Procurement Manager

Ajax Defense, Inc.; Louisville (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Ajax Defense, Inc. in Louisville, KY, is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management for critical defense manufacturing programs.

You will ensure DFARS/ITAR compliance, manage supplier performance, and align materials with master production schedules, while guiding a team of procurement professionals.

This role requires strong negotiation, ERP experience, and the ability to collaborate across engineering, quality, and finance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of 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

• Identify, qualify, and manage suppliers for raw materials, tooling, MRO, and outside processing.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and long-term agreements to control cost and mitigate supply risk.
• Maintain and monitor an Approved Supplier List; manage supplier scorecards for quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers with flow-down of FAR/DFARS, Nadcap/AS9100, or ITAR-related requirements where applicable.
• Manage the purchase order lifecycle from requisition through receipt, ensuring accurate ERP records.
• Monitor lead times, safety stock, and reorder points to prevent production disruptions.
• Resolve pricing discrepancies, delivery delays, and quality non-conformances with suppliers.
• Manage credit terms and work with finance on payment holds, credit limits, and vendor disputes.

Skills

Procurement experience

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Vendor management

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience

Tools

NAV/Business Central

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Procurement Manager leads sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management activities to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of materials, components, and services required for production. This role is critical to maintaining supply continuity for a defense manufacturing operation subject to DFARS, ITAR, and CMMC requirements, and works closely with production planning, quality, engineering, and finance to support on-time delivery to customers.

ADDRESS

2671 Technology Dr, Suite 108

Louisville, KY 40299

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Identify, qualify, and manage suppliers for raw materials (steel, alloys, etc.), tooling, MRO, and outside processing (e.g., heat treat, plating, NDT)
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and long-term agreements to control cost and mitigate supply risk
• Maintain and monitor an Approved Supplier List (ASL); manage supplier scorecards for quality, delivery, and cost performance
• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers, including flow-down of applicable FAR/DFARS clauses and Nadcap/AS9100 or ITAR-related requirements where applicable

Purchasing Operations

• Manage the purchase order lifecycle from requisition through receipt, ensuring accurate ERP records
• Monitor lead times, safety stock, and reorder points to prevent production disruptions
• Resolve pricing discrepancies, delivery delays, and quality non-conformances with suppliers
• Manage credit terms and work with finance on payment holds, credit limits, and vendor disputes

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure procurement practices comply with DFARS, ITAR/EAR (export control on materials and technical data), and CMMC-related handling requirements for supplier-shared CUI
• Maintain documentation supporting DCAA/DCMA audit readiness (purchase order files, competitive quotes, sole-source justifications)
• Track certificates of conformance, material certs, and traceability documentation required for aerospace/defense end customers
• Monitor for counterfeit parts risk and maintain segregation of authorized distributors per customer flow-downs

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with production planning/scheduling to align purchasing with the master production schedule and sales forecast
• Work with engineering on new part sourcing, make-vs-buy decisions, and alternate material qualification
• Support cost estimating and quoting with current material and outside-process pricing
• Report on key metrics: PPV (purchase price variance), on-time delivery, supplier lead times, and open PO aging

Team Leadership

• Supervise buyers/purchasing agents, if applicable; set priorities and review workload
• Develop and maintain purchasing policies, procedures, and desk-level work instructions

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience
• 5 years of 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

Preferred

• Experience in defense/aerospace manufacturing (ITAR, DFARS, CMMC awareness)
• Familiarity with machining/metals supply chains (steel service centers, heat treat, plating)
• APICS/CPSM or similar certification
• Experience supporting DCAA/DCMA audits

PHYSICAL & ITAR REQUIREMENTS

Ability to stand for extended periods on a manufacturing floor; regularly lift and carry up to 35 lbs.; frequent bending, reaching, and use of hand tools; use of appropriate PPE (safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toe footwear) at all times on the production floor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

This position splits time between an office setting and the Whelan Machine & Tool production floor to support supplier receiving inspections, outside-process coordination, and material traceability verification. Standard shift schedules apply; occasional additional hours may be required to resolve supply disruptions or support audit deadlines.

Access to ITAR-controlled technical data and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) requires verification of U.S. Person status prior to employment.

EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have received, read and understand this job description. I understand that my job duties may be modified at the Company’s discretion and that this document does not constitute an employment contract of guarantee of continued employment.

Ajax Defense, Inc and subsidiaries are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. This position requires access to information subject to U.S. export control regulations (ITAR/EAR); employment is contingent upon verification of U.S. Person status.