-drive commodity sourcing.

Responsibilities

Own category strategy and supplier selection for PCBAs, connectors, power supplies, motor drives, and electronic sub-assemblies and cable assemblies.
Lead sourcing for new programs from RFQ through award, negotiating cost, lead time, and terms to protect program margin and schedule.
Manage component allocation risk and lead-time volatility, and develop multi-source and second-source strategies to protect production continuity.
Drive proactive electronic-component obsolescence management across active and legacy platforms.
Partner with design engineering during development to influence component selection for cost and availability.
Lead or support supplier corrective actions for quality escapes involving electronic components.
Negotiate and manage long-term agreements, pricing tiers, and consigned inventory arrangements with key electronics distributors and manufacturers.
Monitor and report commodity-market trends, including tariffs, shortages, and conflict, and assess their effects on cost and availability.
Ensure supplier compliance with AS9100, ITAR/EAR, and counterfeit-parts avoidance requirements under AS5553.
Support make-or-buy analysis and total-cost-of-ownership modeling for electronics commodities.