Vendor Manager / Account Manager
DEFENSE SUPPLY CHAIN
Employer: American AI Logistics (AAIL) | Employment Type: Full-Time
Department: Account Management | Program: Project Knudsen
About the RoleAAIL is seeking a results-driven Vendor Manager / Account Manager to oversee relationships with our growing network of aerospace and defense distributors, manufacturers, and subcontractors.
This individual will serve as the primary point of contact for assigned vendor accounts and manage day-to-day activities involving onboarding, Requests for Quotation (RFQs), supplier negotiations, production updates, inventory coordination, and delivery performance.
The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple vendor relationships in a fast-paced environment. This role requires someone who can build strong partnerships, solve problems, negotiate effectively, and ensure supplier commitments are met.
You will work closely with our Distributor Relations, Data Operations, Procurement, Compliance, Contracting, and Program Management teams to support the successful execution of Project Knudsen.
Key ResponsibilitiesVendor Relationship Management- Manage and develop relationships with assigned distributors, manufacturers, and subcontractors.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor communications, operational questions, and issue resolution.
- Coordinate vendor onboarding, including the collection of company information, capabilities, certifications, and required documentation.
- Establish regular vendor meetings, performance reviews, and communication schedules.
- Identify opportunities to improve vendor participation, responsiveness, and overall performance.
- Maintain accurate vendor records, contacts, capabilities, and communication history.
RFQ Management and Supplier Negotiations- Manage RFQ communications and follow up with vendors to ensure timely and complete responses.
- Review supplier quotations for pricing, accuracy, lead times, quantities, product availability, and compliance with program requirements.
- Negotiate pricing, delivery schedules, and commercial terms within established authority.
- Identify and resolve quotation discrepancies, missing information, and sourcing challenges.
- Coordinate with Data Operations to evaluate supplier capabilities and align vendors with appropriate opportunities.
- Maintain accurate quotation records, revisions, negotiation histories, and written supplier commitments.
Vendor Performance and Supply Chain Operations- Monitor vendor performance against contractual commitments, delivery schedules, and program requirements.
- Coordinate production status updates, inventory availability, and replenishment activities.
- Conduct recurring vendor status meetings to identify potential delays, shortages, and operational risks.
- Work with Procurement and Compliance to resolve quality issues, documentation discrepancies, and delivery challenges.
- Communicate purchase order requirements, inspection schedules, and fulfillment expectations to vendors.
- Support corrective action activities and supplier performance improvement initiatives.
- Escalate delivery risks, contractual concerns, and unresolved issues to the appropriate internal departments.
Cross-Functional Coordination and Reporting- Collaborate with Data Operations on sourcing opportunities, quotation analysis, supplier performance metrics, and reporting.
- Coordinate with Contracting on supplier agreements, amendments, and award documentation.
- Work with Procurement and Compliance to ensure vendor activities align with contractual and quality requirements.
- Maintain accurate records in company CRM, ERP, and supply chain management systems.
- Prepare vendor status reports, RFQ tracking summaries, and performance updates.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives as AAIL transitions operational workflows into its automated Knudsen platform.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 3-5+ years of experience in vendor management, account management, procurement, sourcing, or supplier relationship management.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple vendor or supplier accounts simultaneously.
- Experience reviewing RFQs, analyzing quotations, and negotiating supplier pricing and delivery terms.
- Strong understanding of supply chain operations, vendor performance management, and purchasing processes.
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines and priorities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience working with CRM, ERP, or vendor management systems.
- Ability to identify operational risks, resolve supplier issues, and work effectively across departments.
- High attention to detail and commitment to accurate documentation and process compliance.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in aerospace, defense, military logistics, or government contracting.
- Familiarity with Department of Defense procurement and supply chain operations.
- Working knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), including government contracting requirements, subcontractor flow-down provisions, and supplier compliance obligations.
- Experience working within a Quality Management System (QMS), including documented procedures, supplier qualification, recordkeeping, traceability, corrective actions, internal audits, and continuous improvement.
- Familiarity with ISO 9001, AS9100, or AS9120 quality management standards and their application within aerospace and defense supply chains.
- Knowledge of National Item Identification Numbers (NIINs), National Stock Numbers (NSNs), Federal Supply Classes (FSCs), CAGE codes, and OEM relationships.
- Experience supporting military parts distributors, manufacturers, or defense prime contractors.
- Familiarity with Other Transaction agreements and government subcontracting.
- Understanding of supplier quality requirements, product traceability, certificates of conformance, and counterfeit-part prevention.
- Working knowledge of DCMA inspection, Wide Area Workflow (WAWF), and defense logistics shipping procedures.
- Experience with NetSuite, HubSpot, Power BI, or similar business management platforms.
- Background working with multi-year supply agreements, inventory stocking programs, or demand-driven procurement models.
- Experience in a growing organization implementing new technologies and automated business processes.
What Success Looks Like- Strong, productive relationships with assigned vendor partners.
- High RFQ participation and timely quotation submissions.
- Accurate, competitive, and fully documented supplier quotations.
- Proactive identification and resolution of sourcing and delivery challenges.
- Consistent supplier communication and follow-through.
- Reliable vendor performance against production, inventory, and delivery commitments.
- Accurate and audit-ready supplier records.
- Effective collaboration with internal teams to support program execution.
