Sr Supply Chain Manager

Careers•San Antonio, TX

2h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Supply Chain Manager is responsible for partnering across engineering, quality and program teams to develop and manage a supply chain in support of new product development and program implementation efforts. This role requires a robust understanding of all supply chain functions including but not limited to advanced sourcing, procurement, vendor management, manufacturing, inventory management, supply/demand planning, and logistics. The supply chain manager will partner with internal business parters on cross functional teams to enable a global supply chain from concept to customer, and will ensure that supply chain resiliency is addressed from the onset of all product development and customer program efforts. A successful individual in this role will leverage the expertise and capabilities of the supply base to deliver against product and program requirements, address risks at the onset of projects, and develop strategies to ensure on-time delivery at cost and quality expectations.

Requirements

Masters’s or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Operations, or related field
7+ years of progressive experience in supply chain, strategic sourcing, procurement, or commodity management, including direct experience supporting new product and program development
Experience with electrical, mechanical and electro-mechanical commodities spanning PCBAs, electrical components, plastics, metals, interconnect, wireless/communication, and power categories
Demonstrated experience partnering with Engineering and Product Development teams in a hardware, manufacturing, or technology environment
Proven track record leading NPI / industrialization activities from prototype through volume production
Hands-on experience managing external manufacturing partners
Strong negotiation, contracting, and supplier relationship management skills
Solid understanding of supply chain risk management, including single-source mitigation, dual-sourcing strategies, and geopolitical risk
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which usually requires US citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a fast-paced startup environment, specifically building hardware devices from the ground up
Experience in GovCon
Direct experience in the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) or robotics industry
An active security clearance
Familiarity with quality systems and regulatory frameworks relevant to the industry (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, IATF 16949, ITAR/EAR)

Responsibilities

Partner with Engineering and program teams to strategically source key parts, components, and materials, ensuring sourcing decisions align with quality and technical requirements, cost targets, and time to market deadlines
Influence design decisions through early supplier engagement, design-for-supply-chain (DfSC) principles, and total-cost-of-ownership analysis to optimize manufacturability, cost, lead time, and supply risk
Develop and execute commodity and category strategies across assigned spend, including make/buy analysis, supplier rationalization, dual-sourcing, and regional diversification. Drive make/buy recommendations as needed
Lead supplier selection, RFx events, negotiations, and contracting
Serve as the primary interface between the Engineering team and the Supply Chain / Sourcing organization throughout the product development process
Translate engineering requirements into actionable sourcing plans, supplier requirements, and procurement deliverables tied to program milestones
Represent supply chain in design reviews, gate reviews, and program meetings, providing input on supplier capability, lead time, cost, risk, and readiness
Drive cross-functional alignment across Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Program Management, Finance, and external supplier partners
Drive the supply chain from the supply base into internal and external points of manufacture, ensuring material flow, on-time delivery, and seamless handoffs between suppliers and production sites
Coordinate with contract manufacturers (CMs), tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers to align capacity, build plans, inventory positioning, and material readiness with program demand
Develop and drive strategies to manage the inbound flow of raw materials and finished goods as well as inventory levels.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators
Communicate supply forecasts to key, strategic suppliers and build supportability plans
Lead supply chain risk management including identification of single-source risk, long-lead items, geopolitical exposure, and capacity constraints — and develop mitigation plans including alternate sourcing, risk buys, and strategic buffers
Maintain end-to-end visibility into supply, demand, and inventory positions; deliver clear, data-driven status and risk reporting to program teams and senior leadership
Drive NPI and industrialization from product development through transition to volume manufacturing, ensuring supply chain readiness at each phase gate (prototype, EVT, DVT, PVT, MP)
Lead material readiness strategy and execution across all NPI phases, including detailed material plans aligned with program schedules and build requirements
Onboard new suppliers to support emerging technologies and new product introductions; qualify suppliers in partnership with Engineering and Quality
Coordinate the transfer of production from development sites and prototype suppliers to volume manufacturing partners, ensuring scalability, cost targets, and quality standards are met
Drive advanced sourcing initiatives in key categories to identify and qualify emerging suppliers, materials, and technologies that support future product development and production needs
Build and own strategic supplier relationships that go beyond transactional procurement
Where needed, negotiate and steward long-term agreements (MSAs, supply agreements, pricing agreements, NDAs) that protect company interests and enable scalable growth