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Procurement Manager

San Diego

Company Introduction:

Airspace is a tech-enabled freight forwarder that’s redefining how the world’s most critical packages are delivered. Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Airspace has employees who are based around the world. Our European headquarters is in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

As a recognized leader in AI and machine learning, our team leverages data and patented technology to coordinate logistics across a global network of drivers and airlines. Our goal is to deliver those packages that are truly mission-critical in a way that is faster, more transparent, more secure, and more accountable than ever before. The items we deliver range from organs for transplant, to parts for critical machinery including grounded aircraft and highly sensitive components such as semiconductors.  

Airspace has been rated one of America’s best Startup Employers, listed as one of CNBC’s Disruptor 50 companies, and featured as an Innovation and Disruption leader by CBS News. Airspace has the support of leading investors such as Telstra Ventures, HarbourVest Partners, Defy Partners, DBL Partners, and Scale Ventures. To date the company has raised more than $140m. 

The company is growing rapidly and serving more places around the world than ever before. We are looking for passionate, motivated individuals who want to make an IMPACT every day to help us execute on our mission of reshaping the world of time-critical logistics. 

Overview

We are seeking a results-driven and analytically sound Procurement Manager to build and scale our global procurement function. This role will lead strategic sourcing, rate negotiation, and cost optimization across both airline and ground agent networks to include US & international airline carriers, local couriers, regional freight forwarders, and international ground handlers.

This individual will design and own our procurement playbook, establish SLAs, run RFQs and direct negotiations, and implement data-driven tools like a centralized cost book and spend cube to inform strategy. The ideal candidate thrives in a high-velocity environment and brings structure and rigor to ambiguous sourcing landscapes.

We’ll be building out a broader Procurement function around this individual, so the intention is also to have someone excited about leading a team ultimately responsible for the below items.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Execution

  • Design and lead a scalable, repeatable procurement strategy across domestic and international markets
  • Conduct Spend Cube analysis to identify high-priority lanes, vendors, and regions with largest cost opportunities
  • Drive prioritization frameworks (e.g., issue trees, 2x2 matrices) to focus procurement efforts where they move the needle most
  • Own and continuously refine our sourcing strategy: deploy various procurement methods to drive cost out and/or cost containment, including when to use direct negotiation vs. RFQ vs. rapid repricing (as examples)
  • Define negotiation targets using anchoring principles and ensure commercial logic aligns with operational scalability

Vendor Negotiation

  • Lead direct rate negotiations with ground agents and airlines, using a tiered incentive structure based on volume commitment and performance
  • Structure agreements with clear SLA expectations, performance metrics, and enforceable penalties
  • Develop and deploy standardized RFQ processes: rate card design, blind bidding, ranking, finalist selection, and award
  • Launch rapid repricing initiatives in long-tail markets using dynamic benchmarks to drive cost efficiency

Tools, Infrastructure & Governance

  • Build and maintain a centralized cost book with visibility into current and historical rates across all lanes and vendors
  • Create feedback loops between Procurement and Operations to validate that rate commitments align with dispatch patterns and SLAs
  • Implement contract management workflows for all executed agreements, ensuring auditability and compliance (in cooperation with Compliance & Legal teams)
  • Own the procurement process and pricing inputs for all outbound RFPs, ensuring consistency and clarity

Qualifications

  • 7-10+ years of procurement experience, ideally within logistics, freight forwarding, or a marketplace-based business
  • Proven track record running end-to-end sourcing strategies across complex vendor ecosystems
  • Strong negotiation chops with both enterprise vendors (e.g., airlines) and fragmented supplier bases (e.g., local couriers)
  • Analytical mindset with comfort using Excel, SQL, or BI tools to make sourcing decisions (e.g., spend cube analysis)
  • Strong understanding of SLA development, contract enforcement, and dynamic pricing mechanisms
  • Experience building tools, processes, or teams from the ground up in high-growth environments
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to build alignment with cross-functional teams including Operations, Sales, R&D, Compliance, and Legal

Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary range: $100 - $130K
  • High-quality health, vision, and dental care plan options
  • Unlimited PTO
  • 401(k) plan with employer match (after 6 months)
  • Professional training and education reimbursements
  • Generous employee perks (e.g., mobile phone program, onsite fitness center, lunches)

Core Values:

  • We are One Team. We believe we all accomplish more when we are working together.
  • We make an Impact. We are determined to have a positive influence on our environment, our customers, our industry, and our world.
  • We are Passionate. We care deeply about our mission and are not afraid to raise the bar.
  • We are Transparent. We pride ourselves on having open, honest, and sincere communication with our team and customers.
  • We are Innovative. We never settle and are always striving to improve our product, service, and ourselves.

About Airspace:

From life-saving organs to essential machinery components, Airspace is trusted by the world’s largest companies and most critical healthcare organizations to move their most time-sensitive shipments on time, every time. Our proprietary AI-powered platform is the most advanced of its kind- awarded and protected by multiple patents, it provides speed, reliability, and transparency unrivaled in time-critical logistics. We are thinkers, builders, and doers; from building and deploying AI in the world to assembling a world-class operations team, Airspace is on a hypergrowth trajectory while remaining hyper-focused on the needs of our customers and team members. 

With offices in the United States in Carlsbad, CA and in Europe in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Stockholm, and London, we are rapidly scaling into new markets and industries while continuing to innovate and maximize value for our customers. Backed by leading investors including Telstra, HarbourVest, Prologis, Qualcomm, Defy, and others, Airspace has raised $140M to date.

Join our team of 300+ technologists, futurists, and industry veterans as we work as One Team to revolutionize time-critical logistics. 

 

Airspace is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Additionally, Airspace participates in the E-Verify program for all locations.  

 
For this role the acquisition of recruitment agencies is not appreciated, thank you for your understanding.

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