Purchasing Manager

Who Are We?

FDH Aero is a trusted global supply chain solutions partner for aerospace and defense companies, helping to shape the industry by simplifying the supply chain. With over 60 years serving as a leading independent industry partner, FDH specializes in hardware, electrical, consumables and expendables, licensed products, and value-added services for global OEM and aftermarket customers. FDH is headquartered in Commerce, California, and has operations across the Americas, EMEA and APAC. FDH Aero – named a Best Places to Work in Aviation in 2024 – has locations in 14 countries across the globe, with more than 1,500 best-in-industry employees and over 650,000 square feet of inventory space.

FDH is headquartered in Commerce, California, and has operations across the Americas, EMEA and APAC. FDH Aero – named a Best Places to Work in Aviation in 2024 – has locations in 14 countries across the globe, with more than 1,500 best-in-industry employees and over 650,000 square feet of inventory space.

Why Work Here?

At FDH Aero, we understand that the strength of our brand comes from our people.

We invest in driven, diverse and experienced professionals who are naturally curious, courageous and motivated towards action. We value tempering confidence with humility, and a mission that always starts with service-first.

Our values guide everything we do:

We Are Service First - We act with agility and intelligence to solve our partner’s most pressing needs. We safeguard our trusted relationships by communicating with clarity and unmatched follow through.

We Are Respectful - We behave with dignity, fairness, and acceptance. We thrive by prioritizing empathy, humility, and connection to our collective community.

We are Amplifiers - We invest in driven, diverse and experienced professionals, businesses and partners. We fuel the entrepreneurial spirit by providing autonomy, authority and a clear mission.

We Are Open-Minded - We communicate with intention, curiosity, and diversity of thought. By actively contributing with courage and candor, we challenge the status quo and innovate together.

We Are Accountable - We own responsibility for our outcomes. We set expectations, embrace critique, and empower every employee to take immediate actions on challenges they encounter.

We Value Our People - That’s why we offer competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), 401k matching, and wellness programs. We invest in training, mentorship, and career development to empower our employees to reach their full potential. Our commitment to culture and excellence has earned us recognition as one of Aviation Business News' Best Places to Work in Aviation.

As a team member at FDH Aero you are trusted to deliver, to innovate, and to drive next-generation solutions for tomorrow’s supply chain demands. Ready to make an impact? We proudly pursue top talent with a diverse and global set of experiences and backgrounds.

We Are Looking For

The Purchasing Manager will lead in strategic stock investments, purchasing components, and optimizing cost savings. Examples of other various purchasing operations include order entry, data entry, expediting, and various other purchasing tasks including but not limited to resolving quality issues and maintaining supplier relationships.

What You'll Do (Responsibilities)

• Strategic Sourcing: Identify and evaluate current and potential new suppliers, analyze market trends, and assess the technical capabilities of suppliers to ensure optimal sourcing decisions
• Procurement Management: Lead and manage the purchasing department, ensuring that all parts are acquired efficiently, on time, and within budget.
• Compliance and Regulations: Ensure that all purchasing activities comply with industry standards, government regulations, and internal policies (including but not limited to EASA and China CAAC). Familiarity with aerospace and electronics certifications (e.g. AS9100, ISO 9001, ASA-100) is required. Further, work closely with the quality department and suppliers to resolve any supplier non-conformances.
• Supplier Performance and Relationship Management: Foster strong, collaborative relationships with key suppliers to ensure continuous supply of materials, timely deliveries, and competitive pricing. Perform regular supplier evaluations, manage performance, and resolve issues such as delays or quality concerns. Monitor supplier adherence to contract terms, quality standards, and delivery schedules, and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Inventory Management: Oversee inventory levels and maintain appropriate stock to meet production demands without overstocking
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the customer services team to provide accurate and prompt delivery dates, and competitive pricing for parts to win orders based on supplier knowledge.
• Other various purchasing responsibilities: Enter purchase orders into our ERP system, maintaining accurate supplier and product details in order to keep database up-to-date, adding new product lines into our ERP system, ensure timely delivery of materials to shop based on commitments, expediting purchase orders when required, and to support the business operation with any ad hoc requests.
• Must also be on call for certain times after working business hours to help in AOG situations.

What You Bring (Qualifications & Skills):

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement or purchasing with at least 2 years in a managerial role.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of electronic components used in aerospace and certificate types (FAA/PMA, CofC, EASA FORM ONE, UK CAA Form, etc.).
• Knowledgeable in part types (Mil-spec, STND, PMA, TSO). Knowledge of main players and competitors in the aerospace electronics industry.

Special Requirements:

• U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required.
• ITAR requirement
• 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify U.S. person status under the ITAR and the EAR. A “U.S. person” according to their definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee, or asylee. See 22 CFR

FDH Aero is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.