Senior Procurement Leader - Aerospace & Defense

DSJ Global; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

DSJ Global is partnered with a leading aerospace and defense manufacturer to recruit a Senior Procurement Manager who will lead strategic procurement, supplier management, and purchasing operations across a complex manufacturing environment.

This leadership position will work closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, Program Management, Quality, and Finance teams to ensure material availability, optimize supplier partnerships, and drive continuous improvement initiatives in highly

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive procurement, sourcing, or supply chain leadership experience.
• Aerospace or defense industry experience is required.
• Proven success managing complex supplier networks supporting high-technology or engineered products.
• Knowledge of government contracting environments, including FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, or similar regulated environments is highly preferred.
• Strong commercial negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship management experience.
• Proven people leadership experience, including team development, coaching, and succession planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sourcing, purchasing, subcontract management, and supplier negotiations across direct material spend categories.
• Develop and execute sourcing and commodity strategies aligned with business objectives, operational requirements, and long-term supply chain goals.
• Manage supplier performance across quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness, and risk mitigation metrics.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing purchasing organization while supporting future organizational growth.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Program Management teams to support new product introductions, supplier selection, and make-versus-buy decisions.
• Drive supplier development initiatives, long-term agreements, and strategic partnerships that improve cost, quality, and delivery performance.
• Support forecasting, demand planning, and procurement execution to ensure continuity of supply for critical programs.
• Lead cost reduction initiatives through supplier negotiations, value engineering efforts, spend analysis, and sourcing optimization.
• Oversee supplier transition activities, qualification efforts, and risk management programs.
• Develop reporting and KPI frameworks to monitor procurement performance, inventory strategy, material availability, and supplier effectiveness.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance procurement processes, operational efficiency, and overall supply chain performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to resolve supply disruptions, lead-time challenges, and supplier capacity constraints.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Procurement leadership

Negotiation

KPI reporting

Risk management

Supplier development

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

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

Job description

DSJ Global is partnered with a leading aerospace and defense manufacturer to recruit a Senior Procurement Manager who will lead strategic procurement, supplier management, and purchasing operations across a complex manufacturing environment.

This leadership position will work closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, Program Management, Quality, and Finance teams to ensure material availability, optimize supplier partnerships, and drive continuous improvement initiatives in highly