Head of Material Program Management & Procurement

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

About the Role:

The leader of Materials Management & Procurement is responsible for ensuring material availability, supply readiness, and procurement execution in support of production and business objectives. This role owns the operating mechanisms that translate demand into executable material plans, with particular emphasis on Clear-to-Build (CTB) analysis, MRP development and execution, material planning, and procurement operations.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical and systems capabilities with hands-on supply chain leadership. They will develop scalable planning processes, improve MRP accuracy and effectiveness, identify and resolve material constraints, and lead a procurement organization that delivers the right material at the right time, quantity, cost, and quality.

This role partners closely with Supply Chain Manufacturing, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Finance, NPI, and suppliers to create visibility into material readiness and proactively mitigate supply risk.

How You’ll Make an Impact:

• Own the Clear-to-Build (CTB) process for production, providing a reliable and actionable view of material readiness against the production plan.

• Develop CTB methodologies that connect demand, inventory, purchase orders, work orders, lead times, allocations, and BOM requirements.

• Establish forward-looking material coverage and shortage analysis across appropriate planning horizons.

• Identify material constraints before they impact production and drive cross-functional actions to resolution.

• Develop shortage prioritization and escalation processes based on production impact, customer requirements, lead time, and business priority.

• Partner with Production Planning and Manufacturing to align material availability with build schedules and capacity.

• Establish metrics for CTB accuracy, shortage aging, material coverage, and constraint resolution.

• Own the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of MRP processes and operating discipline.

• Translate demand forecasts, production schedules, BOMs, inventory positions, and supplier lead times into executable material requirements.

• Improve the quality of MRP inputs, including lead times, safety stocks, order policies, MOQ/multiples, planning parameters, and sourcing data.

• Partner with IT, ERP/MRP system owners, Planning, and Operations to improve planning-system capabilities and automation.

• Drive root-cause analysis of recurring shortages, excess inventory, expedites, and planning exceptions.

• Lead day-to-day procurement execution supporting production and operational requirements.

• Manage buyer/planner performance across purchase order placement, confirmations, expedites, reschedules, cancellations, and shortage resolution.

• Ensure purchase orders are placed accurately and on time based on MRP and approved demand.

• Establish operating rhythms for open PO management, supplier commits, past-due orders, expedites, and material shortages.

• Drive supplier accountability for delivery performance and recovery plans when commitments are at risk.

• Establish escalation paths for critical shortages and supplier performance issues.

• Drive improvements in inventory health, including shortage reduction, excess and obsolete inventory, inventory turns, and material availability.

• Partner with Warehouse and Manufacturing teams to improve inventory accuracy and material-flow processes.

• Develop policies for safety stock, strategic buffers, constrained components, and long-lead material.

• Analyze demand and supply changes to identify potential excess exposure and recommend mitigation actions.

• Partner with systems and data teams to automate repetitive procurement and planning activities.

• Define and maintain master-data standards required for effective MRP execution.

• Develop dashboards and management reporting that translate complex supply data into clear operational decisions.

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of buyers, planners, and/or materials professionals.

• Partner closely with Manufacturing, Production Planning, Engineering, NPI, Quality, Finance, Logistics, and Strategic Sourcing.

• Represent material readiness in production, S&OP/SIOP, shortage, and operational review meetings.

• Support new product introductions by ensuring material plans, supplier readiness, planning parameters, and procurement processes are established prior to production ramp.

• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives that increase material availability while reducing manual intervention and working capital.

Success in this role will be measured through metrics such as:

• Clear-to-Build percentage and CTB accuracy

• Material shortage count and aging

• Production disruptions attributable to material shortages

• Supplier on-time delivery and commit-date performance

• Past-due purchase orders

• Purchase order placement and acknowledgement cycle time

• MRP exception aging and action rate

• Expedite frequency and premium freight

• Inventory turns and days of inventory

• Excess and obsolete inventory

• Planning parameter and master-data accuracy

• Supplier lead-time performance

What Makes You a Good Fit:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field.

• 7+ years of progressive experience in materials management, procurement, supply planning, production planning, or supply chain operations.

• 2+ years of experience managing or leading procurement, planning, or materials teams.

• Strong hands-on knowledge of MRP logic, BOM-driven material planning, inventory management, and production supply.

• Demonstrated experience developing or operating Clear-to-Build/material-readiness processes in a manufacturing environment.

• Strong understanding of purchase order management, supplier commits, lead times, rescheduling, expediting, and shortage management.

• Advanced analytical capabilities and ability to work with large datasets to identify supply risks and operational priorities.

• Strong cross-functional communication and demonstrated ability to drive action without relying solely on direct authority.

• Demonstrated ability to build scalable processes in a dynamic, rapidly changing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in high-complexity manufacturing environments such as aerospace, robotics, electronics, automotive, medical devices, or other hardware products.

• Experience with multi-level BOMs and complex electromechanical assemblies.

• Experience developing or improving MRP processes, planning parameters, and ERP master data.

• Experience building out and launching new or improved ERP/MRP systems in a complex manufacturing environment.

• Experience supporting NPI, engineering changes, and production ramps.

• Experience with ERP platforms such as SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar systems.

• Strong SQL, BI, Excel, or other supply-chain analytics experience.

• APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, or similar certification.

• Experience building planning and procurement processes in a high-growth or rapidly scaling manufacturing organization.

• Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions.

Compensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $161,500 - $246,500*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

 

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At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/