We are seeking an experienced Strategic Sourcing Manager to lead commodity strategy and supplier management within the Aerospace and Defense manufacturing sector. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies across all sites for raw materials, equipment, consumables, COTS hardware, and outside processing, ensuring optimal cost, quality, and delivery performance as the business rapidly expands its manufacturing footprint.
This is a highly cross-functional role that partners closely with pre-sales engineering, quality, and operations teams from the earliest stages of a program to align supplier capabilities with program requirements. This individual will own key supplier relationships end to end, from selection and onboarding through executive-level escalation, and will travel domestically and internationally to meet with suppliers.
The ideal candidate combines deep commodity expertise with sharp negotiation skills and thrives in a fast-paced, rapid-growth manufacturing environment.
Location: Torrance, CA
Travel: Up to 25%, domestic and international, to meet with suppliers
Citizenship: U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual required, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations (role involves ITAR-controlled data)
Key Responsibilities
- Lead sourcing efforts for assigned commodities, including supplier identification, selection, and onboarding.
- Develop and execute creative commodity strategies and commercial deals to achieve best-in-class cost, supply, and quality performance.
- Negotiate master supply agreements and statements of work to secure optimal terms.
- Build strong relationships with supplier executive teams and own the escalation path.
- Monitor global supplier performance against defined metrics and lead regular supplier business reviews.
- Partner with pre-sales engineering on early program engagement to confirm technical requirements are met, the right capability exists in the supply base, and supplier selection aligns with commodity strategy.
- Ensure accurate purchasing across the global ERP system.
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risk, including potential points of failure.
- Work with the supplier development team to build supplier capability and technology roadmaps with supplier executive backing.
- Develop supply chain strategy for new sites, assessing which capabilities should be local versus global.
- Perform make-versus-buy analysis and recommend where to invest in internal capability.
- Analyze long-term demand to build future supply chain capacity and capability plans.
- Travel to supplier sites to support negotiations, business reviews, and issue resolution.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
Experience
- 8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing and commodity management.
- Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems, including experience developing system requirements.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings.
- Proven track record negotiating supplier agreements and managing supplier relationships.
- Aerospace or automotive manufacturing experience is a plus.
Desired Skills
- Exceptional negotiator who builds trust with suppliers at every level, up to the executive team.
- Able to switch between meticulous attention to detail and big-picture strategic thinking.
- Stays focused and makes sound decisions under pressure.
- Comfortable working through ambiguity in a rapid-growth environment.
- Ownership mindset with the drive to see complex supply chain issues through to resolution.
Technical Competencies
- Commodity strategy and management
- Supplier identification, selection, and onboarding
- Contract negotiation, including:
- Master supply agreements
- Statements of work
- Commercial, trade, and legal terms
- Supplier performance metrics and business reviews
- Supply chain risk management
- Make-versus-buy analysis
- Long-term demand and capacity planning
- Engineering drawing interpretation
Software Proficiency
- ERP/MRP systems, including purchasing and requirements development
Preferred Background
Candidates with aerospace or automotive manufacturing experience, especially in rapid-growth, fast-paced environments, are highly encouraged to apply. Knowledge of AS9100 standards and export control regulations, proven capability in complex contract negotiations, and direct experience in long-term capacity planning are particularly valuable. Deep commodity expertise in raw materials (metals), surface finishing (such as anodizing), or CapEx is a strong plus.