Strategic Supplier Architect – Defense Sector (Secret Clearance)

Leidos; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 116,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos Defense Sector seeks a Principal Supplier Strategist / Small Business Advocate in Huntsville, AL to shape the supplier ecosystem for defense programs and growth. The role leads supplier strategy, strategic sourcing, long-term agreements, and small business engagement to improve competitiveness and mission readiness.

The successful candidate will translate spend data into executive insights, drive savings, and collaborate across Programs, Contracts, Engineering, and Finance to integrate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 12+ years of relevant experience, Master's with 10+ years, or equivalent experience.
• Active and current Secret clearance.
• Significant experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, subcontracts, contracts, or supply chain within defense, federal, aerospace, or another regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of FAR/DFARS, government small business requirements, and subcontracting compliance.
• Demonstrated success developing supplier strategies and negotiating complex, high-value or long-term supplier agreements.
• Experience with spend analysis, supplier segmentation, performance management, risk assessment, and supply base optimization.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, executive communication, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute Defense Sector supplier strategies supporting priority programs, Programs of Record, and strategic captures.
• Analyze cross-program spend, demand, supplier performance, and risk to identify strategic partners, consolidation opportunities, critical dependencies, and new supplier capabilities.
• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives that leverage Sector buying power, strengthen supplier partnerships, increase competition, and optimize the supply base.
• Negotiate strategic and long-term supplier agreements that improve affordability, capacity, performance, supply continuity, and innovation.
• Partner across Programs, Business Development, Contracts, Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, and Supply Chain to integrate supplier strategy early in captures, proposals, and program execution.
• Lead Defense Sector small business strategy, including supplier development, Small Business Subcontracting Plans, FAR/DFARS compliance, and required government reporting.
• Translate supplier and spend data into executive-level insights and actions that drive savings, strengthen performance, reduce risk, and support growth.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Negotiation

Cross-functional leadership

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Costpoint

Job description

Leidos Defense Sector seeks a Principal Supplier Strategist / Small Business Advocate in Huntsville, AL to shape the supplier ecosystem for defense programs and growth. The role leads supplier strategy, strategic sourcing, long-term agreements, and small business engagement to improve competitiveness and mission readiness.

The successful candidate will translate spend data into executive insights, drive savings, and collaborate across Programs, Contracts, Engineering, and Finance to integrate