Supply Chain Management Lead

Supply Chain Management Lead

Function: Supply Chain / Operations

Position Level: Lead / Senior-Level Individual Contributor

Industry: Aerospace & Defense

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Supply Chain Management Lead to provide hands-on leadership and execution across material planning, procurement, supplier management, inventory, and program supply chain activities at our client’s site.

The Supply Chain Management Lead will work closely with Program Management, Engineering, Manufacturing/Operations, Quality, Contracts, Finance, and suppliers to ensure material and services are available when required to support program schedules, production requirements, customer commitments, and cost objectives.

This individual will serve as a key supply chain focal point for assigned programs or business operations, identifying supply risks, driving supplier performance, resolving material constraints, and establishing disciplined supply chain processes and metrics.

The ideal candidate combines strong aerospace/defense supply chain experience with the ability to operate tactically when necessary while driving longer-term improvements in planning, sourcing, supplier performance, and supply chain execution.

Security Clearance Requirements

A DoD secret clearance or better is required.

Key Responsibilities

Supply Chain Leadership & Program Execution

• Lead supply chain execution for assigned programs, projects, or product lines from planning through delivery.
• Translate program schedules, forecasts, bills of material, and production requirements into executable material and procurement plans.
• Establish priorities and coordinate supply chain activities to support program milestones and customer delivery commitments.
• Serve as the primary supply chain interface with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Contracts, and Finance.
• Identify material and supplier constraints early and develop recovery or mitigation plans before they impact program schedules.
• Lead regular material and supply chain status reviews and communicate risks, priorities, and required actions to program and functional leadership.

Material Planning & Inventory Management

• Develop and maintain material plans aligned with program schedules and production requirements.
• Monitor material availability, shortages, long-lead items, inventory levels, and open purchase commitments.
• Establish and maintain appropriate ERP/MRP planning parameters, including lead times, order quantities, safety stock, and purchasing requirements.
• Identify excess, obsolete, and at-risk inventory and develop disposition or mitigation strategies.
• Support make/buy analysis and material strategies for new and existing programs.
• Drive improved material availability while balancing inventory and working-capital objectives.

Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

• Lead or support sourcing activities for critical materials, components, assemblies, and services.
• Develop sourcing strategies that balance cost, quality, delivery, technical capability, and supply-chain risk.
• Support RFQ/RFP development, supplier evaluations, negotiations, source selection, and purchase/subcontract awards.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, supplier consolidation, alternate sourcing, and improved commercial terms.
• Partner with Procurement and Contracts to ensure appropriate contractual requirements and customer flow-downs are incorporated into supplier agreements.

Supplier Management

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with key suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance against delivery, quality, cost, technical, and responsiveness requirements.
• Lead supplier recovery efforts when performance threatens program milestones.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and coordinate corrective-action plans as required.
• Identify supply-base risks including capacity limitations, sole-source dependencies, long-lead materials, obsolescence, and financial or operational concerns.
• Develop alternate-source and risk-mitigation strategies for critical materials and suppliers.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure supply chain activities comply with company procedures, customer requirements, and applicable government contracting requirements.
• Maintain working knowledge of FAR/DFARS requirements, customer flow-downs, and procurement documentation requirements.
• Support procurement and subcontract documentation necessary for internal reviews, customer audits, and CPSR readiness.
• Coordinate with Contracts, Quality, and other functional organizations to address regulatory, contractual, quality, and supplier compliance requirements.
• Support applicable ITAR/EAR and supplier cybersecurity requirements.

Process Improvement & Performance Management

• Develop and maintain meaningful supply chain KPIs and management reporting.
• Track measures such as material availability, supplier on-time delivery, shortages, purchase-order aging, lead time, inventory, purchase price variance, and supplier quality.
• Analyze supply chain data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Standardize supply chain processes, work instructions, reporting, and operating rhythms where appropriate.
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives focused on reducing lead times, improving supplier performance, increasing material availability, and improving procurement efficiency.
• Support implementation and optimization of ERP/MRP and supply chain planning tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field;
  equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Typically 8–12+ years of progressive supply chain, procurement, materials, or manufacturing experience, preferably within aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex aerospace/defense programs, production operations, or engineer-to-order environments.
• Strong knowledge of procurement, material planning, supplier management, inventory management, and supply chain risk management.
• Working knowledge of FAR/DFARS and government-contracting procurement requirements.
• Experience working within ERP/MRP environments and using system data to drive material and procurement decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex suppliers and resolve cost, schedule, quality, and delivery issues.
• Strong analytical capabilities with proficiency in Microsoft Excel and supply chain reporting/analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Program Management, Contracts, Finance, and Procurement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate supply chain issues and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment and independently drive issues through resolution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior aerospace and defense manufacturing experience.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government/DoD programs.
• Experience with complex subcontracts and high-value supplier negotiations.
• Familiarity with CPSR requirements and procurement/subcontract file compliance.
• Experience with AS9100 environments and aerospace supplier quality requirements.
• Knowledge of ITAR/EAR and applicable supplier cybersecurity requirements.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous-improvement methodologies.
• Professional supply chain certification such as CPSM, CPIM, CSCP, or CPM.
• Experience establishing or improving supply chain processes within a growing or transforming organization.

Key Success Measures

Success in this position will be demonstrated through:

• Material availability aligned with program and production schedules.
• Improved supplier on-time delivery and quality performance.
• Reduction in critical material shortages and supplier-related schedule disruptions.
• Effective identification and mitigation of supply chain risks.
• Improved inventory and working-capital performance.
• Achievement of sourcing and cost-reduction objectives.
• Accurate and actionable supply chain metrics and forecasts.
• Strong cross-functional coordination and timely resolution of program supply chain issues.
• Consistent compliance with procurement, contractual, and regulatory requirements.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a hands-on aerospace supply chain leader who is equally comfortable developing a supplier strategy, analyzing an MRP shortage report, negotiating with a critical supplier, leading a material review with Program Management, and driving corrective actions to protect a customer delivery.

This role requires someone who can move between strategy and execution—bringing structure and discipline to the supply chain while personally driving resolution of the issues that affect program cost, schedule, quality, and delivery.

Location

Primary location is Tampa, FL. Some remote work is possible and the client is willing to pay travel to work on-site.

POP

1 base year

Pay (Range: hourly or annual salary)

$129.5/hour or $270,000/year

Reference ID (O number from TOD)

O-016510.01

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