Global Sourcing Manager, Aircraft Composites

About the role

The Global Sourcing Manager, Aircraft Composites is the domain expert for the composites commodities for Anduril Industries and is responsible for owning the end-to-end sourcing strategy and execution for all composite materials and related manufacturing services. This role drives supplier development, ensures supply chain resilience, and directly supports the delivery of critical components for defense technology products. The hire will proactively identify and qualify new supplier partnerships that can be integrated into current and future product lines while enhancing technology, cost efficiency, and quality. Close collaboration with engineering, contract manufacturers, and cross-functional stakeholders is central to defining specifications, negotiating agreements, and aligning on strategic sourcing roadmaps. This position requires a disciplined, data-driven approach to manage supplier performance, mitigate risks, and lead continuous improvement initiatives across the composites supply chain.

Key facts

What you'll do

Develop and execute commodity strategies for composites, focusing on cost reduction, quality improvement, and supply chain resilience.

Exercise end-to-end responsibility for delivering quality parts, on schedule, at the target cost, while maintaining high reliability.

Act as the primary sourcing expert for composites manufacturing, providing technical and commercial leadership.

Lead the preparation and evaluation of Requests for Information, Quotations, and Proposals to identify optimal supplier solutions.

Own the business relationship with external contract manufacturers, ensuring continuity of supply, managing risks, and executing cost negotiations.

Partner closely with the Engineering team and Contract Manufacturers to influence technical design specifications and customize product and manufacturing requirements.

Perform detailed analysis of quote submissions, breaking down costs across the supply chain to make data-driven decisions based on Total Cost of Ownership.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support prototype timelines, execute against build milestones, and manage sourcing activities from concept to production.

Influence contract manufacturer manufacturing processes, capital expenditures, and technology decisions to align with Anduril objectives.

Negotiate comprehensive agreements with suppliers to establish best-in-class pricing, quality standards, delivery flexibility, payment terms, warranty, and service level agreements.

Work collaboratively within the organization, negotiating tradeoffs, soliciting cooperation, resolving problems, and advancing new supplier or product offerings.

Provide strong technical direction within the specific commodity areas, guiding product strategy throughout the entire lifecycle from concept to scale.

Manage and lead operations efforts related to developing new capabilities and adapting existing technologies for application within Anduril.

Develop and execute commercial agreements that accurately reflect project expectations, including cost structures, lead times, production schedules, manufacturing capacities, and risk allocations.

Conduct regular technology reviews and present findings and recommendations to executive staff and management stakeholders.

Own supplier performance management for assigned commodities, tracking and improving key metrics related to delivery, quality, cost, and innovation.

Act as the primary escalation point for issues related to assigned commodities, coordinating responses and solutions across stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, engineering, or other related technical field.

Possess a minimum of 3+ years of experience in supply chain commodity management within composites manufacturing and/or sourcing engineering roles.

Demonstrate the ability to travel up to 50% of the time as required for business needs.

Show willingness and capacity to relocate if not already located in the Costa Mesa, CA area to fulfill onsite requirements.

Nice to have

Preference will be given to candidates holding a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or metallurgical/materials engineering.

Prior professional experience within defense, aerospace, automotive, high tech, or closely related industries is highly valued.

Strong proficiency in conducting Total Cost of Ownership analysis to support data-driven decision-making for component and supplier selection.

A strategic mindset with proven experience developing commodity strategies and roadmaps in collaboration with engineering and technical teams.

Demonstrated leadership skills in driving cross-functional alignment and influencing teams toward shared objectives.

Flexibility to wear multiple roles and act as a strong team player to advance project and company goals.

Ability to seamlessly collaborate across diverse functional areas to remove obstacles and maintain project momentum.

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense Top Secret security clearance as required by role responsibilities.

Practical notes

This role operates within standard business hours with the expectation of occasional travel and potential flexibility to meet project demands. International candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship for this position at this time, and existing employees are subject to internal transfer policies. All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of background checks and, where applicable, security clearance verification. The role requires collaboration with regulated defense partners, making adherence to compliance and confidentiality standards essential.