Manager, Supplier Operations & Governance

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add a Manager, Supplier Operations & Governance to our team. In this role you will lead the company's supplier governance function, overseeing supplier qualification, Approved Supplier List (ASL) management, due diligence, compliance, risk management, and supplier performance across the supply base. This role establishes team priorities, manages resources, develops supply chain professionals, and implements supplier governance processes that support supply continuity, manufacturing requirements, and organizational growth. The Manager evaluates supplier capabilities, operational risks, compliance requirements, and performance trends to strengthen supplier reliability, improve governance practices, and support business objectives.

This position requires an experienced supply chain leader with advanced knowledge of supplier management, qualification processes, compliance requirements, and operational improvement methodologies. The Manager partners cross-functionally with Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Compliance, Enterprise Systems, and other business functions to resolve complex supplier challenges, improve supplier performance, and establish scalable governance practices that strengthen operational effectiveness.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the enterprise Approved Supplier List (ASL), including supplier qualification standards, approval workflows, requalification requirements, data integrity, and governance practices.
• Establish standardized supplier onboarding, qualification, approval, and exit procedures with documented decision criteria, responsibilities, and escalation requirements.
• Coordinate cross-functional supplier approval reviews with Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Engineering, and Compliance to ensure decisions reflect documented qualifications and risk assessments.
• Oversee supplier due diligence, site assessments, capability reviews, and operational readiness evaluations to assess manufacturing capacity, compliance, and supply continuity risks.
• Evaluate supplier certifications, regulatory obligations, contractual requirements, and operational risks to identify significant compliance concerns and mitigation priorities.
• Direct supplier risk assessments, corrective action tracking, and issue resolution activities while escalating material concerns to supply chain leadership.
• Implement and manage the Grow, Sustain, and Exit supplier lifecycle framework, including supplier segmentation, performance expectations, and established decision criteria.
• Analyze supplier performance involving quality, on-time delivery (OTD), responsiveness, manufacturing capacity, and operational risk to identify improvement opportunities.
• Guide supplier scorecard reviews, development initiatives, corrective action plans, and supplier transitions to strengthen performance and supply continuity.
• Develop supplier governance procedures, internal controls, reporting methodologies, and performance measures that support consistent execution and organizational scalability.
• Evaluate supplier qualification cycle times, ASL accuracy, compliance status, corrective action closure, and supplier performance trends to identify operational improvements.
• Partner with Enterprise Systems to improve supplier master data, ERP workflows, reporting automation, and governance controls that strengthen data integrity and operational visibility.
• Lead supplier operations personnel by establishing work priorities, allocating resources, monitoring deliverables, and developing team capabilities through coaching and performance management.
• Collaborate with Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Compliance to align supplier governance activities with business requirements.
• Communicate supplier performance, compliance risks, operational constraints, resource needs, and improvement recommendations to supply chain leadership and key stakeholders.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, Logistics, or a related field with 7–9 years of related experience, Master's degree in a related field with 5–7 years of related experience, or PhD in a related field with 3–5 years of related experience in supplier management, supplier qualification, supply chain operations, procurement, supplier quality, compliance, or a related discipline.
• 1–3 years of leadership or management experience leading supplier operations, procurement, supplier quality, supply chain, or related professionals.
• Advanced knowledge of supplier management, supplier qualification, supply chain operations, compliance, and supplier governance principles.
• In-depth understanding of Approved Supplier List (ASL) management, supplier onboarding, due diligence, qualification standards, and supplier lifecycle processes.
• Comprehensive knowledge of supplier performance management, scorecards, risk assessments, corrective actions, and supply continuity requirements.
• Experience managing supplier governance activities, coordinating cross-functional approval processes, and overseeing supplier qualification, compliance, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Proficiency in evaluating supplier capabilities, manufacturing capacity, regulatory requirements, operational risks, and performance data to support governance decisions and process improvements.
• Sound judgment when resolving complex supplier challenges, determining qualification priorities, evaluating compliance risks, and balancing supplier performance with operational requirements.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supplier management applications, e.g. Acumatica, SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or equivalent platforms.
• Business intelligence, data visualization, and reporting applications, e.g. Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent platforms
• Supplier qualification, Approved Supplier List (ASL), supplier performance management, and compliance tracking applications
• Workflow management, documentation, and collaboration applications, e.g. SharePoint, Smartsheet, Jira, or equivalent platforms.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in aerospace, defense, electronics, or manufacturing environments.
Knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR/EAR, DFARS, or other applicable supplier requirements.
Experience leading supplier site assessments, operational reviews, supplier development, or risk mitigation initiatives.
Familiarity with Acumatica, SAP, or comparable ERP systems, plus Power BI, SQL, and dashboard utilization .
Prior people-management experience and experience implementing enterprise-level supplier governance frameworks.

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.  Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.  

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.