Strategic Sourcing Manager (R5858)

<div><span data-contrast="auto">Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT&nbsp;aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://shield.ai/"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">www.shield.ai</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">. Follow Shield AI on&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">LinkedIn</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://x.com/shieldaitech"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">X</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/shield_ai"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">Instagram</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, and&nbsp;</span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/@Shield_AI"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">YouTube</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}">&nbsp;</span></div><div><br></div><h3>Job Description:</h3> <div> <div data-turn-id-container="request-69251d31-bb98-8329-9198-4648022b90f4-0" data-is-intersecting="true"> <section data-turn-id="request-69251d31-bb98-8329-9198-4648022b90f4-0" data-turn-id-container="request-69251d31-bb98-8329-9198-4648022b90f4-0" data-testid="conversation-turn-12" data-turn="assistant" dir="auto"> <div> <div data-conversation-screenshot-content=""> <div> <div data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="bff6a74b-0213-4cc0-9036-cef82f87f0d9" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-6" data-turn-start-message="true" tabindex="0" dir="auto"> <div> <div> <p data-start="0" data-end="371" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Drive the supplier strategies that bring next-generation aerospace technology to life. In this role, you’ll lead critical sourcing initiatives, build high-impact supplier partnerships, and collaborate across teams to deliver complex hardware from early development through production—helping accelerate innovation, strengthen the supply chain, and enable mission success.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div><h3>What you'll do:</h3><div> <li>Lead the strategic sourcing and procurement of critical mechanical commodities, with a primary focus on airframe structures, precision-machined components, landing gear systems, and propulsion and engine-related hardware.</li> <li>Develop and execute commodity strategies that support prototype, development, qualification, and production requirements across aerospace and defense programs.</li> <li>Own supplier selection, qualification, onboarding, and long-term management for complex and mission-critical components and systems.</li> <li>Evaluate supplier capabilities across manufacturing processes, technical expertise, capacity, quality systems, financial stability, and production scalability.</li> <li>Lead competitive sourcing activities, including requests for quotation, proposal analysis, supplier negotiations, cost modeling, source-selection recommendations, and contract execution.</li> <li>Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment terms, intellectual property provisions, capacity commitments, long-term agreements, and other commercial terms that reduce cost and program risk.</li> <li>Partner closely with Engineering to review drawings, specifications, GD&amp;T, bills of material, manufacturing requirements, statements of work, and engineering changes.</li> <li>Drive early supplier involvement during design and development to improve manufacturability, reduce cost, shorten lead times, and minimize technical and schedule risk.</li> <li>Develop a strong understanding of cost drivers associated with aircraft structures, machining, landing gear, engines, propulsion systems, special processes, and complex mechanical assemblies.</li> <li>Perform detailed cost and price analysis using supplier cost breakdowns, historical pricing, market data, should-cost models, and manufacturing process knowledge.</li> <li>Manage supplier performance across delivery, quality, cost, technical execution, responsiveness, and capacity while leading recovery plans and executive-level supplier reviews when performance falls below expectations.</li> <li>Coordinate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supplier Quality, Planning, Program Management, Finance, Contracts, and Legal to resolve complex supply chain and technical issues.</li> <li>Support new product introduction and production ramp-up by ensuring supplier readiness, material availability, tooling capacity, manufacturing feasibility, and qualification completion.</li> <li>Identify long-lead materials, capacity constraints, sole-source dependencies, obsolescence concerns, and other supply risks while developing and executing mitigation plans.</li> </div><h3>Required qualifications:</h3><div> <li>Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.</li> <li>7+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, or supply chain management within aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.</li> <li>Demonstrated experience leading complex sourcing efforts and independently managing critical suppliers, commodities, or major aircraft systems.</li> <li>Experience sourcing one or more of the following commodity areas: </li><li>Airframe and structural assemblies</li> <li>Metallic and composite structures</li> <li>Precision-machined components</li> <li>Landing gear systems and components</li> <li>Engines and propulsion systems</li> <li>Engine mounts and supporting structures</li> <li>Complex mechanical assemblies</li> <li>Castings and forgings</li> <li>Special-process and finished components</li> <li>Strong understanding of manufacturing processes such as CNC machining, structural fabrication, composite manufacturing, casting, forging, welding, heat treatment, plating, coating, finishing, and mechanical assembly.</li> <li>Experience conducting supplier negotiations, cost and price analysis, proposal evaluations, and supplier source selections.</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to negotiate complex commercial agreements while balancing cost, quality, delivery, technical performance, and program risk.</li> <li>Experience managing suppliers through product development, engineering changes, qualification, production ramp-up, and supplier performance recovery.</li> <li>Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple critical suppliers and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.</li> <li>Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present supplier strategies, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to work effectively across Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Planning, Program Management, Finance, Contracts, and Legal.</li> <li>Experience using ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Excel for procurement, supplier management, cost analysis, and reporting.</li> <li>Ability to travel to supplier facilities and company locations as required.</li> <li>Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.</li> </div><h3>Preferred qualifications:</h3><div> <li>Active U.S. government SECRET security clearance at the time of hire.</li> <li>Experience supporting aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, or advanced aerospace and defense programs.</li> <li>Direct sourcing experience with airframe structures, landing gear, turbine engines, propulsion systems, or other flight-critical mechanical hardware.</li> <li>Experience managing technically complex, high-value, sole-source, or long-lead suppliers.</li> <li>Experience developing commodity strategies, supplier roadmaps, should-cost models, and long-term agreements.</li> <li>Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, ITAR, export compliance, and government contracting requirements.</li> <li>Experience working with design engineering and suppliers to improve manufacturability, reduce cost, and resolve technical issues.</li> <li>Experience supporting both prototype and production environments with aggressive schedule and delivery requirements.</li> <li>Knowledge of supplier capacity planning, tooling strategies, production readiness, and rate-ramp requirements.</li> <li>APICS/ASCM, CPSM, CPSD, PMP, or another relevant professional certification.</li> </div>