Supply Chain Manager - Manufacturing

D-J Engineering ( is an aerospace manufacturing company that takes pride in producing the industry’s most unique and hard to build structural parts and assemblies. We are a driven company that gets the job done

Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Supply Chain Manager to join our manufacturing team. This role oversees the entire flow of materials, out sourced services, and purchased products—from raw materials sourcing to final receipt—while ensuring strict compliance with the aerospace industry's high standards for quality, traceability, and regulation. This role is a hands-on, end-to-end management position that drives efficiency, mitigates risk, and ensures the timely availability of critical, high-value components essential for production.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Strategic Sourcing and Negotiation: Identify, evaluate, and qualify domestic and international suppliers of critical aerospace materials and parts. Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms to secure high-quality products and services at the best value.
  • Supplier Performance: Establish and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for suppliers, focusing heavily on Quality acceptance and on-time delivery (OTD). Conduct regular supplier reviews to ensure compliance with quality and regulatory standards.
  • Risk Mitigation: Actively manage the supply base to identify and mitigate risks such as long lead times, material shortages, and single-source dependencies. Develop contingency plans for critical components.
  • Inventory Control: Oversee all inventory management, including demand forecasting, cycle counting, and warehouse operations, to ensure optimal stock levels. Minimize excess, obsolete inventory, and stock-outs of critical parts.
  • Logistics Optimization: Plan and manage all inbound and outbound logistics, selecting optimal transportation routes and logistics partners, with a special focus on securing expedited shipping (AOG) services for high-value or critical parts.
  • Data and ERP Management: Utilize the company's ERP/MRP systems to maintain accurate inventory, material, and order data, providing clear visibility across the supply chain.
  • Traceability and Documentation: Ensure 100% compliance with all aerospace regulations (e.g., AS9100, NADCAP, ITAR, Export Control). Maintain meticulous documentation and traceability records for every component.
  • Quality Assurance: Collaborate closely with Quality Assurance and Engineering to manage non-conforming materials, address supplier quality issues, and ensure all procured parts meet stringent technical specifications and quality standards.
  • Continuous Improvement: Champion and implement lean supply chain practices to drive process improvements, enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall supply chain predictability.

Required Qualifications

  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field.
  • Experience: 3+ years of progressive experience in Supply Chain Management, with a preference for experience in the aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing industries.
  • Technical Proficiency: Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and advanced proficiency in data analysis tools, particularly Microsoft Excel.
  • Industry Knowledge: Demonstrated familiarity with aerospace quality and regulatory standards (AS9100, NADCAP, ITAR).

Key Skills

  • Analytical and Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze complex supply chain data, forecast demand, and apply a data-driven approach to identify bottlenecks and implement efficient solutions.
  • Negotiation: Expert ability to negotiate complex contracts and terms with suppliers and logistics partners.
  • Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively collaborate across internal teams (Engineering, Production, Sales) and manage external vendor relationships.
  • Risk Management: Proven ability to anticipate supply chain disruptions and develop robust, flexible contingency plans.
  • Leadership and Ownership: Given the small-business environment, a high degree of operational ownership and the ability to lead initiatives, implement systems, and drive accountability is essential.
  • Candidate must be eligible to work in the US without restrictions

Schedule: Mon-Fri, 10 hour days

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Health savings account
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Vision insurance

Ability to Commute:

  • Augusta, KS 67010 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...