Position Overview

Location: Huntington Beach, California
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Travel: Domestic travel as required for supplier qualification, audits, sourcing activities, and strategic supplier development.

Mission of the Role
The Senior Manager, Supply Chain Operations will be responsible for building the operational foundation required to scale Volund from prototype development to production. This role will establish and mature the systems, processes, planning methodologies, supplier governance framework, and operational infrastructure that enable efficient execution across procurement, inventory management, planning, supplier management, and manufacturing operations.
Success in this role will be measured by establishing effective planning, procurement, inventory, and supplier management processes, driving adoption of operational processes and supporting systems, and building the operational infrastructure required to support Volund's transition from prototype development to production.
This is a hands-on builder role for an individual who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys creating systems and processes from the ground up. Initially operating as an individual contributor, this position will play a critical role in shaping Volund's future operational infrastructure and supply chain organization.
As the company grows, this individual will have the opportunity to help shape and build Volund's future supply chain organization.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Infrastructure & Process Development

• Define and establish the operational processes required to support procurement, inventory management, planning, supplier management, and manufacturing operations.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve operational workflows that support efficient execution and future production growth.
• Establish master data governance for suppliers, inventory, procurement, and planning.
• Develop operational dashboards, reporting, and performance metrics to support decision-making and operational discipline.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to ensure processes, controls, and business systems support organizational objectives.
• Define business requirements and partner with software, operations, engineering, and finance teams to implement and continuously improve ERP-enabled operational processes.
• Drive adoption, training, and continuous improvement of operational processes, systems, and workflows across the organization.
• Establish governance, operating rhythms, and process ownership to support cross-functional execution and accountability.

Supplier Compliance & Governance

• Establish supplier qualification and onboarding processes.
• Build and maintain Volund's Approved Supplier List (ASL).
• Coordinate supplier audits and supplier corrective action activities.
• Support implementation of AS9100-compliant supplier management processes.
• Support supplier readiness for ITAR, DFARS, and CMMC requirements.
• Develop supplier performance monitoring and continuous improvement processes.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality to address supplier quality issues and drive corrective and preventive actions.

Planning & Operations

• Develop and maintain material planning, demand planning, and supply planning processes.
• Configure and optimize MRP methodologies and planning parameters.
• Establish inventory control methodologies and replenishment strategies.
• Develop capacity planning and production readiness processes.
• Drive material availability to support engineering and production schedules.
• Monitor and improve inventory accuracy, planning effectiveness, and operational performance.
• Create scalable planning and operational processes capable of supporting future growth.

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Development

• Develop and execute Volund's supply chain strategy.
• Identify, qualify, and develop suppliers supporting highly engineered products, manufacturing processes, and operational requirements.
• Lead supplier negotiations, contracts, pricing, and commercial relationships.
• Establish dual-source and risk mitigation strategies for critical suppliers and materials.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships while ensuring accountability to quality, delivery, and business objectives.
• Strengthen supply chain resiliency by identifying, mitigating, and proactively managing supplier, material, capacity, and geopolitical risks.
• Partner with Engineering to support new product introduction (NPI), supplier selection, and production readiness activities.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in supply chain operations, manufacturing operations, procurement, planning, or related disciplines.
• Experience supporting AS9100-certified or AS9100-compliant manufacturing environments.
• Experience working within ITAR-controlled environments and supporting defense industry compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with DFARS, CMMC, supplier qualification, configuration management, and quality management requirements common within aerospace and defense manufacturing.
• Experience implementing, optimizing, or scaling ERP and MRP systems within a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience defining, implementing, and improving operational processes, governance structures, and system requirements supporting planning, procurement, inventory management, supplier management, and manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated ability to build operational infrastructure, processes, and organizational discipline within a startup or rapidly scaling manufacturing environment.
• Experience serving as a business process owner for operational systems supporting procurement, planning, inventory management, or manufacturing operations.
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and Software teams.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible to work on programs subject to U.S. export control regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Odoo ERP preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, or a related field.
• Experience supporting production scale-up from prototype development through low-rate initial production and full-rate manufacturing.
• Experience establishing supply chain, planning, inventory, procurement, or supplier management functions within a startup or rapidly scaling manufacturing organization.
• Experience sourcing and managing suppliers supporting engineered products, materials, manufacturing services, and production operations.
• Experience developing operational metrics, dashboards, KPI frameworks, and business reporting systems.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, APICS/ASCM, CPSM, or similar operational excellence certifications.

Success in the First Year
Within the first 12 months, the Senior Manager, Supply Chain Operations will:

• Implement and stabilize core procurement, inventory, planning, and supply chain workflows.
• Establish master data standards and governance processes.
• Develop and implement MRP and supply planning methodologies.
• Create operational dashboards, reporting, and performance metrics.
• Establish and maintain Volund's Approved Supplier List (ASL) and supplier qualification process.
• Develop supplier onboarding, audit, and compliance processes aligned with AS9100, ITAR, DFARS, and CMMC requirements.
• Improve material availability, planning accuracy, and operational discipline across the organization.
• Create scalable supply chain and operational processes capable of supporting future organizational growth.

Compensation
Target compensation range: $160,000 - $185,000 base salary plus meaningful equity participation.
All roles include a generous equity package and the following benefits:

• Platinum healthcare benefits with comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at no cost to you.
• 100% covered Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance.
• 401(k).
• Unlimited PTO.
• Lunch and fully stocked kitchen.
• Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).