The posting
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.
