Chief Supply Chain Officer - Aerospace/Defense

Role Overview:

Own the end-to-end flow of material from supplier to customer, securing conforming, traceable supply at the lowest total cost and shortest lead time.

Reports to: CEO / Managing Director

Direct reports: Heads of Planning, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, Supplier Development, Logistics and Import-Export, Stores and Inventory

Key responsibilities:

• Planning and S&OP: run the monthly sales and operations planning cycle; own demand-to-supply planning, MRP parameters, master schedule and material availability for all programmes.
• Strategic sourcing: manage category strategies for raw materials (metals-rods/ sheets, copper and magnet wire, ferrites, plating and precious-metal contacts, connector shells, insulators), bought-out parts and subcontracted processes; negotiate long-term agreements and price indexation.
• Costing: work with Finance, Engineering and Machine Shop on should-cost models, target costing, RFQ costing and make-or-buy decisions.
• Supplier development: qualify, audit and develop suppliers, including special-process sources (such as NADCAP-approved processors); drive supplier PPM, corrective actions and flow-down of AS9100D and customer requirements.
• Counterfeit and traceability controls: enforce counterfeit-part prevention, certificate-of-conformance and lot traceability requirements across receipt, storage and issue.
• Logistics: own inbound and outbound logistics, customs, import and export documentation, export-control compliance and freight cost.
• Inventory and working capital: set inventory policy, bin and kanban systems, slow-moving and obsolete stock control; deliver target inventory turns and payables terms with Finance.
• Risk mitigation: maintain a supply-risk register with single-source mitigation, alternate sources and safety stock for long-lead items.
• Localization: develop domestic sources and import substitution aligned to customer offset and Make in India requirements.
• Systems and talent: drive ERP and supplier-portal adoption; build the supply chain team and succession.

Qualifications and experience:

• B.E./B.Tech in Engineering; MBA in Operations or Supply Chain preferred.
• 20 - 25 years in manufacturing supply chain, with at least 8 leading procurement and planning in aerospace, defense or similar regulated manufacturing.
• Proven record of reducing material cost, inventory and lead time at a company of ₹500 - 1,000 crore scale.
• Working knowledge of AS9100D supplier controls, import-export regulations and ERP-based planning.