Director of Materials and Supply Chain

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Director of Materials and Supply Chain to lead and develop the materials and supply-chain function within our growing electronics manufacturing organization.

This senior leadership position will develop the strategies, supplier relationships, systems, processes, and team needed to support the company’s continued growth. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can think strategically while remaining actively involved in daily execution.

The Director of Materials and Supply Chain will build an agile, disciplined, and scalable organization that supports both repetitive production programs and fast-moving New Product Introduction (NPI) opportunities in an electronics contract manufacturing environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Supply-Chain Strategy and Leadership

• Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute the company’s materials, procurement, sourcing, inventory, and supply-chain strategy.
• Establish scalable systems and processes that support organizational growth and evolving customer requirements.
• Develop strategies that balance material availability, customer responsiveness, inventory investment, cost, and supply-chain risk.
• Establish key performance indicators and reporting for supplier performance, procurement, quoting, inventory, material availability, and purchase price variance.
• Build and lead a responsive, high-performing procurement, materials planning, and quoting organization.
• Establish departmental roles, responsibilities, workflows, and performance expectations.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and develop Materials and Supply Chain team members as the organization grows.

Supplier Development and Strategic Sourcing

• Develop strong relationships with key suppliers, including franchised electronic component distributors, PCB manufacturers, custom component manufacturers, and other non-COTS suppliers.
• Establish preferred and strategic supplier partnerships that improve pricing, lead times, payment terms, responsiveness, allocation priority, and supply continuity.
• Identify and qualify suppliers based on quality, delivery, cost, capability, responsiveness, financial stability, and supply-chain risk.
• Build a supplier network capable of supporting both quick-turn NPI requirements and long-term production programs.
• Proactively identify sourcing challenges, lifecycle concerns, and other risks before they affect production schedules or customer commitments.

Procurement and Commercial Negotiations

• Lead negotiations for electronic components, PCBs, custom materials, mechanical parts, services, and capital equipment.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, minimum order quantities, cancellation provisions, rescheduling flexibility, stocking arrangements, and other commercial terms.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, supplier consolidation, purchasing leverage, and improved working-capital performance.
• Develop effective processes for managing material cost changes and purchase price variance.

Materials Quoting

• Develop a fast, accurate, and consistent materials-quoting process for both production and NPI opportunities.
• Utilize Luminovo and other quoting tools to improve speed, accuracy, and visibility.
• Partner with Sales and senior leadership to provide accurate and timely material costs for customer quotations.
• Identify long lead-time components, sourcing challenges, lifecycle concerns, and supply-chain risks early in the quotation process.

ERP, Planning, and Inventory Management

• Serve as a key leader in the development and utilization of the company’s ERP/MRP system for purchasing, planning, inventory, costing, and production support.
• Develop effective workflows between the ERP system, Luminovo, supplier information, customer demand, and internal operations.
• Establish accurate and disciplined materials data and transaction processes.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes, improve visibility, and reduce unnecessary manual activities.
• Develop materials-planning processes that support firm orders, forecasts, repetitive production, and one-time or quick-turn requirements.
• Establish inventory strategies that balance customer service, material availability, lead-time risk, and working-capital requirements.
• Develop processes for managing shortages, safety stock, minimum order quantities, excess and obsolete inventory, customer-owned and consigned material, engineering changes, and component obsolescence.

Production and NPI Support

• Develop distinct materials strategies for repetitive manufacturing and NPI or quick-turn opportunities.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Sales, Finance, and Program Management to ensure material readiness.
• Proactively communicate material risks that could affect production schedules or customer commitments.
• Establish effective processes for transitioning successful NPI programs into controlled, repetitive production.

Qualifications and Experience

• Significant leadership experience in materials management, procurement, purchasing, strategic sourcing, or supply chain within an electronics manufacturing environment.
• Electronics Manufacturing Services or contract manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of the electronic-component distribution marketplace, including franchised and non-franchised distribution.
• Experience sourcing electronic components, PCBs, custom components, mechanical parts, and other non-COTS materials.
• Demonstrated success negotiating strategic supplier agreements and favorable commercial terms.
• Experience building, leading, and developing Materials, Procurement, or Supply Chain teams.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, materials planning, inventory management, and procurement processes.
• Experience with electronic BOM quoting and materials-quotation tools; Luminovo experience is preferred.
• Experience supporting both NPI and repetitive manufacturing programs.
• Strong commercial and financial judgment.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, negotiation, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Hands-on, entrepreneurial leadership style with the ability to succeed in a rapidly growing and evolving organization.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Equivalent combinations of education and relevant professional experience may be considered.

Benefits

PICA Product Development offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:

• Competitive wages based on experience
• 401(k) plan
• 401(k) profit sharing
• Competitive health insurance options
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) available with select insurance plans
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time
• Paid gym membership
• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement
• Ongoing training and development

 

Why Join Us?

This position offers the opportunity to build and shape materials and supply-chain organization during an important stage of company growth. The Director of Materials and Supply Chain will have a significant voice in developing our supplier network, procurement strategy, quoting processes, ERP workflows, inventory strategy, and overall supply-chain infrastructure.

The successful candidate will work directly with