Manager, Supply Chain

Attalon is a leading technology partner to the global aerospace and defense industry, specializing in the physics of light. With over 500 employees in the U.S., Attalon engineers critical optical, laser, and coating technologies that enable systems to see farther, target faster, and survive the harshest environments. From high-energy directed laser systems to satellite optics and hypersonic thermal protection, Attalon equips the warfighter with the advantage of precision.

At Attalon inc. in Bloomfield, CT we foster a culture of innovation and collaboration. Our teams work in a state-of-the-art facility with advanced clean rooms, precision manufacturing, and cutting-edge R&D labs, enabling us to deliver world-class optical solutions. We value continuous improvement, technical excellence, and teamwork, leveraging vertical integration to accelerate design cycles and meet challenging customer requirements. Employees thrive in an environment that combines high-tech engineering with hands‑on problem solving, where ideas move quickly from concept to production.

If you’re passionate about precision, creativity, and making an impact in lasers and fiber optics, you’ll fit right in.

Attalon is seeking a Manager, Supply Chain & Strategic Sourcing, for our Bloomfield, CT facility. This leader is directly responsible for the performance, development, and direction of both the Purchasing team and the NPI Supply Chain function, ensuring seamless continuity from early product development through production.

The Manager owns all supply chain activities including Purchasing, Subcontract Management, and supplier performance. In addition, this role provides strategic sourcing leadership by shaping sourcing strategy, optimizing the supplier base, driving long term cost structures, and ensuring production programs have the materials, suppliers, and readiness required to meet schedule, cost, and compliance requirements. This leader is also responsible for overseeing the NPI Supply Chain function, directing and developing the individual who manages all day-to-day NPI material readiness activities.

The Manager ensures that NPI supply chain work, part readiness, supplier engagement, BOM alignment, ECNs, long lead identification, and development to production transitions, is executed effectively through direct leadership of the assigned NPI resource.

This position shapes sourcing strategy, optimizes the supplier base, ensures supply continuity, and embeds supply chain requirements early into engineering and program planning.

Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities (Direct Ownership)

Leadership of Purchasing & NPI Supply Chain

• Serve as the direct leader for both the Purchasing team and the NPI Supply Chain resource
  , providing guidance, priority setting, coaching, and performance management.
• Ensure the NPI resource has clear direction, support, and escalation paths to manage NPI readiness, prototype builds, and material transitions.
• Maintain accountability for the results of NPI supply chain execution, even though day-to-day NPI tasks are performed by the dedicated NPI team member.

Procurement & Subcontract Management

• Lead sourcing, purchasing, negotiations, supplier selection, and award decisions.
• Oversee supplier performance for quality, delivery, cost, and responsiveness.
• Manage material planning, expediting, and delivery schedules across development and production.

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Optimization

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for development programs, long-lead materials, and production scaling.
• Drive cost-reduction initiatives and supplier-optimization actions.
• Translate engineering changes into sourcing strategies, cost impacts, and supplier readiness requirements.
• Oversee supplier…