Category Manager, Precision Mechanical Components(Aerospace)

Salient Motion; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Healthcare benefits

Life Insurance

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Salient Motion in Hawthorne, CA seeks a Category Manager, Mechanical Equipment to own the mechanical supply base for actuator product lines. You will source gears, housings, bearings, shafts, and raw materials, and manage supplier relationships to ensure on-time, cost-effective, and compliant delivery.

The role requires 5+ years in strategic sourcing or category management in regulated manufacturing (aerospace/defense preferred). U.S.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing or category management for precision mechanical components.
• Experience sourcing machined, forged, or cast metal components and raw materials (aluminum, titanium, steel, specialty alloys).
• Knowledge of GD&T, material certifications, and special process requirements (heat treat, plating, NDT).
• Experience negotiating supply agreements, pricing, and capacity commitments with machine shops, forge/casting houses, and material distributors.
• Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and supplier qualification/audit processes.

Responsibilities

• Own commodity strategy and supplier selection for precision mechanical components: gears, housings, bearings, shafts, and related machined/formed parts.
• Lead sourcing for new programs from RFQ through award, negotiating cost, lead time, and capacity commitments.
• Own procurement for New Product Introduction (NPI): lead early supplier involvement, drive right-first-time supplier selection, and manage components through initial production before handover to operational buyers.
• Qualify and develop precision machining, forging, and casting suppliers; lead supplier audits and capability assessments.
• Partner with design and manufacturing engineering on material selection to balance cost, performance, and manufacturability.
• Develop should-cost and price targets for mechanical commodities and own NPI cost-out commitments, using teardown and cost-modeling to drive supplier negotiations.
• Manage supplier corrective action for dimensional, material, or process quality escapes.
• Negotiate long-term agreements and POs with key machine shops, component providers, and distributors.
• Ensure supplier compliance with AS9100, ITAR/EAR, and material traceability/certification requirements (special process approvals).
• Support make/buy decisions and capacity planning in coordination with Salient Motion's internal CNC machine shop.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Supply chain

AS9100

ITAR

GD&T

Negotiation

Supplier audits

ERP/MRP

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field

Tools

NetSuite

SAP

Epicor

Job description

Salient Motion in Hawthorne, CA seeks a Category Manager, Mechanical Equipment to own the mechanical supply base for actuator product lines. You will source gears, housings, bearings, shafts, and raw materials, and manage supplier relationships to ensure on-time, cost-effective, and compliant delivery.

The role requires 5+ years in strategic sourcing or category management in regulated manufacturing (aerospace/defense preferred). U.S.