Are you looking to join a fast-growing Defense company that powers the United States most advanced drones and interceptors?
About Us: PBS Aerospace is a rapidly growing designer and manufacturer of world-class small turbojet engines. These engines provide superior power-to-weight ratios with low fuel consumption making them the preferred choice for the most advanced US Department of Defense drone, interceptor, and missile systems. Our TJ40 and TJ80 turbojet engines power the munitions at the center of the U.S. defense strategy as advanced drones and interceptors dominate the modern battlefields.
We are rapidly expanding our facilities, standing up automation, co-locating our supply chain, and building the workforce that will carry this company into the next decade. Located in the heart of Georgia's aerospace corridor, PBS Aerospace is experiencing significant growth as we expand our manufacturing, design engineering, and operational capabilities. This growth creates exciting opportunities for talented professionals who want to make a meaningful impact while working alongside some of the industry's brightest minds.
If enjoy working with a small and fast-moving team on the world's most cutting-edge aerospace systems, we invite you to apply and make a significant impact.
Position Summary
The Sourcing & Procurement Manager is responsible for developing and executing strategic sourcing initiatives, managing supplier relationships, and leading a team of procurement professionals to ensure the timely acquisition of high-quality components and services critical to gas turbine manufacturing. This role plays a key part in driving cost competitiveness, supply continuity, and organizational capability within the procurement function.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Capability Development
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Lead, develop, and manage a team of junior and senior buyers, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and sourcing strategies.
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Set clear goals, performance expectations, and KPIs for the procurement team (cost savings, OTD, quality, cycle time).
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Provide coaching, mentorship, and career development opportunities to build technical and commercial expertise across the team.
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Allocate workload and sourcing responsibilities based on commodity complexity, risk level, and team strengths.
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Establish standardized procurement processes, tools, and governance to improve consistency and efficiency.
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Foster a high-performance, accountable culture, focused on results, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Strategic Sourcing & Supply Chain Leadership
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Develop and implement sourcing strategies for complex components, including castings, forgings, precision machined parts, and high-temperature alloys.
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Oversee buyer execution of sourcing strategies and ensure alignment across commodities.
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Identify and qualify suppliers aligned with cost, quality, and delivery objectives.
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Lead make-vs-buy analysis and supplier consolidation initiatives.
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Track market trends to inform sourcing decisions.
Supplier Management & Development
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Build and maintain supplier relationships while guiding buyers in day-to-day supplier interactions.
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Ensure team execution of supplier evaluations, audits, and performance reviews.
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Drive supplier development programs to improve capability in quality systems and special processes.
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Escalate and resolve critical supplier issues, supporting buyers in mitigation plans and recovery actions.
Procurement Operations
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Oversee daily procurement activities executed by buyers, including RFQs, negotiations, purchase order placement, and expediting.
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Ensure team adherence to procurement processes, compliance requirements, and documentation standards.
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Drive accountability for on-time delivery to support production schedules and customer commitments.
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Coordinate with planning and operations to optimize inventory strategies and material availability.
Cost Management & Negotiation
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Lead high-value or complex negotiations while coaching team on negotiation strategies and techniques.
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Establish cost reduction targets and ensure team delivery through structured initiatives.
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Review and approve contracts and sourcing decisions.
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Monitor and report team-level cost savings, cost avoidance, and procurement KPIs.
Compliance & Risk Management
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Ensure team compliance with industry standards and regulations (ITAR, EAR, AS9100, ISO).
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Guide buyers in identifying and mitigating supply chain risks, including single-source dependencies and long-lead materials.
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Lead contingency planning and risk mitigation strategies for critical commodities.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
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Represent procurement leadership in cross-functional forums and program reviews.
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Partner with engineering, quality, operations, and program management to support NPI and production readiness.
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Ensure early supplier involvement through coordination between buyers and engineering teams.
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Align team priorities with business goals, production demands, and customer requirements.
Qualifications Required
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Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Finance, Business, or related field.
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5–7+ years of sourcing/procurement experience, with 2+ years in people leadership.
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Must be able to read and understand build to print documents & drawings
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Experience leading teams in aerospace, manufacturing, assembly or equivalent environments.
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Proven track record in supplier negotiations and team performance management.
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Knowledge of quality systems such as AS9100 or ISO 9001.
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Proficiency with ERP systems (e.g., QAD, SAP, Oracle).
Preferred
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MBA or advanced degree.
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Strong understanding of gas turbine components and materials.
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CPSM, CSCP, or equivalent certification.
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Experience in export-controlled environments (ITAR/EAR).
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Lean/Six Sigma experience.
Requirements and Work Environment:
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Due to the nature of PBS Aerospace’s business as a defense contractor, this position is limited to U.S. citizens, as defined under applicable federal regulations.
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Typically, in a manufacturing facility the environment can be noisy and requires the use of protective gear.
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The role may involve standing, walking, and lifting, and can be physically demanding.
Benefits:
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Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
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Paid time off, holidays, and 401(k) with company match.
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Opportunities to work on cutting-edge propulsion systems.
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Collaborative environment with global aerospace experts.
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Career advancement in a rapidly growing U.S. operation.
