Defense Procurement Lead: DFARS/ITAR & Supplier Strategy

Whelan Machine; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Great benefits

Quarterly incentive pays

Brand-new 70,000 sq ft facility

Job summary

Whelan Machine in Louisville, KY is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management for defense-grade production. This role ensures DFARS, ITAR, and CMMC compliance while driving cost control and on-time delivery.

You will negotiate terms, maintain ASL scorecards, and collaborate with engineering and finance. Requires 5+ years in procurement, a related degree, and ERP/Excel proficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• 5+ years procurement/purchasing experience, ideally in manufacturing.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and vendor management skills.
• ERP system experience (e.g., NAV/Business Central, or similar).
• Proficiency in Excel.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing & Supplier Management: Identify, qualify, and manage suppliers for raw materials, tooling, MRO, and outside processing.
• Purchasing Operations: Manage PO lifecycle, monitor lead times, and reconcile pricing discrepancies with suppliers.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure procurement practices comply with DFARS, ITAR/EAR, and CMMC; track conformance and audits.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Align purchasing with production schedules and collaborate with engineering.

Skills

Negotiation

Vendor management

Analytical

Excel

Education

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

Tools

NAV/Business Central ERP

Job description

Whelan Machine in Louisville, KY is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management for defense-grade production. This role ensures DFARS, ITAR, and CMMC compliance while driving cost control and on-time delivery.

You will negotiate terms, maintain ASL scorecards, and collaborate with engineering and finance. Requires 5+ years in procurement, a related degree, and ERP/Excel proficiency.