Senior Global Supply Manager

The Company

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365.

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365.

Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates.

Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation.

We are seeking a highly motivated and strategic Senior Global Supply Manager (Sr GSM) to join our supply chain team. As a Sr GSM, you will own the end-to-end sourcing and supply chain strategy for critical commodities. You will be the bridge between our Engineering, NPI (New Product Introduction), and Production teams, ensuring that we deliver high-quality products on time and at the right cost.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record in hardware manufacturing, a deep understanding of supplier capabilities, and the hustle required to build supply chain processes from the ground up in a startup setting.

The Supply Chain Team procures the essential materials required to build our drone fleet. Operating within the high-stakes national security and defense sector, we are dedicated to scaling our supply base and optimizing operations to meet the growing demands of the business.

• Strategic Sourcing:
  Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers that align with our engineering requirements, quality standards, and scaling roadmaps.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  Partner closely with Hardware Engineering and Production teams during the NPI phase to drive design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and ensure supply chain readiness.
• Negotiation & Contracting:
  Lead complex negotiations for pricing, lead times, and terms. Partner with Legal to establish NDAs, Master Supply Agreements (MSAs), and Statements of Work (SOWs).
• Cost Management:
  Develop and execute cost-reduction strategies. Perform "should-cost" modeling, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis, and manage RFQs to optimize our Bill of Materials (BOM) costs.
• Risk Mitigation:
  Monitor the global commodity landscape for potential disruptions. Proactively develop secondary sources and risk-mitigation plans to ensure uninterrupted production.
• Supplier Relationship Management:
  Build and maintain strong partnerships with supplier executive teams. Drive supplier performance through regular business reviews (QBRs) focusing on quality, delivery, and cost metrics.
• Leadership & Process Scaling:
  Mentor mid/junior Global Supply Managers, establish standardized sourcing playbooks, and scale procurement systems as the department expands.

• Experience:
  
  10+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, supply chain management, or procurement, preferably within a hardware, electronics, or mechanical manufacturing startup.
• Technical Aptitude:
  Strong understanding of manufacturing processes (e.g., PCBAs, semiconductors and electrical systems, electromechanical systems, fabricated parts, wire harnessing, or composites) and the ability to read technical drawings.
• Startup DNA:
  Comfortable working in a fluid, fast-paced environment where you may need to build processes from scratch and pivot quickly.
• Financial Acumen:
  Deep experience with cost modeling, capacity planning, and navigating "make vs. buy" decisions.
• Systems Fluency:
  Hands-on experience…