Category Manager - Electronics

Salient Motion

$160K — $175K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years in strategic sourcing or supply chain for electronic components, especially in regulated environments.
  • Experience with semiconductors, PCBAs, connectors, and power electronics.
  • Knowledge of obsolescence management practices (DMSMS).
  • Proven negotiation skills for supply agreements and pricing with distributors and OEMs.
  • Familiarity with AS9100 and counterfeit parts avoidance (AS5553/AS6081).
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience.
  • Must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR.

Responsibilities

  • Own category strategy and supplier selection for key electronics components.
  • Lead sourcing for new projects, negotiating costs and terms for program protection.
  • Manage risks related to component allocation and lead times, developing multi-source strategies.
  • Drive obsolescence management for electronic components across multiple platforms.
  • Collaborate with engineering on component selection to ensure cost efficiency and availability.
  • Lead supplier corrective actions for quality issues in electronic components.
  • Negotiate long-term agreements with distributors and manufacturers, including pricing tiers.

Benefits

  • Exceptional healthcare benefits - Medical is 100% covered by the company.
  • Life Insurance (2x Salary) 100% covered by the company.
  • Flexible PTO and 401K.
  • Financial Wellness Resources.
Full Job Description
**Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) to meet customer and regulatory requirements** What you'll do: The Category Manager, Electronics owns the electronics supply base that feeds Salient Motion's actuator, power supply, and integrated system product lines. This is a strategic, high-visibility role: the mandate is to set commodity strategy for PCBAs, connectors, power conversion components, motor drives, and avionics-adjacent electronics, and to be the strategic authority the business relies on when a supplier problem threatens a program milestone. This role works directly with engineering, program management, and quality to translate design intent into a resilient, cost-competitive supply base, and requires U.S. Person status due to the export-controlled nature of the components and programs involved - Own category strategy and supplier selection across PCBAs, connectors, power supplies, motor drives, and electronic sub-assemblies/cable assemblies. - Lead sourcing for new programs from RFQ through award, negotiating cost, lead time, and terms that protect program margin and schedule. - Manage component allocation risk and lead-time volatility; build multi-source and second-source strategies to protect production continuity. - Drive a proactive obsolescence program for electronic components across active and legacy platforms. - Partner with design engineering during development to influence component selection for cost, and availability. - Lead or support supplier corrective action for quality escapes tied to electronic components. - Negotiate and manage long-term agreements, pricing tiers, and consigned inventory arrangements with key electronics distributors and manufacturers. - Monitor and report commodity market trends (tariffs, shortages, conflict) and their impact on cost and availability. - Ensure supplier compliance with AS9100, ITAR/EAR, and counterfeit-parts avoidance requirements (AS5553). - Support make/buy analysis and total-cost-of-ownership modeling for electronics commodities. What you need: - 5+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or supply chain for electronic components, ideally in aerospace, defense, or another regulated manufacturing environment. - Demonstrated experience sourcing semiconductors, PCBAs/electronic sub-assemblies, connectors, and power electronics. - Working knowledge of DMSMS/obsolescence management practices. - Experience negotiating supply agreements, pricing, and long-term commitments with distributors and OEM electronics manufacturers. - Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and counterfeit electronic parts avoidance (AS5553/AS6081). - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience. - Must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR (22 CFR A7120.15). Nice to have: - Experience with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Epicor) for demand planning and PO management. - Prior experience supporting flight controls, actuation systems, or aircraft systems programs. - Exposure to power supply or motor drive commodity sourcing specifically. What we have to offer: We are not just building components. We are reshaping the future of the Aerospace and Defense component industry, which is a $300B+ market! Come join us and help build next generation systems that will make a massive impact at global scale. - Competitive compensation: Base Salary of $160,000 - $175,000, plus equity - Exceptional healthcare benefits - Medical is 100% covered by the company - Life Insurance (2x Salary) 100% covered by the company - Flexible PTO, 401K, Financial Wellness Resources, and more

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Salient Motion

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Category Manager - Electronics jobs: