Global Supply Manager, Programs and Production

Divergent • Torrance, CA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Global Supply Manager, Programs & Production manages supplier relationships, executes sourcing strategies, and ensures the availability of components, materials, manufacturing capabilities, and capacity needed to deliver aerospace, defense, and automotive customer programs. The role supports programs as they progress from development and low-rate initial production (LRIP) to full-rate production, spanning sourcing, supplier and outside-process management, commercial negotiations, and day-to-day procurement execution in a fast-moving environment where requirements change and processes are still developing.

Working independently within assigned programs and categories, the manager translates bills of materials, schedules, and customer demand into procurement plans; manages shortages, engineering changes, and supplier readiness; and builds practical tracking tools and scalable procurement processes. The role balances cost, quality, delivery, capacity, and risk while working closely with Program Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Production Planning, Finance, Logistics, and other functions to meet customer commitments and prepare the supply chain to scale.

The position is based on-site in Torrance, California, with relocation to Divergent’s Long Beach facility anticipated in 2027. Occasional domestic and international travel of approximately 10–25% may be required. The company is considering candidates at S05–S06 levels, with a stated pay range of $109,240–$173,470 USD.

Requirements

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology subject to U.S. export controls.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related technical field.
• At least 5 years of sourcing, procurement, supplier-management, or supply-chain experience in program-driven manufacturing, such as aerospace, defense, automotive, or similarly complex hardware industries.
• Experience supporting production programs through changing BOMs, schedules, and demand, including managing shortages and recovering supply to protect customer deliveries.
• Experience managing outside processes and processors, such as machining, heat treatment, finishing, coatings, NDT, or other special processes.
• Experience preparing suppliers for production ramps, including capacity planning, supplier qualification, and alternate-source development.
• Ability to operate effectively while systems and processes are being developed, creating practical tools and workflows for control and visibility.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills and experience managing supplier agreements, lead times, and commercial risk.
• Experience using ERP/MRP, PLM, and procurement systems, such as SAP, NetSuite, Arena, or Windchill.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to track and report supply KPIs, shortage status, supplier performance, and cost trends.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced technical degree.
• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or automotive programs from LRIP through full-rate production.
• Experience with Nadcap-accredited special processes and AS9102 First Article Inspection or PPAP.
• Familiarity with additive manufacturing, CNC machining, castings, or other advanced manufacturing processes.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, including GD&T, bills of materials, specifications, and process routings.
• Experience in AS9100-, ISO 9001-, IATF 16949-certified, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with customer flow-down requirements, DFARS/ITAR, or other regulated program requirements.
• International sourcing experience and global supplier management.
• Experience leading supplier-development initiatives and senior-level supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Act as the sourcing point of contact for assigned customer programs from initial capture and development builds through LRIP and full-rate production.
• Translate program BOMs, build schedules, and customer demand into procurement plans, adapting to changes in design, quantity, and schedule.
• Manage engineering changes and BOM revisions with suppliers, assessing impacts on cost, lead time, open orders, inventory, and in-process material.
• Own shortage management for assigned programs by identifying and prioritizing shortages, expediting supply, developing recovery plans, and escalating risks with options and trade-offs.
• Track part readiness for build events, deliveries, and first-article milestones, and maintain material-status visibility for program and production leaders.
• Build and maintain practical procurement tracking tools, such as shortage lists, open-order trackers, and supplier commit schedules, and help transition them into scalable system-based processes.
• Provide supplier capacity, lead-time, and constraint inputs to production planning and S&OP-type discussions.
• Lead sourcing strategy and readiness for complex, high-impact program requirements.
• Execute sourcing strategies for outside and special processes, build-to-print components, purchased components, consumables, tooling, fixtures, and packaging.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing activities, including market analysis, RFx, supplier evaluation, cost analysis, negotiations, and sourcing recommendations.
• Assess supply markets, supplier capabilities, and performance to identify cost-reduction, continuity, and long-term value opportunities.
• Identify supply, capacity, quality, and commercial risks and develop mitigation plans; maintain a forward-looking sourcing pipeline for new and alternate suppliers, cost reductions, and capacity needs.
• Develop supply-readiness plans for production ramps and assess supplier capacity, tooling, staffing, and process capability against forecast rates.
• Drive supplier rate-readiness activities, including capacity assessments and reservations, alternate-source development, and safety-stock or buffer strategies.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering on supplier qualification and production part approval, including FAI/AS9102 and PPAP activities.
• Establish forecast-sharing and supply-commitment practices with key suppliers and define strategies for transitions to full-rate production.
• Serve as primary commercial interface for assigned suppliers, managing pricing, lead time, capacity, quality, and overall performance.
• Manage outside-process suppliers and material flow for machining, heat treatment, HIP, surface finishing, coatings, anodize and plating, painting, welding, and NDT.
• Coordinate routing, sequencing, turnaround, traceability, and returns for parts moving between Divergent and outside processors.
• Ensure outside processors meet specification, certification, and special-process requirements, including Nadcap and customer-approved-source requirements.
• Monitor outside-process lead times, supplier WIP, yield, rework, and turnaround performance, and drive improvements where suppliers constrain production.
• Qualify new suppliers and outside-process sources with Engineering and Quality to add capacity, reduce risk, and support rate growth.
• Conduct structured supplier performance reviews and coordinate corrective actions with cross-functional partners.
• Build strategic and executive-level supplier relationships, support long-term agreements, and secure capacity commitments and supplier-development investments.
• Lead commercial negotiations covering pricing, volume tiers, lead times, payment terms, tooling ownership, expedite fees, and supply terms.
• Develop cost analyses and commercial evaluations for sourcing decisions, program quotes, and product cost targets; provide supplier cost inputs for proposals, rate changes, and engineering changes.
• Execute value analysis/value engineering, alternate-source development, and cost-reduction initiatives, including volume-based pricing as programs scale.
• Monitor supplier cost trends and develop actions to protect program margins; lead complex negotiations involving long-term agreements, capacity reservations, customer flow-downs, or significant business risk.
• Coordinate with Program Management on customer schedules, milestones, contractual requirements, supply risks, and recovery plans.
• Align supplier deliveries and outside-process flow with manufacturing build sequencing, line loading, and production schedules.
• Work with Engineering on design-for-supply, engineering change management, and supplier technical feasibility.
• Work with Quality on supplier qualification, FAI/PPAP, nonconformance resolution, and corrective action.
• Coordinate with Finance on procurement spend, inventory, forecasts, program budgets, and business requirements.
• Provide commercial inputs to supplier agreements, including MSAs, NDAs, and customer flow-down terms, in coordination with Legal and Contracts.
• Influence cross-functional decisions for requirements with significant cost, schedule, or supply-continuity implications.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of sourcing processes, procurement standards, and supplier-management practices.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities.
• Paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown.
• Paid parental leave.
• Health and wellness benefits, including HMO and Premium PPO options.
• Company-sponsored life insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior