Senior Sourcing Specialist

About the role

You drive procurement for aerospace and defense hardware by sourcing and qualifying suppliers for machined, fabricated, and composite components. You analyze costs, negotiate terms, and manage supplier performance to ensure on-time delivery of compliant hardware. You partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality to resolve supply chain issues and maintain production schedules.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Own sourcing and procurement of mechanical commodities including machined parts, sheet metal, welded assemblies, structural composites, fasteners, hardware, castings, forgings, and other fabricated components supporting aerospace and defense programs, conducting risk assessments to evaluate supplier capability and reliability.
• Identify, qualify, onboard, and manage suppliers capable of meeting cost, quality, delivery, and technical requirements for prototype, development, and production builds, while maintaining supplier performance metrics and driving corrective actions.
• Request and evaluate supplier quotations, perform cost analyses, negotiate pricing and lead times, and execute purchase orders and long-term agreements, ensuring commercial terms align with program needs and risk profiles.
• Partner with Engineering to review drawings, specifications, GD&T, manufacturing requirements, and engineering changes to confirm suppliers can successfully manufacture and deliver compliant hardware, and to resolve technical or process gaps.
• Manage supplier performance by tracking delivery, quality, responsiveness, and capacity while driving corrective actions and continuous improvement, supported by ERP/MRP data and trend analysis.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) by ensuring material readiness, supplier capacity, and manufacturing feasibility for mechanical components, coordinating qualification activities such as First Article Inspection (FAI) and PPAP where applicable.
• Work cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Quality, Supplier Quality, Planning, and Program Management to resolve supply chain issues, expedite critical hardware, and maintain production schedules through timely communication and follow-up.
• Coordinate First Article Inspection (FAI), PPAP (where applicable), AS9100 compliance, and qualification activities with suppliers and internal stakeholders to validate processes and materials.
• Monitor supply risks, capacity constraints, and long-lead materials while developing mitigation plans to support uninterrupted production and minimize operational impact.
• Maintain accurate ERP data including supplier information, lead times, pricing, sourcing decisions, and purchasing documentation to ensure transparency and audit readiness.
• Continuously identify opportunities for cost savings, lead time reduction, process improvements, and supplier consolidation, applying structured cost analysis and negotiation techniques.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field, or demonstrate an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Bring 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, purchasing, or supply chain management supporting mechanical commodities within aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing precision machined components to quality and compliance standards.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing sheet metal fabrications to design and production requirements.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing welded assemblies ensuring structural integrity and process compliance.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing structural components meeting specification and regulatory expectations.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing castings and forgings with awareness of material traceability and quality controls.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing fasteners and hardware including inventory and handling considerations.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing composites to manufacturing and quality standards.
• Demonstrate experience sourcing tubes and fittings to system and interface requirements.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, bills of material (BOMs), and manufacturing specifications to validate supplier proposals and capabilities.
• Experience negotiating pricing, lead times, and commercial terms with suppliers while balancing cost, quality, and delivery objectives in regulated contexts.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of manufacturing processes such as CNC machining, welding, fabrication, finishing, heat treat, plating, and assembly relevant to supplier assessments.
• Show familiarity with AS9100 quality systems, First Article Inspection (FAI), and supplier qualification processes to ensure audit readiness.
• Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills to manage multiple suppliers and priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Planning, and Program Management across distributed workflows.
• Use ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Excel for procurement, supplier management, and data analysis to maintain accurate records and insights.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting defense or aerospace programs to navigate regulatory and quality requirements efficiently.
• Familiarity with DFARS, FAR, and ITAR and export compliance requirements to manage documentation and controls.
• Experience managing suppliers through engineering changes, new product introductions, and production ramp-ups to minimize disruptions.
• Knowledge of cost drivers for machining, fabrication, welding, composites, and structural manufacturing to support analysis and negotiations.
• APICS/ASCM, CPSM, or CPSD certification to reinforce knowledge of supply chain best practices.
• Experience supporting both prototype and production environments with aggressive schedule requirements to balance risk and delivery.

Engineering methods

• sourcing
• purchasing
• supply chain management
• strategic sourcing
• supplier qualification
• supplier management
• cost analysis
• negotiation
• ERP
• MRP
• Microsoft Excel
• AS9100
• FAI
• PPAP
• DFARS
• FAR
• ITAR
• export compliance
• CPSM
• CPSD
• APICS
• Hivemind
• V-BAT
• X-BAT
• Aechelon

Relevant systems

Hivemind

V-BAT

X-BAT

Aechelon

Practical notes

clearance

onsite