Direct Materials Manager: Strategy, Savings & Supply

Aspen Aerogels; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 135,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401k Employer Match

Yearly bonus eligibility

Job summary

Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is seeking a strategic Direct Materials Manager to lead category management for the US and Mexico manufacturing footprint.

The role focuses on supply security, cost-out, and supplier performance while coaching a team of global category leaders. The successful candidate will develop multi-year category strategies, drive negotiations, and ensure continuity of supply for automotive and industrial customer programs.

Qualifications

• People leadership, coaching and developing teams.
• Strategic sourcing with long-term category plans.
• Strong focus on supply risk, continuity and cost-out initiatives.
• Data-driven decisions using spend and market data.
• Cross-functional leadership across Planning, Operations, Engineering, Quality and Finance.

Responsibilities

• Lead direct materials category management for US and Mexico and execute 3–5 year category strategies.
• Own category plans, negotiations and supplier relationships for key materials.
• Manage supplier cost-out, risk, and capacity commitments; ensure supply continuity.
• Build and maintain supplier risk registers and mitigation plans.
• Lead supplier performance management including scorecards and reviews.

Skills

People leadership

Strategic sourcing

Supply risk management

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional leadership

Ownership & decisiveness

Job description

Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is seeking a strategic Direct Materials Manager to lead category management for the US and Mexico manufacturing footprint.

The role focuses on supply security, cost-out, and supplier performance while coaching a team of global category leaders. The successful candidate will develop multi-year category strategies, drive negotiations, and ensure continuity of supply for automotive and industrial customer programs.