Aviation Supplier Management

Company Summary

Echo Star builds solutions that help families and communities stay connected. We’ll launch your career and empower you to change lives.

Our brands include Boost Mobile, DISH TV, Gen Mobile, Hughes and Sling TV. We serve millions of customers with offerings ranging from satellite to streaming services and global to personal networking solutions.

Echo Star has an exciting opportunity in our Hughes Network Systems division for an Aviation Partner Manager supporting our AERO Mobility business unit. This role is essential for managing and optimizing the aviation vendor supply chain of key materials and products, ensuring timely and cost‑efficient delivery while maintaining strong relationships with aviation suppliers. This position will play a critical role in planning, forecasting, and ensuring alignment between Hughes procurement operations, program management, product, and engineering teams.

This role offers a great opportunity for career growth in a dynamic environment focused on innovation and operational excellence. This position will be located at our office in either Germantown, MD or Lisle, IL
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Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and optimize aviation supplier processes for the production of aviation components, ensuring efficiency, cost‑effectiveness, and compliance with quality standards
• Lead collaboration efforts with Hughes product team, aircraft engineering and aviation 3rd party suppliers for product production and ensuring timely completion and adherence to budget and cost minimization
• Monitor aviation supplier performance, including delivery times, quality, and reliability metrics, as well as compliance with contractual terms
• Focus the supply base on quality and reliability through the design and manufacturing process
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key aviation suppliers to ensure effective communication, cooperation, and performance
• Evaluate and select suppliers based on their reliability, cost efficiency, quality, and ability to meet deadlines
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and terms with suppliers to ensure the best value for the company

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (e.g., manufacturing, sales, product, and engineering) to forecast demand for 3rd party aviation suppliers
• Develop and implement strategies to optimize aviation 3rd party supplier inventory levels, reduce lead times, and improve overall delivery efficiency
• Continuously analyze and improve aviation 3rd party supply chain processes to drive cost reduction, improve supplier performance, and enhance efficiency
• Identify and mitigate risks in the aviation 3rd party supply chain by developing contingency plans for potential disruptions or delays
• This position will require up to 50% travel

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, and/or Business Administration or related field
• 8+ years of experience in aviation supplier management
• Prior experience in managing relationships with suppliers, negotiating contracts, and improving supplier performance
• Certification in Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma
• Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or similar) and planning software

Skills and

Qualifications:

• Certification in supply chain management (e.g., APICS, CSCP, CPM) is a plus
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions
• Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., AS9100, FAA regulations) and quality control methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma, FMEA, Root Cause Analysis)
• Strong understanding of inventory management, demand forecasting, and production planning
• Strong knowledge of aviation design and manufacturing processes
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment, managing multiple tasks simultaneously
• Strong problem‑solving abilities and proactive mindset
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other office software
• Strong interpersonal skills and the…