Supply Chain Director

Position Summary

The Director of Supply Chain is responsible for establishing and leading an enterprise‑wide supply chain functions, including sourcing, demand planning, supplier management, and receiving & inspection. This role ensures a resilient, cost‑effective, and high‑performance supply chain that supports operational execution, delivery commitments, and strategic growth.

The Director will develop long‑term strategy, strengthen supplier partnerships, and drive execution excellence across all Karman locations and supply‑chain workstreams. This role is central to Karman’s continued operational transformation and will lead with a mindset of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. The Director partners closely with Operations, Materials Management, Quality, Finance, and Program Management to ensure synchronization between demand, production, and supplier performance.

About Us

Karman Space & Defense provides concept-to-production solutions for mission-critical systems on spacecraft, launch vehicles, missiles, hypersonics, and integrated defense systems. We believe that solving the industry’s most complex and mission-critical challenges requires relentless determination and a willingness to push the boundaries of possibility. Karman Space & Defense brings to bear unparalleled production capabilities, unmatched engineering expertise, and unflinching analysis to render the impossible, possible.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop and execute a comprehensive supply chain strategy aligned with business objectives, operational requirements, and growth plans.
• Lead initiatives to strengthen sourcing resilience, reduce risk, and improve cost structure.
• Oversee long‑range demand planning and ensure accurate forecasting to support production and customer commitments.

Supplier Management & Sourcing

• Build and manage strong supplier relationships; negotiate commercial terms, master agreements, and long‑term strategic partnerships.
• Establish supplier performance KPIs and conduct quarterly business reviews.
• Own strategic sourcing across all major commodity categories, driving cost reduction, quality improvement, and reliable delivery.

Operations Integration

• Partner with Materials Management, which oversees inventory control, warehousing, planning, and scheduling, to ensure seamless handoffs and synchronized workflows.
• Collaborate with Operations leadership to align supply chain execution with production needs, capacity constraints, and scheduling assumptions.
• Ensure receiving and inspection processes support rapid throughput and adherence to quality standards.

Performance, Systems & Process Improvement

• Implement metrics, dashboards, and reporting to track supply chain performance, supplier health, forecast accuracy, and cost savings.
• Drive continuous improvement across sourcing, planning, and supplier management functions.
• Strengthen processes in alignment with QMS requirements and enterprise-wide improvement programs. 

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Finance, Quality, Engineering, Program Management, and Operations to enable best-in-class execution.
• Serve as a visible leader during organizational changes and transformation efforts.
• Provide strategic guidance during new program introductions, customer transitions, or M&A integration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of progressive supply chain leadership experience in aerospace, defense, or complex manufacturing environments.
• Proven success in sourcing, supplier management, materials planning, and multi‑site coordination.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and relationship building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, drive change, and deliver measurable improvements.

Leadership Attributes

• Strategic thinker who can translate business priorities into operational plans.
• Collaborative leader with strong executive presence and communication skills.
• Comfortable navigating complexity and leading in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
• Strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and cross-functional partnership.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Karman is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform servicemember status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.