Manager, Supplier Operations & Governance

CesiumAstro•El Segundo, CA

About The Position

CesiumAstro is seeking a Manager, Supplier Operations & Governance to lead the company’s supplier governance function. The role oversees supplier qualification, Approved Supplier List (ASL) management, due diligence, compliance, risk management, and supplier performance across the supply base. The Manager sets team priorities, manages resources, develops supply chain professionals, and implements governance processes that support supply continuity, manufacturing requirements, and organizational growth. The Manager evaluates supplier capabilities, operational risks, compliance requirements, and performance trends to strengthen supplier reliability, improve governance, and support business objectives. The position partners with Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Compliance, Enterprise Systems, and other business functions to resolve complex supplier challenges, improve performance, and establish scalable governance practices. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. Government space technology export eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, conditional resident, asylee, or refugee (a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, Logistics, or a related field and 7–9 years of related experience; or a master’s degree in a related field and 5–7 years of related experience; or a PhD in a related field and 3–5 years of related experience. Related experience may be in supplier management, supplier qualification, supply chain operations, procurement, supplier quality, compliance, or a related discipline.
1–3 years of leadership or management experience leading supplier operations, procurement, supplier quality, supply chain, or related professionals.
Advanced knowledge of supplier management, supplier qualification, supply chain operations, compliance, and supplier governance principles.
In-depth understanding of ASL management, supplier onboarding, due diligence, qualification standards, and supplier lifecycle processes.
Comprehensive knowledge of supplier performance management, scorecards, risk assessments, corrective actions, and supply continuity requirements.
Experience managing supplier governance activities, coordinating cross-functional approval processes, and overseeing supplier qualification, compliance, and performance improvement initiatives.
Proficiency evaluating supplier capabilities, manufacturing capacity, regulatory requirements, operational risks, and performance data to support governance decisions and process improvements.
Sound judgment in resolving complex supplier challenges, determining qualification priorities, evaluating compliance risks, and balancing supplier performance with operational requirements.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supplier management applications such as Acumatica, SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or equivalent platforms.
Experience with business intelligence, data visualization, and reporting applications such as Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent platforms.
Experience with supplier qualification, ASL, supplier performance management, and compliance tracking applications.
Experience with workflow management, documentation, and collaboration applications such as SharePoint, Smartsheet, Jira, or equivalent platforms.

Nice To Haves

Experience in aerospace, defense, electronics, or manufacturing environments.
Knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR/EAR, DFARS, or other applicable supplier requirements.
Experience leading supplier site assessments, operational reviews, supplier development, or risk mitigation initiatives.
Familiarity with Acumatica, SAP, or comparable ERP systems, as well as Power BI, SQL, and dashboard utilization.
Prior people-management experience and experience implementing enterprise-level supplier governance frameworks.

Responsibilities

Manage the enterprise Approved Supplier List (ASL), including supplier qualification standards, approval workflows, requalification requirements, data integrity, and governance practices.
Establish standardized supplier onboarding, qualification, approval, and exit procedures with documented decision criteria, responsibilities, and escalation requirements.
Coordinate cross-functional supplier approval reviews with Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Engineering, and Compliance, ensuring decisions reflect documented qualifications and risk assessments.
Oversee supplier due diligence, site assessments, capability reviews, and operational readiness evaluations to assess manufacturing capacity, compliance, and supply continuity risks.
Evaluate supplier certifications, regulatory obligations, contractual requirements, and operational risks to identify significant compliance concerns and mitigation priorities.
Direct supplier risk assessments, corrective action tracking, and issue resolution, escalating material concerns to supply chain leadership.
Implement and manage the Grow, Sustain, and Exit supplier lifecycle framework, including supplier segmentation, performance expectations, and decision criteria.
Analyze supplier quality, on-time delivery (OTD), responsiveness, manufacturing capacity, and operational risk to identify improvement opportunities.
Guide supplier scorecard reviews, development initiatives, corrective action plans, and supplier transitions to strengthen performance and supply continuity.
Develop supplier governance procedures, internal controls, reporting methodologies, and performance measures to support consistent execution and organizational scalability.
Evaluate supplier qualification cycle times, ASL accuracy, compliance status, corrective action closure, and supplier performance trends to identify operational improvements.
Partner with Enterprise Systems to improve supplier master data, ERP workflows, reporting automation, and governance controls that strengthen data integrity and operational visibility.
Lead supplier operations personnel by setting work priorities, allocating resources, monitoring deliverables, and developing team capabilities through coaching and performance management.
Collaborate with Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Compliance to align supplier governance activities with business requirements.
Communicate supplier performance, compliance risks, operational constraints, resource needs, and improvement recommendations to supply chain leadership and key stakeholders.