Strategic Sourcing Manager

Unusual Machines is a U.S.-based drone and drone parts company focused on the small and First-Person View (FPV) segments of the drone market. Our brands - Rotor Riot and Fat Shark - are two of the most respected names in FPV and have helped shape the industry through e-commerce, product development, and a deep connection with the pilot community.

We’re expanding into enterprise and defense - bringing our obsessive attention to performance, design, and U.S.-based manufacturing into high-stakes environments like search and rescue and military innovation. With several of our products already approved by the Defense Innovation Unit, we’re solving procurement issues for customers who demand speed, agility, and compliance.

If you love working at the intersection of community, content, and cutting-edge technology, you’ll feel right at home here.

STRATEGIC SOURCING MANAGER

Department: Procurement

Reports To: Director of Procurement

FLSA: Exempt

Experience: 5+ Years Strategic Sourcing in Electronics Manufacturing with 2 years of people management

You in this Role are responsible for supporting and executing enterprise sourcing strategies, supplier lifecycle management, and procurement process excellence initiatives supporting UMAC growth objectives.

This role serves as the primary liaison between Procurement, Engineering, Quality, Operations, Manufacturing, Program Management, and Product Development to ensure supplier readiness, NPD/NPI support, commercial alignment, and supply chain resiliency.

What You’ll Do

• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives for direct materials, electronics components, PCBAs, electromechanical assemblies, and contract manufacturing services.
• Support New Product Development (NPD) and New Product Introduction (NPI) activities from concept through production launch.
• Develop and maintain sourcing processes, supplier governance standards, qualification procedures, and sourcing KPIs.
• Own supplier identification, vetting, qualification, onboarding, and Approved Vendor List management.
• Conduct supplier capability assessments, quality reviews, compliance evaluations, capacity analyses, and financial risk reviews.
• Coordinate supplier introductions, technical reviews, business reviews, and executive meetings.
• Manage NDA requests, execution, renewal tracking, and document repositories.
• Develop, negotiate, and administer Statements of Work (SOWs), Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), and supplier agreements.
• Support supplier negotiations involving pricing, lead times, capacity commitments, quality requirements, and commercial terms.
• Utilize NetSuite and Arena PLM to support sourcing decisions, AVL management, engineering changes, and supplier records.
• Drive supplier performance improvements using scorecards and corrective action programs.

Required

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of strategic sourcing experience, with experience in an electronics manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 2 years having managed a team of Sourcing Specialists.
• Demonstrated experience supporting NPD and NPI programs.
• Experience with supplier onboarding, supplier qualification, and supplier relationship management.
• Hands-on experience using NetSuite (NS) ERP and Arena PLM.
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, analytical, and project management skills.

Preferred

• CPSM, CSCP, CIPS, or equivalent certification.
• Experience with global supplier development and contract manufacturing.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 and supplier quality systems.

Performance Metrics

• Cost savings and cost avoidance achievements.
• Supplier qualification cycle time.
• NPI launch readiness and supplier support effectiveness.
• Supplier quality, delivery, and responsiveness performance.
• Risk mitigation and supply continuity results.

Physical & Travel Requirements

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 20% as required.
• Ability to work late nights or early mornings as needed for international communications.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment while wearing required PPE.

Compensation

120,000-140,000

Benefits

• Equity is included for all exempt positions
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits
• 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid Holidays
• Daily Catered Lunches

We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.

Unusual Machines participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.