Manager of Global Supply Chain

Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and develop a team of Procurement Specialists and supply chain contributors; set clear goals and expectations, deliver regular feedback, and build a high-performing, accountable team culture

Strategic Sourcing: Own commodity strategy and sourcing decisions across assigned categories, including custom-engineered and long-lead components; lead supplier selection, RFQs, and competitive bidding processes

Supplier Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with a global supplier base; lead business reviews, drive performance accountability on quality, delivery, and cost, and manage escalations to resolution

Contract Negotiation: Lead negotiation of piece price agreements, tooling contracts, general terms and conditions, NDAs, and other commercial agreements; ensure Lightship’s commercial interests are protected

Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Engineering, Program Management, and Finance to support new product introduction, design changes, cost targets, and phase gate milestones; serve as the supply chain voice in cross-functional program reviews

Cost Management: Identify and execute cost reduction opportunities; track and report supply chain spend against budget; own savings targets and present results to VP and executive leadership

Risk Management: Proactively identify and mitigate supply chain risks — single-source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, supplier financial health, tariff and trade impacts, and capacity constraints

Logistics Coordination: Oversee inbound freight and carrier relationships; ensure on-time delivery of materials to support production schedules; drive continuous improvement in freight cost and transit performance

Process & Systems: Build and enforce procurement process discipline across the team; ensure accurate and timely PO management, vendor master data, and inventory records in NetSuite ERP; drive adoption of tools and workflows that scale

Supplier Site Visits & Travel: Conduct regular supplier and partner site visits to assess capability, audit performance, and strengthen relationships; travel up to 25%

7+ years of supply chain or procurement experience, with at least 2 years in a people management role leading a team of 2 or more direct reports

Demonstrated experience managing procurement of custom-engineered or manufactured components in a production environment — not purely commodity or indirect purchasing

Proven track record of leading end-to-end supplier negotiations, including piece price, tooling, and commercial terms

Working knowledge of ERP systems — specifically managing purchase orders, receipts, vendor records, and inventory in a manufacturing context

Experience partnering directly with Engineering through product development and design change cycles, including BOM management and NPI activities

Strong communicator with the ability to influence cross-functionally, present to senior leadership, and represent supply chain in executive-level discussions

Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, resource-constrained startup environment where process must be built and not just followed

RV industry experience is a strong plus; automotive, aerospace, or adjacent custom manufacturing experience is helpful

Familiarity with the Elkhart/Detroit supplier ecosystem and established relationships in the region

Experience scaling a supply chain function from early-stage prototype through volume production

Proficiency with NetSuite ERP; comfort with Jira, Confluence, and Google Workspace

APICS CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent professional certification

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field