Senior Category Manager

Supply Chain Category Manager

Agile Space Industries is seeking a Supply Chain Category Manager. This role drives the strategic sourcing and management of key categories that directly support our advanced propulsion programs. You will develop supplier strategies, optimize cost and performance, and ensure continuity of supply for critical hardware and materials. As an integral part of the Supply Chain organization, you will work closely with engineering, operations, and program teams to enable reliable, scalable production and mission success.

This role can be onsite or remote, and we are currently accepting candidates residing in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Washington, Utah, Iowa, Texas, and Oklahoma. You MUST live and work from one of these states to work remotely for Agile Space Industries.

• Develop and own category strategies that optimize cost, quality, delivery, and risk across assigned commodities.
• Lead supplier selection, negotiation, and contract management to ensure competitive and sustainable supply solutions.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and program management to align sourcing decisions with technical requirements and production schedules.
• Drive supplier performance management, including scorecards, business reviews, and corrective action plans.
• Identify and mitigate category risks related to capacity, single-source dependencies, quality, and long lead materials.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support new product introduction, design-for-manufacturability, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Forecast and manage category demand in alignment with program milestones and inventory strategies.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and operational efficiency.
• Support executive reporting with category insights, market intelligence, and strategic recommendations.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or relevant field, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience managing complex supplier relationships and negotiating high-value agreements.
• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or similarly regulated hardware environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

• All qualifications above plus 5–7 years of supply chain, sourcing, or category management experience.
• Independently manages one or more sourcing categories with limited oversight.
• Leads supplier selection, negotiations, and contract execution for moderately complex procurements.
• Develops category strategies and drives cost, quality, delivery, and supplier performance improvements.
• Partners effectively with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and program teams to meet business objectives.
• Identifies supply chain risks and recommends mitigation strategies.

• All qualifications above plus 8-10 years of supply chain, sourcing, or category management experience.
• Serves as the strategic owner for multiple high-impact or technically complex categories.
• Develops long-term sourcing strategies aligned with company objectives and business growth.
• Leads negotiations for high-value, high-risk, or strategically critical supplier agreements.
• Influences cross-functional and executive decision-making on supplier strategy and sourcing initiatives.
• Mentors other category managers and provides technical guidance on sourcing best practices.
• Drives continuous improvement initiatives and establishes category management processes across the organization.
• Recognized as a subject matter expert in supplier strategy and market intelligence.

• Experience in aerospace propulsion, precision machining, metallurgy, or high-reliability hardware supply chains.
• Familiarity with supply chain tools and systems such as ERP/MRP platforms, cost modeling, or supplier performance tools.
• Experience working in fast-paced, growth-stage, or hardware startup environments.
• Exposure to government contracting requirements (DoD, NASA).
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret category data and market trends.
• Master's Degree in Supply Chain…