Supply Chain & Sourcing Manager

<div class="content-intro"><h3>Our Company</h3> <p><span class="TextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0">Whisper Aero is pioneering a more compelling and connected future by delivering cleaner, quieter, and more efficient propulsion solutions. Today's open rotor propulsion systems are challenged by safety, noise, and performance limitations at all scales. Whisper's breakthrough technologies allow </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0">aircraft</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0"> to fly anywhere at any time without disturbing communities, at greater speeds, and with incredible improvements in efficiency and cost. Their innovations also enable a new generation of air moving products that can blend into the soundscapes of daily life. Whisper was founded by industry veterans, Mark </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0">Moore</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0"> and Ian Villa, and continues to innovate a future </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0">that’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW71429168 BCX0"> as considerate as it is compelling with its world-class team in Tennessee. </span></span></p></div><p><strong>About the Role</strong></p> <p>Whisper Aero is seeking a driven, experienced Supply Chain & Sourcing Manager to lead end-to-end procurement, supplier industrialization, and material planning for our electric propulsor product line. In this role, you will balance hands-on tactical purchasing with strategic supply architecture, serving as the commercial and operational link between engineering design and external manufacturing partners.</p> <p>Working collaboratively with Quality, Engineering, Program Management, and Finance, you will manage sourcing for flight-critical propulsion commodities: precision machined components, brushless electric motors, motor controllers/inverters, high-voltage battery modules, and specialized aerospace hardware. You will establish long-term supplier agreements, secure material availability for engine assembly lines, and build the AS9100 compliant supply chain required to scale production from initial development to serial production.</p> <p>By maintaining a strategic focus on sourcing, you’ll ensure that the organization not only meets its immediate procurement needs but also positions itself for long-term success in the marketplace. This is a unique opportunity to shape the supply chain strategy for a product that is poised to disrupt the market.</p> <p><strong>What You’ll Do</strong></p> <p><strong>Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Architecture</strong></p> <ul> <li>Formulate and execute commodity sourcing strategies for our propulsor platforms, covering precision rotor blades, custom electric motors, power electronics/inverters, structural components, and wiring harnesses.</li> <li>Lead supplier selection, release competitive RFQs/RFPs, evaluate technical and commercial proposals, and negotiate comprehensive agreements, including Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and Long-Term Agreements (LTAs).</li> <li>Develop should-cost models covering precision tooling, non-recurring engineering (NRE) charges, raw materials, and tiered piece prices to meet program cost targets.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Production Planning, Material Control & Tactical Execution</strong></p> <ul> <li>Maintain ownership of Clear-to-Build (CTB) tracking across prototype builds, qualification test articles, ground durability testing, and flight-demonstration engine schedules.</li> <li>Execute the complete tactical procurement cycle: generating purchase orders (POs), tracking supplier confirmations, expediting critical-path components, managing receiving workflows, and reconciling invoices with Finance.</li> <li>Collaborate with Program Management to implement Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP/S&OP) processes, aligning material procurement plans with eQ250 build rates and customer delivery commitments.</li> <li>Identify component lead-time risks and execute shortage recovery plans, partnering with Engineering to identify qualified alternative components or arranging expedited logistics to protect program schedules.</li> <li>Maintain master data integrity within the company’s ERP/MRP system, including item masters, multi-level Bills of Materials (BOM), standard lead times, order minimums (MOQs), and safety stock parameters.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Supplier Quality, Industrialization & Aerospace Compliance</strong></p> <ul> <li>Partner with Quality and Design Engineering to assess supplier manufacturing readiness through Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews, tooling qualification, and on-site capability audits.</li> <li>Establish, evaluate, and maintain the Approved External Providers List (AEPL/AVL) in strict compliance with AS9100D quality standards.</li> <li>Implement supplier performance metrics, monitoring monthly on-time delivery (OTD), supplier non-conformance reports (SNCR), and corrective action request (SCAR) closure rates.</li> <li>Enforce quality requirement flow-downs across all purchasing documents, including, but not limited to, First Article Inspections (SAE AS9102), material test reports, heat-lot traceability, and counterfeit parts prevention protocols (AS5553/AS6174).</li> <li>Ensure strict adherence to U.S. export controls (ITAR and EAR) across all supplier technical dat