Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
The Director of Supply Chain – Negotiations is responsible for leading sourcing strategy, supplier negotiations, and contract execution for munitions and defense-related commodities. This role drives cost, performance, and supply continuity in a highly regulated and capacity-constrained environment, while ensuring full compliance with U.S. government regulations.
What you'll do:
Lead complex, high-value negotiations with munitions and defense suppliers, including pricing, long-term agreements (LTAs), and terms & conditions.
Develop and execute sourcing strategies for critical munitions components and assemblies, balancing cost, risk, and delivery requirements.
Build and manage strategic supplier relationships, including sole-source and limited-source vendors, to ensure continuity of supply.
Partner cross-functionally with engineering, program management, legal, and finance to align negotiation strategies with program and business objectives.
Drive cost savings and value creation through should-cost analysis, benchmarking, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Ensure compliance with ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and other applicable U.S. government regulations and export controls.
Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, including geopolitical, capacity, and regulatory risks specific to munitions.
Lead and develop a high-performing procurement/supply chain team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and execution excellence.
Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for supplier performance, cost, quality, and delivery.
Required qualifications:
Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field (MBA preferred) with ~10–15+ years of progressive experience in procurement/supply chain, including significant exposure to defense or munitions programs or Aerospace Programs
Defense & Munitions Expertise: Proven experience sourcing and negotiating for munitions or defense-related commodities, with a strong understanding of constrained supply markets, sole-source environments, and lifecycle requirements
Regulatory Knowledge: Demonstrated expertise in ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and U.S. government contracting requirements, including experience working with export-controlled materials and compliance frameworks.
Negotiation & Contracting: Track record of leading complex, high-value negotiations (e.g., long-term agreements, pricing structures, terms & conditions) and executing contracts that deliver cost savings and mitigate risk.
Leadership Experience: Experience leading teams or influencing cross-functional stakeholders (engineering, legal, finance, program management) in a matrixed environment to achieve business objectives.
Analytical & Financial Acumen: Strong capability in cost analysis, should-cost modeling, and data-driven decision-making to optimize supplier performance and total cost of ownership.
Security Clearance (if applicable): Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance, depending on program requirements.
Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.