Lead Supply Chain Manager

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Archer is a leader in the next-gen aerospace sector building an end-to-end advanced air mobility platform that delivers air taxis, unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), aviation-related physical artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions, and other technologies to customers worldwide across the commercial aerospace and defense sectors.

Our sights are set high and our problems are hard, and we believe that diversity in the workplace is what makes us smarter, drives better insights, and will ultimately lift us all to success. We are dedicated to cultivating an equitable and inclusive environment that embraces our differences, and supports and celebrates all of our team members.

You own the purchase order (PO) end to end for an assigned battery or electric motor commodity within the Powertrain business unit, from approved requirement to closed PO and payment. You source suppliers, negotiate and execute contracts, and manage delivery through receipt, acceptance, and payment.

You handle custom, build-to-print, and engineered parts. You partner with Powertrain Engineering, Program Management, Legal, Supplier Quality, and Accounts Payable. Procurement speed, traceability, and certification rigor scale with part risk, so you apply the right level of control to each requisition.

Responsibilities

1. Sourcing

• Define the need: capture the requirement (part number, drawing revision, quantity, need date). Confirm make or buy and funding. Confirm purchase requisition (PR) approval per Delegation of Authority (DoA).
• Evaluate and select: analyze proposals on should-cost, landed cost, and lead time. Document the award with competitive or sole-source justification.

2. Contract Negotiation and PO Creation

• Negotiate: set a negotiation plan with targets and walk-aways. Cover commercial terms (price, tiers, Incoterms, payment terms), legal and risk terms (IP, liability, termination, lead times), and quality terms (first article inspection (FAI), certificate of conformance (CoC), source inspection, configuration control).
• Contract: draft and redline the master services agreement (MSA), statement of work (SOW), and quality agreement with Legal. Approve and execute per delegation of authority (DoA).
• Create the PO: convert the PR to a PO in the ERP system, referencing the agreement. Attach terms and conditions plus quality and export flowdowns. Approve with segregation of duties and release.

3. Execution

• Deliver: confirm supplier acknowledgment of price, quantity, and promise date. Monitor, expedite, and escalate risk. Manage changes through PO revisions. Confirm shipment with CoC, FAI, export documents, and advance ship notice (ASN).
• Pay and close: support the three-way match (PO = goods receipt = invoice). Resolve discrepancies and held invoices. Pay per terms, close the PO, and update the supplier scorecard.

4. Additional Requirements for Certifiable Parts

• Source only from ASL-qualified suppliers, and engage Supplier Quality and Certification to qualify new ones.
• Plan conformity with the designated engineering representative (DER) or organization designation authorization (ODA) before PO release.
• Maintain change control and traceability end to end.

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, supply chain or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10 years of direct procurement or strategic sourcing experience with custom, build-to-print, or engineered parts.
• Track record owning supplier selection, negotiation, and contract execution end to end.
• Sourcing experience with battery or electric motor components, or other electrified powertrain parts, in automotive, aerospace, defense, EV, industrial, or another regulated or high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Contract fluency: MSA and SOW negotiation, IP, liability, and Incoterms.
• Should-cost and total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis.
• Hands-on ERP experience converting requisitions to POs, plus working knowledge of three-way match and segregation of duties.
• Experience with quality-driven procurement: supplier qualification, first article inspection, certificates of conformance, and NCR and SCAR processes.

Preferred

• Familiarity with quality frameworks such as AS9100, AS9102, IATF 16949, PPAP, or APQP.
• Knowledge of export control and flowdown requirements (DFARS, ITAR, EAR).
• Experience supporting a product from prototype through production ramp.
• Professional certification such as CPSM or CSCP.
• Supplier scorecards current, with on-time delivery and cost-savings targets.

At Archer, we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent with the skills and leadership needed to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s strategy. For this position, we are targeting a base pay range of $160,000 - $180,000. Actual compensation offered will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. 

Archer is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants with physical or mental disabilities, and those with sincerely held religious beliefs. Applicants who may require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should provide their name and contact information to Archer’s People Team at people@archer.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

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Certain positions may be eligible for visa sponsorship.

Archer is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. All aspects of employment are decided on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Archer Aviation does not engage with external recruiting agencies/individual recruiters with whom it does not have a prior written agreement. Archer reserves the right to make use of any unsolicited resumes that it receives and bears no responsibility for payment of any fees asserted from the use of unsolicited resumes. If you are a recruiting agency or individual recruiter wishing to do business with Archer, please reach out to People@archer.com. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.