Senior Manager, Global Supply Management

About the Role

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We are seeking a Senior Manager, Global Supply Management - Strategic Sourcing to lead the strategic sourcing function for Aurora’s direct spend categories, including hardware components, sensors, compute platforms, advanced materials, and contract manufacturing.

In this role, you will build and manage a team of Global Supply Managers, owning the commercial strategy and execution across a portfolio of critical direct categories that underpin the Aurora Driver. You will partner closely with Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Legal to drive cost discipline, supply assurance, and sourcing rigor as Aurora scales toward commercialization.

• Technology & Supplier Sourcing: Serve as the first point of contact for Engineering on new technology and part exploration. Develop deep knowledge of industry dynamics and supplier roadmaps to anticipate Aurora’s future sourcing needs. Manage trial agreements and evaluation samples to accelerate qualified supplier onboarding.
• Sourcing Readiness & Category Ownership: Own the direct category strategy across hardware components, sensors, compute platforms, advanced materials, and contract manufacturing. Lead supplier selection and negotiation, define contracting and commercial strategy, and conduct make vs. buy (or location) analysis and should-cost modeling to ensure Aurora sources competitively and at the right cost structure.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Act as the escalation point for commodity management across your portfolio. Run Supplier Quarterly Reviews (QBRs) to drive accountability, track KPIs, and maintain strong, productive supplier relationships that support Aurora’s quality, safety, and delivery expectations.
• Approved Vendor List (AVL) Governance: Own and maintain the AVL for strategic sourcing categories. Classify and actively manage suppliers across strategic (invest more), preferred (steady state), and de-sourced (phase out) tiers to ensure Aurora’s supply base is healthy, competitive, and aligned to long‑term program needs.
• Cost Management & Should-Cost Modeling: Drive commercial cost discipline across the direct portfolio. Champion should-cost modeling and total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis to establish credible benchmarks, inform make‑vs‑buy decisions, and negotiate pricing that meets program needs and long‑term financial targets.
• Contract Management: Oversee the negotiation and execution of supply agreements, LTAs, NRE arrangements, trial agreements, and manufacturing contracts. Ensure favorable commercial terms that protect Aurora’s IP, supply continuity, and business interests.
• Supply
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate supply chain risks including single‑source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, and capacity constraints. Develop and maintain resilience strategies, dual‑source roadmaps, and business continuity plans for critical commodities.
• Team Leadership & Development: Build, mentor, and manage a team of Global Supply Managers covering direct spend categories. Set clear goals, develop sourcing talent, and create a high‑performance team culture aligned with Aurora’s values.
• Cross‑Functional Partnership: Act as a trusted business partner to Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, and Product. Ensure procurement is viewed as a strategic enabler — not a gatekeeper — by bringing rigor, speed, and commercial insight to every engagement from early design through production.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in strategic sourcing or global supply management, with a strong focus on direct categories (hardware, components, sensors, electronics, or advanced manufacturing).
• 8+ years of people management experience, with a demonstrated ability to build and develop high‑performing sourcing teams.
• Strong analytical skills, including should‑cost modeling, TCO analysis, and…