Procurement Director

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in precision weapons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Our team of engineers and innovators are developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions to deliver affordable and scalable precision weapons, interceptors, and UAS.

• We're building the next generation of munitions and unmanned systems for the United States and its allies. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on defense technology, you belong here.
• Role Summary

The Procurement Director leads all global procurement activities for the company, including strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, subcontract administration, and vendor performance management. This role ensures the company secures the materials, components, and services needed to support full-rate production at the best total cost, quality, and risk profile.

This role owns the supplier-facing side of the supply chain, from sourcing and negotiation through subcontract execution and performance, while maintaining the compliance discipline required in a regulated, government-contracting environment.

The Procurement Director partners closely with the Supply Chain Director, Program Management, Engineering, and Finance to ensure sourcing decisions translate into reliable, on-time material flow.

The Procurement Director ensures the procurement organization is aligned to meet Zone 5 needs for Production support, Engineering New Product Introduction (NPI), as well as the needs of franchise partners, while staying aligned with Finance and compliant with financial control requirements.

What You'll Own

Strategic Sourcing & Purchasing

You are accountable for sourcing the right materials, components, and services at the right cost and risk profile, and for proactively derisking the supply base.

You will

Lead the procurement team's sourcing of raw materials, components, and services to support full-rate production

Implement strategic sourcing initiatives, vendor qualification programs, and cost reduction programs while maintaining quality and compliance standards

Ensure Zone 5 has a well-communicated, aligned set of suppliers that meets the technical and service needs of the organization and franchise partners

Establish relationships with strategic suppliers that extend beyond the account team to the executive level between companies

Systematically identify sole-source and single-source suppliers across the supply base and drive mitigation plans, including dual-sourcing, qualified alternates, or long-term agreements, to close the exposure

Assess supplier capacity against projected production rates and proactively address suppliers unable to scale with the business, through capacity investment, dual-sourcing, or re-sourcing as warranted

Build and maintain a diversified, resilient supplier base to mitigate single-source and capacity risk

Identify and qualify alternate vendors for critical or at-risk parts

Support New Product Introduction (NPI) by sourcing and qualifying long-lead and new parts in time to support production ramp

Source and negotiate capital equipment, automation, and digital system purchases in support of the company's capital investment strategy

Extend supplier qualification and performance standards to franchise and external manufacturing sites, ensuring they source from the same qualified supply base or an equivalent standard

Success looks like

Critical parts have qualified alternate sources before a shortage forces the issue

Sole-source exposure and supplier scalability risk are known, tracked, and actively being mitigated across the supply base

Suppliers proactively bring technology ideas to Zone 5 Engineering that facilitate new product development and give Zone 5 a competitive advantage in capability

Supplier Negotiations & Cost Management

You own the commercial terms we get from our supply base.

You will

Negotiate pricing, terms, and contract conditions with suppliers and subcontractors to secure favorable terms and mitigate supply risk

Partner with strategic suppliers to understand cost drivers and applicable market pricing, ensuring Zone 5 pricing supports a competitive cost advantage

Negotiate and manage Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) with key suppliers to secure price stability, priority capacity, and favorable lead times

Negotiate volume discounts and tiered pricing structures, consolidating spend across programs and sites where it creates leverage

Establish and track purchase price variance and other cost-performance KPIs

Lead cost reduction initiatives without compromising quality or delivery commitments

Success looks like

Total cost of ownership improves year over year across the supplier base

Buyers can justify and explain market pricing for strategic components

Supplier & Subcontract Performance Management

You are accountable for how well our suppliers and subcontractors perform, not just what they cost.

You will

Manage the procurement process and supplier performance, including escalation and corrective action where needed

Administer complex subcontracts in compliance with FAR/DFARS and customer-specific flow-downs

Maintain oversight of critical subcontractors for delivery, quality, and performance, coordinating with cross-functional teams as necessary

Maintain supplier scorecards and drive corrective action plans for delivery or quality deficiencies

Hold business reviews with strategic suppliers on a scheduled cadence, with participation from the Technical Program Manager (TPM), Engineering, and Quality

Support supplier quality functions, including supplier audits, qualification, and corrective action, in partnership with the Quality organization, which retains ownership of these functions

Success looks like

Supplier and subcontractor performance is tracked, visible, and improving, with no surprises at the program level

Strategic supplier business reviews happen on schedule with appropriate cross-functional participation

Make/Buy Strategy & Outsourcing

You manage the make/buy decision framework.

You will

Conduct make/buy analyses and support outsourcing decisions, including evaluation of insourcing opportunities

Partner with Engineering, Programs and Manufacturing to evaluate sourcing options for critical or at-risk parts

Success looks like

Make/buy decisions are data-driven and revisited as volume and risk change

Procurement Compliance & Contract Governance

You ensure that how we buy holds up to scrutiny.

You will

Ensure procurement practices comply with FAR/DFARS, CAS, AS9100, and other applicable government contracting and quality standards

Confirm required internal approvals (Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Programs, Finance) are obtained prior to PO issuance for purchases above defined dollar thresholds

Verify that budget line allocations align with contract and proposal terms before reallocating funds across cost elements, escalating to Contracts/Legal when a reallocation may require formal notice or modification

Ensure subcontractor security and compliance documentation (e.g., DD-254) is finalized prior to contract award

Prepare for and participate in audits, reviews, and other regulatory evaluations

Success looks like

Procurement actions are audit-ready, with no findings tied to approval routing, budget realignment, or missing compliance documentation

Team Leadership, Organization & Systems

You are responsible for building a procurement organization that scales.

You will

Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing procurement team with clear roles and career development pathways

Ensure the procurement organization is structured and aligned to meet Zone 5 needs for Production support, Engineering NPI, and franchise partners

Drive adoption and optimization of ERP and digital procurement tools to improve visibility and decision-making

Promote a culture of continuous improvement, cost discipline, and cross-functional collaboration

Success looks like

The procurement organization scales with volume without a corresponding increase in errors or compliance risk

Production, Engineering, and franchise partners are supported by a procurement organization built around their needs, with clean financial controls

Qualifications

Required Experience

Proven experience leading global procurement or strategic sourcing in a manufacturing environment, ideally at scale

Experience administering subcontracts under FAR/DFARS and customer flow-down requirements

Background in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries

Demonstrated success negotiating complex supplier and subcontract agreements

Experience building executive-level relationships with strategic suppliers and running structured supplier business reviews

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field required; Master's degree (e.g., MBA) preferred

Technical & Operational Depth

Deep understanding of

Strategic sourcing, supplier negotiation, and cost reduction methodologies

Subcontract administration and compliance under FAR/DFARS and CAS

Make/buy analysis and outsourcing strategy

Experience with:

ERP/MRP systems and procurement/contract management tools

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Toyota Kata)

Quality systems aligned to AS9100 or equivalent

Supplier scorecard and corrective action programs

Leadership Profile

Thinks beyond individual POs to total cost of ownership and supply risk

Builds structure, clarity, and accountability across the procurement organization

Comfortable negotiating and managing supplier relationships under schedule and cost pressure

Builds supplier relationships that bring technology and capability to Zone 5, not just pricing

Holds the line on compliance even when it creates short-term friction

What Success Looks Like

Material and services are sourced at competitive cost without compromising quality or delivery

Subcontracts are compliant, well-managed, and free of audit findings

Supplier base is resilient enough to avoid single points of failure

Procurement approvals and budget actions are routed correctly the first time

Strategic suppliers proactively bring technology ideas that strengthen Zone 5 capability and new product development

Additional Information

Primarily based in San Luis Obispo, CA, with travel to supplier, subcontractor, and other facility sites required approximately 40% of the time

Pay range for this role

• $205,000
• —
• $253,000 USD
• What's in it for you:

Benefits:

Competitive total compensation package

Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.

401k with company-match

3 weeks of paid time off each year

40 hours of sick time

12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.

Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

If you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and join the Zone 5 Technologies team!

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify:

https://www.e-verify.gov

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