The Director of Global Operations & Supply Chain Management is responsible for the strategic execution of the supply chain function. In this role, you will define the vision and roadmap for Auterion's operations function; source, evaluate and select key logistics partners; recruit and train your team; and partner with business leadership to drive operational excellence across the company.

You are an operator at your core who is excited to architect, build, and lead a best-in-class operations and supply chain function from the ground up. You should have deep experience across the operations flywheel, having supported engineering, manufacturing, inventory and procurement teams in your career.

Global sourcing and high-volume contract manufacturing expertise is a must, and it would be helpful if you have experience in the defense or aerospace industries.

Our ideal candidate is an owner with a "roll-up-your-sleeves" mentality, excited to build systems that will allow us to achieve scalable, sustainable success. This role has a broad scope and will interface directly with executive leadership.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Develop the vision & strategy for Auterion's global operations; drive the performance of all supply chain functions including procurement, inventory control, material planning, and contract manufacturer/subcontract management
• Lead strategy, long term planning, CM management, compliance, negotiations, and continuous improvement while collaborating with program management, engineering, finance, and other support functions
• Partner with business leadership to identify and assess short- and long-term operational needs for strategic growth; contribute to strategic planning activities for critical go-to-market initiatives
• Direct the negotiation of supplier and subcontractor agreements; collaborate with Legal to ensure terms & conditions comply with company policies and customer's requirements; evaluate supplier performance against contractual terms
• Manage procurement systems and processes; ensure procedures align with overall company objectives, government compliance standards, and contractual requirements
• Recruit, develop and retain exceptional talent; build a high performance team capable of scaling with the growth of the company

Qualifications and Skills

• 10 or more years of supply chain management experience on an international scale, including contract manufacturing, inventory control, procurement, material planning, and subcontract management
• Substantial experience developing production and logistics systems in compliance with government contract requirements; proven success negotiating multi-million dollar complex agreements
• Proven experience building of products, liaising with contract manufacturers, sourcing electronics and partnering with silicon vendors meeting go-to-market demand.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead a high performing team within a matrix organization; track record of success as a change-agent leading to accomplishment of business objectives
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills; demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment related to controversial or sensitive subjects; ability to handle confidential information with tact and poise
• Strong knowledge of defense supply chain and purchasing processes, such as FAR/DFARS, CPSR, NDAA and DCAA requirements, etc.
• Strong working knowledge of ERPs such as SAP, Netsuite or similar systems
• Ability to travel between 25-50% of the time, sometimes to elevated risk areas
• US/EU/CH Citizenship required

Benefits

• Flexible working hours & hybrid workplace
• Stock Options
• Generous holiday & PTO allowance
• Health Insurance (includes dental & vision)
• Medical flex spending
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plan - 401k
• Enhanced maternity & paternity leave
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Learning and development opportunities
• Regular team socials

About Auterion

We are building the leading software platform for AI-powered autonomous systems for enterprise and government customers. Our team is supporting the most important missions and solving the most challenging problems.

At Auterion, we bring together the sharpest minds who love to solve the hardest problems. Join a vibrant team built on innovation, openness, and excellence, where you'll be empowered to develop ideas, collaborate across all levels, and make an impact that matters.