Senior Purchasing Manager

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Business Unit: DRS RADA Technologies 
Location: Germantown, MD
Schedule: 9/80
Shift: 1st 

Job Summary

DRS RADA Technologies is seeking an experienced Senior Purchasing Manager to join our team in Germantown, Maryland. This position will lead the development and growth of the purchasing organization within the Supply Chain Department, supporting complex aerospace and defense programs.

The Senior Purchasing Manager will provide strategic leadership for sourcing, supplier development, commodity management, and procurement operations. This individual will develop and execute purchasing strategies aligned with broader supply chain and business objectives; forecast material and procurement requirements; and manage supplier performance across quality, delivery, cost, and schedule.

The ideal candidate is adaptable, highly organized, and able to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This leader will have a demonstrated ability to build and manage high-performing teams, lead procurement operations, develop effective sourcing strategies, and negotiate favorable terms with suppliers and subcontractors.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading sourcing, purchasing, negotiation, and subcontractor management activities.
• Building and developing a high-performing purchasing team and supporting organizational growth.
• Managing supplier relationships and performance, including quality, delivery, cost, and risk.
• Supporting supply chain operations across material planning, warehouse management, inventory control, logistics, import/export, and key performance indicators.
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen procurement processes, supplier capabilities, and overall supply chain performance.

The ideal candidate will bring strong purchasing and supply chain experience, along with proven leadership, negotiation, problem-solving, and communication skills. Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other high-technology supply chains throughout the product lifecycle is strongly preferred.

What You'll Do:

• Develop forecast/requirements for area of responsibility
• Develop subcontract/commodity strategies to present a clear vision of the commodity consistent with Supply Chain Strategy
• Lead Strategic Supplier Development (SPA, BOA, LTA)
• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives
• Set goals for commodity; implement projects that are in line with the overall organizational strategy
• Lead activities required in a make vs. buy decision for new or current production components
• Responsible for Quality, Delivery, Cost
• Lead a multi-discipline team
• Develop transition plans to new supplier
• Coordinate Strategic Supplier Development
• Responsible for ensuring monthly budgets are not exceeded, takes action to realign to plan if budgets are exceeded
• Interact with Program Management on Program Cost issues and required details
• Monitor Target Costs against Proposal Costs
• Consolidate requisitions as much as possible to obtain leverage pricing
• Review open requisitions weekly and meet with appropriate buyers on the open requisitions
• Review placement to requisition need date and length of time in purchasing
• Coordinate with Engineering and Quality on a team approach to supplier assessments and approval
• Advise planning, engineering and drafting of item master errors, updates, or omissions in relation to mil-specs or new or obsolete items
• Advise planning, engineering and contracts of changes in prices or lead times that make and produce cost-prohibitive or lead times detrimental to production cycles
• Expedite critical components to ensure on-time deliveries. Be prepared to address any current or potential parts issues
• Look for creative ways to improve purchasing ability to make contributions to the company’s goals
• Improve understanding of purchasing relationship to the over-all company plans and strategy
• Research and analyze costing information for cost reduction
• Support, communicate and defend the mission, values and culture of the company

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business, engineering or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 7 years demonstrated experience in high technology, aerospace or defense or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated knowledge of supply chain management tools and procedures
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, particularly “influence management” and “conflict resolution”
• Significant experience throughout the product lifecycle from New Product Introduction through obsolescence to include:  generation of system and subsystem statements of work and subcontracts, strategic supplier selection, risk management, and continuous improvement efforts including implementation for cost reduction and performance improvement efforts
• Experience with earned value cost accounting and reporting; experience with metrics for assessing and reporting program and/or commodity progress, productivity and variance analysis
• Experience in finance, contracting, export regulations, engineering, logistics, manufacturing and DoD, ITAR, EAR, FAR, DFAR regulations
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Strong customer interface skills
• Demonstrated problem solving skills
• Demonstrated success in managing manpower planning, program reviews, scheduling and budget control
• Must have a successful track record in managing complex aerospace/defense supply chain activities
• Must have excellent leadership and oral and written communication skills
• Professional certification preferredSite Specific