Supply Chain Category Manager - Machining

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company•Simsbury, CT

About The Position

At Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD), we believe that our strengths are built on our most important resource - our people. Join EBAD and you'll be a part of a team who creates cutting edge technology that will blast us into the future. No other company can match the innovative energetic solutions that we provide. At EBAD you will actively contribute to successful missions putting men, women and satellites into space, and protecting our armed service men and women around the world. If this is the culture and work environment you are seeking, then EBAD is the place for you! Job Description EBAD is seeking a Strategic Supply Chain Category Leader to drive sourcing excellence within our machining category. This role is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that maximize business value through strong supplier partnerships—ensuring reliable capacity, superior quality, cost optimization, and exceptional responsiveness. The leader will collaborate cross-functionally to align sourcing strategies with business needs, oversee supplier selection and transitions, manage commercial relationships, and ensure full compliance with aerospace and defense regulations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field
7–12+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, with strong focus on machining or precision manufacturing
Deep understanding of machining processes, materials, and tolerances in aerospace applications
Proven experience negotiating complex supplier agreements and managing global supply bases
Strong analytical and financial acumen (cost modeling, TCO analysis)

Nice To Haves

Experience in aerospace/defense environments such as vehicle launching, and separation systems, satellites, space, missiles, etc.
Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and special process requirements
Experience with should-cost modeling tools and advanced analytics (Excel, SQL, Power BI) is a plus.
Lean/Six Sigma certification
MBA or advanced engineering degree

Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Ownership Develop and execute a comprehensive category strategy for machining (CNC, precision machining, complex metals, exotic materials)
Define sourcing approaches including make vs. buy, supplier consolidation, and dual sourcing strategies
Build should-cost models and benchmark pricing across suppliers and regions
Align category strategy with engineering, manufacturing, and program requirements
Conduct market research: Monitor industry trends and gather market intelligence to inform category strategies and feed program management and engineering.
Continuous improvement: Supports devising and implementing EBOS improvement strategies to processes, procedures and project flow in Supply Chain, including supplier kaizens and strategic supplier business reviews.
Maximize value: Drive supplier sustainability, small business sourcing, and supplier innovation as part of Category strategies.
Supplier Management & Development Identify, qualify, and onboard machining suppliers with capabilities in aerospace-grade materials (e.g., titanium, Inconel, aluminum alloys)
Drive supplier performance across key metrics: OTD, quality (PPM), lead time, and cost competitiveness
Lead supplier quarterly reviews (SQRs) and performance improvement initiatives, and manage strategic supplier relationships: Foster strong partnerships
Partner with suppliers on capacity planning, process improvements, and risk mitigation
Technical Sourcing & Collaboration Collaborate closely with engineering on design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and cost optimization
Collaborate with Engineering and Supplier Development engineering in the evaluation of supplier technical capabilities including multi-axis CNC, tight-tolerance machining, and special processes
Support new product introduction (NPI) by ensuring supplier readiness and capability alignment
Review technical drawings, specifications, and tolerance requirements to inform sourcing decisions
Cost Management & Negotiation Develop & Implement Category Strategies: Create strategies to optimize cost and improve operations aligning with best practices.
Develop & manage contracts: Create and execute contracts that support category strategies and business requirements (e.g., LTAs, LOIs, MOUs, SMIs); Executes strategic agreements vs daily PO needs handled by Buyers.
Implement cost reduction initiatives through value engineering, process optimization, and global sourcing
Utilize clean-sheet and should-cost modeling to validate supplier pricing
Risk Management & Compliance Identify and mitigate supply chain risks including single-source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, and capacity constraints
Ensure compliance with aerospace and defense regulations (ITAR, FAR/DFARS, AS9100)
Support audits and ensure suppliers meet all quality and regulatory requirements
Data, Analytics & Automation Leverage data analytics to drive sourcing decisions and category insights
Utilize ERP/MRP and supplier management tools to monitor performance and forecast demand
Analyze spend data: Utilize data analytics to identify cost-savings opportunities and inform sourcing decisions.
Partner with supply chain analytics teams to integrate machining category into PFEP and SIOP frameworks
Collaborate with the development of dashboards for category performance and risk anticipation
Understands financial analyses, sets annual pricing with finance, drives positive Purchase Price Variance (PPV), delivers on payment terms goals, helps resolve invoice issues as needed by exception.
Cross-Functional Leadership Act as the primary point of contact for machining category across procurement, engineering, quality, and operations
Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve supply chain resilience and scalability
Mentor buyers and analysts supporting the machining category