Strategic Program & Sourcing Lead

About the job Strategic Program & Sourcing Lead


Strategic Program & Sourcing Lead

Recruiting Heroes LLC
Location: Columbus, Ohio | On-Site or Remote
Compensation: $100,000+ Commission
Job Type: Full-Time

About the Opportunity

Recruiting Heroes is seeking a highly motivated Strategic Program & Sourcing Lead for a growing aviation and aerospace company supporting mission-critical sustainment, sourcing, procurement, and customer support operations.

This is a high-impact opportunity for an aerospace, aviation, defense, sustainment, procurement, program management, account management, or supply chain professional who can operate independently, manage complex priorities, build strong supplier and customer relationships, and help drive execution of a major aviation sustainment program.

The ideal candidate will have experience working in aviation, aerospace, defense, government contracting, military sustainment, MRO, OEM, aftermarket support, procurement, sourcing, or operational execution.

Position Summary

The Strategic Program & Sourcing Lead will support and lead day-to-day execution of a major aviation sustainment program while driving strategic sourcing, supplier engagement, customer coordination, procurement execution, and operational performance.

This role combines elements of program management, strategic sourcing, account management, procurement, supplier management, customer relationship management, and operational leadership. The successful candidate will operate at the intersection of aerospace sustainment, government customer support, supplier engagement, contract execution, and strategic growth.

This individual must be comfortable managing program priorities, coordinating with internal departments, communicating with government and aerospace customers, tracking supplier performance, supporting RFQs and procurement activity, and helping leadership maintain visibility into program performance.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management & Operational Leadership

• Manage day-to-day execution of aviation sustainment program requirements, priorities, schedules, and operational needs.
• Coordinate with Purchasing, Logistics, Finance, Contracts, Receiving, and Leadership teams to support smooth program execution.
• Support government and customer communications while maintaining strong working relationships.
• Monitor delivery schedules, supplier performance, purchase orders, operational risks, and program milestones.
• Drive proactive issue resolution, escalation management, and follow-up across internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain organized program documentation, schedules, reports, records, and operational tracking tools.
• Support leadership with program analysis, operational reporting, execution metrics, and performance updates.
• Ensure program activities remain aligned with contract deliverables, customer expectations, and internal business objectives.

Strategic Sourcing & Procurement

• Support sourcing efforts for military aviation sustainment material, aircraft components, and related aerospace requirements.
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships across OEMs, MROs, distributors, repair stations, and alternate sources.
• Analyze market pricing, historical trends, lead times, availability, supplier performance, and sourcing opportunities.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, procurement packages, supplier terms, and vendor commitments.
• Support RFQ strategy, bids, solicitations, sourcing plans, and procurement execution activities.
• Identify alternate sourcing strategies to improve delivery performance, reduce risk, and protect margins.
• Ensure procured components meet quality, documentation, contractual, and customer requirements.
• Maintain procurement records, purchase orders, invoices, supplier documentation, and sourcing data.

Government Account & Customer Relationship Management

• Serve as an account manager for government, aerospace, and aviation customers.
• Manage customer relationships, contracts, program expectations, and long-term account support.
• Interface professionally with USAF, DoD, OEM, supplier, sustainment, and customer personnel.
• Support modification requests, delivery extensions, cancellations, alternate part approvals, and customer updates.
• Maintain clear communication with internal and external stakeholders regarding program status, execution priorities, delivery timelines, and sourcing challenges.
• Represent the company professionally in customer-facing and supplier-facing interactions.

Reporting & Systems Management

• Use ERP, CRM, AvSight, Excel-based reporting tools, and operational systems to manage program activities.
• Create and maintain reports, dashboards, forecasts, trackers, and operational visibility tools.
• Monitor data accuracy, shipment status, promise dates, purchase order status, delivery timelines, inventory-related information, and supplier updates.
• Support business analysis, forecasting, sourcing strategy, and operational planning activities.
• Maintain organized and accurate records to support leadership visibility, customer communication, and program execution.

Required Qualifications

• Must be a United States citizen.
• 2 to 8+ years of experience in aviation, aerospace, defense, sustainment, procurement, supply chain, account management, program management, or a related operational environment.
• Prior experience running or coordinating programs, customer accounts, contracts, procurement activities, sourcing efforts, or operational execution.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills.
• Experience managing contracts and maintaining customer or supplier relationships.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Excel-based reporting tools.
• Experience using ERP, CRM, AvSight, Quantum, or similar operational systems.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision while maintaining high accountability.
• Strong problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making skills.
• Professional written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting the U.S. Government within the aviation sector.
• Experience supporting commercial airlines through aftermarket or direct support solutions.
• Familiarity with military aviation, commercial aviation, and broader aerospace sustainment programs.
• Defense, USAF, DoD, or government contract experience.
• Aerospace aftermarket or MRO experience.
• FAA Part 145 familiarity.
• OEM experience in the aviation sector.
• Experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, or vendor negotiation.
• Familiarity with GovWin, SAM.gov, Boeing Fleet, ILS, or related aerospace systems.
• Experience building supplier, OEM, MRO, distributor, repair station, or aerospace industry relationships.

Ideal Candidate Background

This role may be a strong fit for candidates with experience in:

• Aviation program management
• Aerospace sustainment
• Defense procurement
• Strategic sourcing
• Government contracting
• Military aviation logistics
• Aerospace supply chain
• Military aircraft support
• MRO operations
• OEM supplier management
• Aviation aftermarket support
• Aircraft parts procurement
• Customer account management
• Contract coordination
• Operational leadership
• Supplier development
• Aviation maintenance or logistics support

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is someone who understands the pace and complexity of aviation sustainment. This person can manage competing priorities, communicate clearly with government and aerospace customers, work closely with suppliers, and keep internal teams aligned around program execution.

This company is looking for someone who is not only capable of managing current program requirements, but also able to identify sourcing opportunities, strengthen supplier relationships, improve operational visibility, protect margins, and contribute to long-term growth.

Compensation

This role offers a compensation package of $100,000+ commission , based on experience, qualifications, and overall fit for the position.

Work Location

This position is based in Columbus, Ohio , with potential for on-site or remote work depending on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and business needs.