Supply Chain Manager/Director - Aerospace

AscendArc; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible hours

Ownership of supply chain

Job summary

AscendArc is seeking a Director of Supply Chain to own strategy, sourcing, procurement, inventory, and supplier management for a space-ready system. You will build the function and later a team, negotiating complex aerospace agreements and shaping ERP integration with engineering and manufacturing.

You will lead lean, compliant supply chains, manage long-lead items, and ensure program milestones align with part availability. Space/high-reliability hardware knowledge is essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in supply chain, procurement, or hardware operations, ideally in space/aerospace/defense or complex startups.
• Deep familiarity with space-qualified or high-reliability hardware supply chains: electronics, RF, mechanical, or propulsion.
• Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems and keeping BOM data tight; ERP implementation is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end supply chain: strategy, sourcing, procurement, inventory, logistics, and supplier management; build function and team as we scale.
• Negotiate complex aerospace supply agreements, including long-lead, high-value components and commodity parts.
• Lead supplier qualification with focus on long-lead and single-source items driving program schedule.
• Apply lean principles: right-sized inventory, waste elimination, and strategic sourcing.
• Collaborate with engineering/production to translate designs into buildable, sourceable hardware and address lead-time or cost issues.
• Drive material alignment to program milestones so teams avoid part shortages.
• Own procurement, inventory, and BOM data in NetSuite and shape ERP/MES integration.
• Establish aerospace-quality processes (AS9100-aligned), counterfeit parts avoidance, and source inspection where needed.
• Execute export controls compliance in procurement, including ITAR/EAR flow-downs.

Skills

Aerospace contracts

ERP/MRP experience

Lean supply chain

Cross-functional leadership

ITAR/EAR knowledge

Tools

NetSuite

ERP software

Job description

Come join us in shaping the future! Get in on the ground floor as an earlymember of ourteamasaSupply Chain Manager/Directordeveloping a revolutionary satellite communications system.

AscendArcis a seed startup founded to revolutionize the satellite communications industry. We are looking for doers who want to work in a ground-breaking and fast-paced environment. Our success will depend on your energy, skill, and creativity.

What You'll Do

• Own the end-to-end supply chain: strategy, sourcing, procurement, inventory, logistics, and supplier management, and build the function (and eventually the team) as we scale.
• Negotiate complex aerospace supply agreements across the full spectrum, from low-volume, high-value space-qualified components (long-lead EEE parts, RF hardware, custom mechanical and structural elements) to high-volume, low-value commodity parts, including pricing, terms, quality flow-downs, and schedule protection.
• Lead sourcing and qualification of suppliers, with a sharp eye on the long-lead and single-source items that drive our program schedule.
• Apply lean supply chain principles: right-sized inventory, waste elimination, and sourcing and stocking strategies matched to part criticality (strategic buys where lead times demand it, kanban/min-max flow for commodity hardware).
• Work directly with engineering and production to translate designs into buildable, sourceable hardware, and push back early when a part choice creates a lead-time, cost, or obsolescence problem.
• Drive material alignment to program milestones so build and test teams never get stuck waiting on parts.
• Own procurement, inventory, and BOM/material data in our ERP (NetSuite, currently mid-implementation) and help shape how it integrates with our MES. You'll have a real voice in how these systems are configured.
• Stand up supply chain processes from scratch that hold up under aerospace quality and compliance expectations (AS9100-aligned practices, counterfeit parts avoidance, source inspection where warranted).
• Execute export compliance requirements in the procurement process, including denied party screening, ITAR/EAR flow-downs to suppliers, and coordination with our compliance program.

WhatYou'll Bring

• Non-negotiable: A demonstrated record of negotiating high-complexity aerospace or high-reliability hardware contracts, and of building supply chain processes rather than inheriting them. This is the core of the role.
• Self-starter: You take ambiguous ownership and run with it. Nobody here will hand you requirements or wait to unblock you; you'll set the direction, make the calls, and keep leadership informed rather than asking permission.
• 7+ years in supply chain, procurement, or hardware operations, ideally in space, aerospace/defense, or complex hardware startups. Title and level will flex with what you bring: a proven leader steps in as Director; a rising operator who hits above their weight steps in as Lead with room to grow into it.
• Deep familiarity with space-qualified or high-reliability hardware supply chains: electronics, RF, mechanical, or propulsion.
• Fluency in lean supply chain / strategic sourcing practice, and the judgment to know which parts deserve which strategy.
• Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems and keeping BOM and material data tight; experience standing up or implementing an ERP is a big plus.
• A clear communicator who works easily across engineering, production, and leadership.
• Scrappy, resourceful, and not afraid to roll up their sleeves. Whatever the title says, you're never far from the work.
• Working knowledge of ITAR/EAR obligations as they apply to procurement and supplier management, a plus.

WhyYou'llLove WorkingHere

• You'llhave real ownership and shape how our supply chain runs as we grow.
• A tight-knit team that values transparency, creativity, and getting things done.
• Competitive salary + equity—your work directlyimpactsour mission.
• Flexible hours, flexible work style, and a culture built on trust.
• The chance to build spacecraft that actuallygoto space. (It neverstops beingcool.)

Compensation

The base salary range for this position is $130,000-180,000. Whendeterminingan individual’s compensation, we consider several factors including skillset, experience, job scope, and current market data, so pay for this role may vary from the amounts listed.

Legal Eligibility to Work

Due to U.S. export control regulations, this position is only open to “U.S. persons.” That means you must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or have refugee/asylee status. Unfortunately, we cannot consider applicants on temporary work visas (such as H-1B, TN, O-1, etc.) for this role.

Equal EmploymentOpportunity

AscendArcis an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor or legally protected status.