Location: Atlanta, GA

Employment Type: Full-time

Team: Area-I Manufacturing and Operations

Area-I, Inc. is a metro-Atlanta-based company dedicated to the development of state-of-the-art unmanned aircraft systems designed for use by the United States Armed Forces. We specialize in the development of unmanned aircraft systems that eject from host platforms or modular launch systems. These platforms are designed to meet the specific needs of our customers where we design, build, test, and ultimately deliver unique solutions to the customer. Area-I’s customers include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and NASA.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The sourcing specialist will be responsible for developing, executing, and maintaining the inbound flow of production components to support production goals. This individual will determine purchasing strategies that align with departmental goals. In addition, they will assist with the transition of R&D projects to production-ready products. This includes determining the sources and replenishment methods for all assemblies, components, and raw materials. This role will develop the supply base, maintain supplier relationships and provide metrics on supplier performance. Key performance indicators include production downtime due to part shortages, overall material/logistics costs, and cost savings associated with sourcing or logistics initiatives.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 3-5 years sourcing/purchasing in a manufacturing setting (in a manufacturing setting (aerospace, automotive, electronics, or medical industry preferred)
• Experience with contract management and/or negotiating purchasing agreements with a supply base
• Familiarity with supplier scorecards and rating supplier performance
• Understanding of inbound logistics and expedites
• Familiarity with ERP systems (Oracle, SAP, etc.)
• Ability to catalog new processes in standardized operating procedures (SOPs)
• Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, email, etc.)
• Strong organization and communication skills
• Willing to work overtime under tight deadlines
• Must be a team player, maintain a positive attitude, and have good customer relationship skills
• Ability to multitask with little supervision
• U.S. Person Status is required as this position needs to access export-controlled data.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with following preferred:
• Developing sourcing strategies on a component level for new products that support mass production
• Negotiating purchasing agreements and/or contracts with suppliers to ensure a steady and reliable flow of material against a production schedule
• Creating purchase requisitions for production components in response to component replenishment signals
• Collaborating with the inventory and material handling groups to develop processes that support are cost effective and support production volumes
• Developing a process for identifying and vetting new suppliers
• Creating supplier scored cards and developing a system for rating supplier performance
• Analyzing material and logistics costs as well as reporting findings to management
• Identifying, investigating, and implementing cost savings initiatives that support departmental goals
• Developing and documenting new processes in standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or supply chain management
• Familiarity with warehouse management and/or shipping receiving
• Working in a new model launch or start-up environments
• A strong grasp of lean manufacturing, six sigma, and/or Toyota Production System concepts
• Handling government property under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Area-I is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. If you are someone passionate to work on problems that matter, we’d love to hear from you!

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