Procurement Category Area Manager – Mechanical

Ball Aerospace is powered by endlessly curious people with an unwavering mission focus. We pioneer discoveries that enable our customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters most. We create innovative space solutions, enable more accurate weather forecasts, drive insightful observations of our planet, deliver actionable data and intelligence, and ensure those who defend our freedom go forward bravely and return home safely.

At our core, we’re passionate, committed people who believe together we can achieve extraordinary things. We work collaboratively with each other, our customers and partners to solve the world’s greatest challenges. That means listening to one another, providing feedback and partnering across all levels. We value our inclusive culture where everyone is heard equally and creativity thrives. Each team member is fully invested in our mission and we bring an energy to work every day that propels our business and motivates us all to Go Beyond.®

For more information, visit Ball Aerospace Career Site or connect with us on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter or Instagram .

The Operations Strategic Capabilities Unit plays a fundamental role in enabling efficient business and program execution – from technologies and investments to supply chain, manufacturing and test operations, facilities management, and information technology services.

The Integrated Supply Chain team has a direct impact on program success, acting as a critical chain that links the end-to-end material flow together and ensures compliance. Our organization serves as the backbone of business operations enabling Ball Aerospace to achieve true mission partnership.

Procurement Category Area Manager – Mechanical

The Supply Chain Mechanical Category Manager position represents an exciting opportunity that will help enable Ball Aerospace to GO BEYOND by developing technology to help you see farther, stay safer, and preserve our planet and meet some of the nation’s most critical missions, at home and on the outskirts of our solar system. The primary role of the Category Manager is to be fully accountable for the management, supervisory oversight, training, and performance of a team of commodity specialists and commodity managers who are responsible for category specific agreements. The Category Manager will be responsible for developing and driving execution to a strategic sourcing plan to address capacity, capability and performance requirements across the category. The Category Manager will establish and maintain positive supplier relationships and oversee execution of the contractual agreements / purchase orders within their specific category. This position is responsible for early and ongoing engagement with internal stakeholders and external suppliers from pursuit through product delivery. This position will serve as the primary interface to Engineering, Mission Assurance, Supply Chain senior management and external suppliers for sourcing strategy, BOE development, RFP issuance, proposal evaluations, negotiations, and management of the supply base throughout the acquisition life cycle. This position reports directly to the Ball Aerospace Business Area Manager – Procurement & Category Management.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide strategic direction, leadership guidance and functional expertise to a small-moderate sized team of supplier management professionals accountable for a low-moderate volume of sales annually associated with the custom mechanical fabrication category, outsourced materials and services.
• As an authorized signatory for BATC, be accountable for the successful performance of a small – moderate sized team of commodity specialists and commodity managers responsible for writing, negotiating and managing category specific procurements.
• Develop and orchestrate execution of strategic supplier category management plans to address requirements across a category/commodity (together with Engineering, Mission Assurance and Supply Chain Program Leads); the category manager is responsible for ensuring categories of products are managed for cost optimization, governance and risk mitigation, while delivering finished goods or services on time with a high degree of quality
• Develop long term partnerships / agreements with key suppliers, and leverage relationships to gain cost, schedule and terms advantages for Ball Aerospace and the category supplier partners.
• Work with SC senior management and program / proposal management to determine staffing requirements, develop proposal BoEs and align staff as required to support programs, new business activities, or other activities, as required.
• Responsible for supplier sourcing, solicit and lead supplier proposal evaluations; employ value analysis techniques to analyze price, technical capability and financial viability, investigate supplier’s ability/capability to perform within the proposed cost, technical, and schedule parameters.
• Develop procurement management plans in support of critical procurements to mitigate cost, technical, quality and schedule risk (in partnership with Program, Supply Chain Quality and Quality team members internal to BATC).
• Ensure suppliers are selected and managed per requirements and compliance of the company in a timely and cost-effective manner; develop and maintain risk & opportunity plans to meet program objectives and drive supplier accountability to cost, schedule and quality requirements.
• Act as lead for conflict resolution of supplier issues, developing, educating and mentoring team members in the same, and measuring results for broader use across the supply chain team and/or company.
• Responsible for the team’s adherence to process, success criteria and metrics, and be proactive and reactive for company audits
• Responsible for subcontract / procurement managers talent development, training, and supervision.
• Gather, track and analyze productivity and performance results, develop recommendations, and communicate findings to Supply Chain leadership and internal stakeholders on an ongoing and as-needed basis.
• Effect continuous improvement of supplier selection, negotiation, monitoring, tracking, measuring, and reporting processes per company policies.
• Identify strategies and opportunities to reduce cost, improve efficiency and manage supplier risk through strategic and targeted negotiations; contribute to program risk and opportunity management.
• Own the management of supplier contractual performance throughout the procurement lifecycle; resolve supplier performance issues and any internal Ball issues that affect supplier performance.
• Responsible for generation of the contractual documentation, ensuring all supplier management actions are performed within Ball Aerospace procedures and compliant to government regulations.
• Perform all supplier administrative functions including but not limited to, review of Prime contract and generation of appropriate flow downs, change management & generation of contract modifications, management of financials and invoices; management of supplier deliverables, and generally ensuring supplier compliance and performance to contract.
• Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

What You’ll Need:

• BS/BA plus 10 years or more related experience.
• Each higher-level degree, i.e., Master’s Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education.
• Professional, demonstrated experience as a supervisory Supply Chain Manager for large-scale (>$10M), proposals or programs in support of DoD and/or NASA customers.
• Demonstrated expertise in contracts, subcontracts and/or procurement management; specifically, as the contract writer, negotiator and manager.
• Professional experience and demonstrated expertise in US Government Program Proposal Development, US Government purchasing / acquisitions, and material handling.
• A working knowledge of standard tools, KPIs and processes required to support and measure the value-add of the Supply Chain purchasing organization (i.e. MRP, Invoicing, Forecasting, compliance, etc.).
• Ability to act in a leadership capacity on Supplier Management Team, provide vision to the Team, guide the Team to higher levels of achievement, and effectively deliver results by practicing leadership through influence.
• Ability to effectively relate with others, build a high performing team and operate fully as a team member.
• Excellent and proven leadership skills; experience in direct supervisory and ability to effect positive results in a highly matrixed environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to convert business area and customer requirements into executable strategies.
• Ability to collaborate with Engineering, Subcontract Management and Mission Assurance to develop clear supplier statements of work (SOW).
• Ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and MS Project) to generate reports, executive level briefings and generally support job performance.
• Experience with Deltek Cost-point, Agile, IFS, and/or similar tools used to generate purchase orders in a highly regulated environment.
• Extensive FAR/DFAR knowledge; working knowledge of US Government acquisition laws and regulations.
• Experience with all-types of contracts to include, but not limited to FFP, Cost, Incentive and Award Fee.
• Excellent interpersonal and organization skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• A current, active TS/SCI security clearance preferred.
• Prior experience as a Category / Commodity manager, procurement supervisor or subcontracts management supervisor within the Aerospace & Defense industry preferred.
• Demonstrated technical aptitude; technical experience and/or degree preferred.
• Majority of career spent in Aerospace & Defense Supply Chain organization; 25% or more of career with Tier 1 Defense Contractor (i.e. Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, etc.) preferred.
• Capture or proposal lead experience preferred.
• Demonstrated track record of success driving win-win supplier negotiations preferred.
• Recognized, formal industry certification in one or more of the following: Program Management, Contract Management and/or Supply Chain Management preferred.
• First-hand knowledge and experience managing agreements and procuring products / services in and related to custom Mechanical products and services preferred.

Flexible On-Site Work Environment: This position requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site for three or more days per work week. Travel and local commute between Ball campuses and other possible non-Ball locations may be required.

Working Conditions:

• Ball Aerospace is a drug-free workplace, which is imperative to the health and safety of all employees and is required as a condition of receiving contracts from federal agencies. Please remember that regardless of the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and other states, possession and use continues to be illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act. This includes the use of some CBD products. A post-offer, pre-employment drug test is a condition of employment.
• Work is performed in an office environment, laboratory, cleanroom, or production floor.

A current DoD clearance and/or SCI access with Polygraph is not required to be eligible for this position, however applicant must be willing and eligible for submission within 60-90 days after an offer is accepted and must be able to maintain the applicable clearance/access. By applying to this position, you are agreeing to complete a National Security Clearance Pre-Screen Questionnaire to evaluate your general ability to obtain the required security clearance or government customer access associated with this position.

Relocation for this position is available.

Compensation & Benefits:

• HIRING SALARY RANGE: $124,500 – $172,500 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.)
• This position includes a competitive benefits package. For details, copy and paste https://bit.ly/3pNSnxv into your browser or visit our careers site.

US CITIZENSHIP IS REQUIRED

Ball Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

#LI-SW1

Nearest Major Market: Denver