Director of Supply Chain

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.About the CompanyKodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.About the RoleWe are looking for a Director of Supply Chain to manage and scale our end-to-end supply chain function. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for planning, procurement, inventory management, contract manufacturing, warehouse operations, and supply chain finances and compliance. While driving the supply chain for all suppliers, they will strongly partner with Kodiak’s Partnership team, which owns strategic relationships with key OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. This leader will be accountable for establishing a robust supply chain control environment, ensuring real-time visibility into material status, and enabling accurate tracking of purchases through allocation to specific vehicle builds. You will build the processes, team, and infrastructure needed to take us from producing tens of finished units per year to hundreds and ultimately thousands—while driving continuous cost reduction and operational excellence. This role requires a hands-on leader with demonstrated experience successfully operating in a public company environment, including strong partnership with Accounting and Finance to support compliance, audit readiness, and accurate financial reporting (including CIP accounting). This role also requires a high level of responsiveness and ownership, with the ability to quickly identify, communicate, and resolve supply chain issues.Key ResponsibilitiesSupply Chain Strategy & LeadershipOwn end-to-end supply chain strategy, performance, and risk management across a multi-tiered, outsourced manufacturing modelBuild and lead a high-performing supply chain organization spanning planning, procurement, inventory management, and manufacturing/contract manufacturer oversightDevelop and execute the roadmap to scale supply chain operations from low-volume to high-volume productionServe as the primary supply chain interface with Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Operations, and Commercialization teamsEstablish and enforce a strong internal control environment across all supply chain activities, including procurement, inventory tracking, and vendor managementDrive accountability, responsiveness, and execution rigor across the supply chain function, setting clear expectations for communication and deliveryDrive a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies to improve quality, reduce lead times, and eliminate wastePlanning & Demand ManagementLead S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) and demand planning processes to align supply with customer commitments and sales forecastsOwn master production scheduling, inventory targets, and risk mitigation planningDrive system-based planning through SAP MRPEnsure accurate, system-driven visibility into material requirements, purchase order status, and supply risks at any point in time, including the ability to clearly report status of open purchase orders and allocation to specific vehicle buildsManage excess and obsolete inventory exposure; own E&O review cadence and disposition decisionsProcurement & Vendor ManagementDevelop and execute supplier strategy, including selection, onboarding, and performance management for both domestic and global suppliersCoordinate with the Partnerships team on suppliers with strategic commercial relationships, ensuring alignment on commercial terms and relationship ownershipManage commodity strategy across electronics, mechanical, and automotive componentsPerform supplier qualifications, audits and drive continuous improvementNegotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers and contract manufacturersOversee tactical purchasing execution and ensure procurement processes are compliant with internal controls, audit requirements, and public company standards, including approval workflows and system-based controls within SAPManage the flow of consigned materials to contract manufacturers and coordinate multi-tier sub-assembly builds across the supply baseContract Manufacturing & Upfit OperationsOwn the strategy and day-to-day management of contract manufacturers who build sub-assemblies from a combination of procured and consigned componentsCoordinate the complex flow of components and sub-assemblies across multiple contract manufacturers, culminating in final integration at the upfitter or OEMEnsure traceability of components and sub-assemblies through to final vehicle allocation and build completionPartner with Engineering on new product introduction (NPI), design-for-manufacturability, and prototype-to-production transitionsManage build plans, manufacturing engineering support, and in-house labor/build activities as neededInventory, Warehouse & LogisticsOversee warehouse management, including receiving, storage, cycle counts, logistics, and reverse logisticsEnsure inventory accuracy and compliance through physical controls and system-controlled transactions (SAP), including support of the reconciliation between physical, system, and financial recordsStrengthen working capital management and inventory valuation processes in partnership with finance and accountingFinancial & Compliance AccountabilityOwn the financial performance of the supply chain function, including cost reduction targets and working capital optimizationPartner with FP&A on supply chain planning, BOM analysis, and forecasting, including alignment to financial plans.Partner with accounting on inventory valuation, allocations, write-downs, and deployment accountingEnsure timely, accurate, and audit-ready reporting aligned with public company requirements and SOX-compliant processesLead recurring inventory counts and ensure timely resolution of discrepanciesEnsure compliance with company procurement policies, GAAP inventory requirements, and applicable trade/import regulations for global sourcingDrive year-over-year cost reductions through supplier negotiations, design collaboration, and process improvementsCommercial & Customer SupportSupport the Commercialization and Sales teams by ensuring supply availability aligns with customer delivery commitmentsProvide clear, real-time updates on order status, supply risks, and allocation of materials to specific vehicle programs with a high standard for responsiveness and accuracyProvide supply chain data, lead times, and capacity information to support customer-facing communications and proposalsKey role in S&OP to balance demand signals against supply constraints and optimize delivery timelinesQualificationsRequired12+ years of progressive supply chain leadership experience, including 5+ years in a senior management or director-level roleProven experience leading a supply chain function within a public company environment, including exposure to audit, controls, and financial reporting requirementsDemonstrated experience scaling manufacturing or supply chain operations from low-volume/prototype to high-volume production in a hardware or electro-mechanical product environmentDemonstrated ability to both build supply chain functions from early-stage/immature processes and optimize established operationsDeep experience managing outsourced/contract manufacturing models with multi-tier supplier networks, including consignment and complex sub-assembly flowsStrong background in procurement, commodity management, and supplier negotiations across both domestic and international supply basesStrong understanding of supply chain control environments, including segregation of duties, approval workflows, and system-based controlsExperience with S&OP processes, demand planning, MRP/ERP systems (SAP strongly preferred), and inventory management best practicesProven track record of delivering continuous cost reductions and process improvements (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent)Strong financial acumen; experience owning supply chain P&L and balance sheet elements, BOM cost management, and working capital targets including experience with CIP accounting and cost tracking for labor and overheadExperience ensuring compliance with procurement policies, inventory accounting standards (GAAP), and trade/import regulationsBachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related fieldPreferredExperience in autonomous vehicles, automotive, aerospace, robotics, or related advanced hardware industriesHands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA (Public Cloud strongly preferred)Familiarity with vehicle OEM, upfit, retrofit, or aftermarket integration processesMBA or advanced degreeAPICS (CSCP/CPIM), ISM (CPSM), or equivalent professional certificationExperience working in a high-growth, venture-backed, or startup-to-scale environmentExperience supporting NPI and design-for-manufacturability initiatives in close partnership with EngineeringThe pay range listed below reflects the base salaryin our SF/Silicon Valley location,across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits packageCalifornia Pay Range$190,000—$245,000 USDAt Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process, we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team, and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1, 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed (here)(). By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application, please contact with "Separate Review Request" in the email subject line.