VP / Head of Assembly and Supply Chain

Maple Aviation GmbH; Deutschland; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Maple Aviation, an innovative aerospace startup, is seeking a VP / Head of Assembly and Supply Chain to lead the transition from prototype builds to scalable drone production. You will own the complete build and supply chain process, collaborating with engineering and operations for reliable aircraft delivery.

This role demands over 8 years of experience in aerospace production and supply chain, with strong skills in assembly and quality management. Enjoy the chance to build a manufacturing foundation for a new type of drone aircraft.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in production or supply chain management.
• Strong understanding of BOMs and production planning.
• Experience with aircraft or UAVs is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead assembly and supply chain functions at Maple Aviation.
• Develop transition from prototype builds to structured assembly processes.
• Establish supplier relationships for mechanical parts and logistics services.

Skills

Production Management

Supply Chain Management

Negotiation

Cross-Functional Leadership

Quality Control

Job description

We are an innovative aerospace startup seeking a VP / Head of Assembly and Supply Chain to lead the transition from prototype builds to reliable, repeatable, and scalable drone production. At Maple Aviation we develop a unique Tail-Sitter Drone that combines lightweight aircraft design, electric propulsion, flight control, and a delivery system into a new autonomous platform.In this role, you will own the complete build and supply chain process: sourcing, supplier development, inventory, assembly, production planning, quality interfaces, cost reduction, and ramp-up. You will work closely with engineering to design for manufacturability and with operations to ensure that aircraft are built, tested, maintained, and delivered reliably.

What you'll do

• Build and lead Maple Aviation’s assembly, procurement, supply chain, logistics, and production planning functions
• Develop the transition from prototype workshop builds to structured pre-series and serial assembly processes
• Define assembly workflows, work instructions, tooling, test stations, quality gates, and production documentation
• Establish supplier relationships for mechanical parts, electronics, composites, propulsion components, batteries, sensors, and logistics services
• Own make-or-buy decisions, supplier selection, supplier qualification, lead times, cost targets, and delivery performance
• Implement inventory management, BOM control, configuration tracking, and production planning processes
• Work with engineering to improve manufacturability, serviceability, reliability, and cost of the drone system
• Coordinate incoming inspection, non-conformance handling, rework processes, and root-cause analysis with quality and engineering
• Build scalable processes for spare parts, maintenance material, field support, and future fleet operations
• Hire and develop technicians, production planners, buyers, logistics specialists, and team leads

What you bring

• 8+ years of experience in production, assembly, supply chain, procurement, manufacturing engineering, or operations in aerospace, drones, automotive, electronics, robotics, or hardware scale-up environments
• Proven experience building or scaling assembly and supply chain processes for complex technical products
• Strong understanding of BOMs, configuration management, supplier development, production planning, inventory, and quality interfaces
• Experience with aircraft, UAVs, electronics, batteries, embedded systems, composites, or lightweight mechanical assemblies is a strong plus
• Practical experience with ERP/MRP systems, supplier contracts, cost reduction, and production KPIs
• Ability to work hands-on in an early-stage workshop while designing processes that can scale
• Strong negotiation, planning, and cross-functional leadership skills
• High quality mindset and strong appreciation for aviation safety, documentation, and traceability
• Highly self-motivated, structured, pragmatic, and comfortable with ambiguity
• We are an international team communicating in English; German language skills are an advantage

What we offer

We offer a rare opportunity to build the manufacturing and supply chain foundation for a new category of drone aircraft. If you enjoy turning prototypes into reliable products and building teams that deliver, we would love to hear from you.