Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Mgmt, and Quality Assurance Manager

Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Management, and Quality Assurance Manager

Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Management, and Quality Assurance Manager – Space Program, Houston, TX. Leading supplier strategy across sourcing, qualification, and ongoing quality performance. Ensures suppliers and partners meet operational, regulatory, and quality expectations while driving value, compliance, and risk reduction. The role combines sourcing excellence, vendor governance, and supplier quality leadership – ensuring suppliers not only meet cost and delivery targets but also uphold the organization’s technical and quality standards.

• Define and execute the organization's strategic sourcing roadmap, aligning vendor capabilities with business goals and long‑term growth objectives.
• Establish a unified vendor management framework that integrates supplier selection, onboarding, compliance, and ongoing performance monitoring.
• Maintain a comprehensive supplier database and ensure data integrity across ERP and VMS systems.
• Develop and monitor category strategies for critical indirect and technical spend areas to optimize cost, risk, and supplier performance.
• Design and manage a data‑driven vendor qualification system to evaluate supplier financial health, ethical compliance, and technical competency.
• Lead supplier audits and risk assessments, including ESG, safety, and cybersecurity criteria.
• Oversee corrective and preventive action (CAPA) tracking and ensure timely closure of supplier quality issues.
• Partner with Legal and Finance to ensure supplier contracts reflect appropriate quality, compliance, and liability clauses.
• Establish a comprehensive Supplier Quality Management System (SQMS) integrated with ISO 9001 principles to ensure supplier conformity to specifications, drawings, and regulatory requirements.
• Define and maintain supplier quality plans, inspection protocols, and incoming quality control (IQC) procedures for purchased goods and services.
• Develop Supplier Quality Agreements (SQAs) outlining inspection frequency, test methods, documentation expectations, and escalation criteria.
• Implement supplier scorecards that measure defect rates, on‑time delivery, audit findings, and responsiveness.
• Lead root cause analyses (RCA) for nonconforming materials and drive corrective actions in collaboration with suppliers and internal teams.
• Conduct periodic supplier quality audits to verify process control, calibration, documentation, and traceability requirements.
• Work cross‑functionally with engineering and operations to qualify new suppliers, evaluate first article inspections (FAIs), and ensure compliance with change control procedures.
• Develop internal and supplier training programs to promote quality culture, regulatory awareness, and continuous improvement practices.
• Ensure adherence to applicable quality, safety, and environmental standards (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 13485, AS9100, or industry‑specific equivalents).
• Manage the full contract lifecycle, including negotiation, execution, performance tracking, and renewal.
• Serve as the central liaison between the organization and strategic suppliers to resolve escalations, align performance objectives, and drive long‑term collaboration.
• Conduct business reviews and develop supplier improvement roadmaps based on trend analysis and audit outcomes.
• Lead the implementation and optimization of a cloud‑based Vendor Management System (VMS) or e‑Sourcing platform that integrates with the company's ERP.
• Automate quality, compliance, and performance workflows within the digital procurement ecosystem.
• Identify opportunities to streamline procurement and QA processes, leveraging analytics to drive efficiency and transparency.
• Benchmark supplier performance against industry best practices and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

• US Citizenship or Permanent Resident status due to the sensitivity of customer‑related information.
• Must have a bachelor's degree in business administration, supply chain, engineering, or a related discipline.
• Must have 3+ years of recent and related work experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, or…