Summary The Procurement and Program Lead supports procurement, planning, and program development by leveraging aerospace manufacturing experience, supplier management, and inventory control strategies. This role serves as a key link between Procurement, Engineering, and Manufacturing, ensuring successful supplier performance and smooth transition of new products into production.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Supplier Manufacturing & Quality Support
- Act as the primary technical interface with suppliers regarding manufacturing challenges and new vendor development
- Collaborate with Design Engineering to ensure efficient transition from design to manufacturing
- Conduct supplier capability and risk assessments, including on-site and remote evaluations
- Evaluate supplier manufacturing processes such as machining, heat treatment, coatings, inspection, and metrology
- Support Quality and Engineering teams in resolving supplier nonconformances
- Identify recurring supplier risks and implement corrective actions to prevent delays
Procurement & Delivery Support
- Lead Purchasing Team to successfully procure all required products
- Support workload balancing and team development within procurement
- Assist expediting efforts by addressing root causes of delivery delays
- Support supplier selection and sourcing decisions from both technical and commercial perspectives
- Review supplier quotes for alignment with engineering drawings and specifications
- Provide technical input to pricing, sourcing, and inventory planning
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
- Serve as a technical bridge between Procurement, Quality, Engineering, Operations, and Planning
- Provide manufacturing input to improve lead times and delivery reliability
- Resolve supplier technical issues at the working level to reduce escalation
- Support supplier development and process improvement initiatives
- Reinforce procurement standards, quality expectations, and supplier accountability
Competencies
- Leadership – Leads teams and drives procurement and supplier performance
- Communication – Communicates clearly with suppliers and internal stakeholders
- Dependability – Maintains accountability and follows through on commitments
- Initiative – Proactively identifies and resolves issues
- Teamwork – Works effectively across cross-functional teams
- Work Quality – Ensures accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement
- Problem Solving – Analyzes issues and implements effective solutions
- Planning & Organization – Manages priorities, timelines, and resources effectively
Education, Experience & Certification
- High School diploma or equivalent required.
- Hands‑on experience in an aerospace manufacturing environment required.
- Strong ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications required.
- Minimum 3–5 years of leadership experience required.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States (U.S. citizenship required).
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or related field preferred.
Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes (machining, heat treatment, coatings, inspection, etc.)
- Experience supporting supplier quality, corrective actions, and issue resolution
- Ability to work with both technical and non‑technical teams
- Experience with ERP systems and Microsoft Office tools
- Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills
- Ability to support supplier selection, sourcing, and procurement strategies
- Ability to manage supplier relationships and performance
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to travel as required
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in AS9100 and/or ISO9001 environments
- Experience with supplier audits and manufacturing capability assessments
- Exposure to lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement tools
- Experience working across engineering, procurement, and supply chain functions