What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President Supply Chain & Program Management position at Columbia Helicopters, Inc.?
For over 65 years, Columbia Helicopters has been a trusted provider of heavy-lift helicopter services. We create new aircraft, fly heavy-lift helicopters around the world, and provide maintenance support to ensure you are mission-ready for critical operations. If you are passionate about aviation, join our Columbia Family!
Columbia Helicopters is undertaking a critical transformation to restore operational performance, strengthen customer confidence, and position the company for sustainable growth. As part of this effort, Supply Chain must evolve from a reactive support function into a strategic, disciplined, and data-driven organization that enables operational excellence across Air Operations and Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO).
The Vice President of Supply Chain will lead the end-to-end transformation of procurement, supplier management, logistics, inventory control, warehousing, planning, and material readiness. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this individual will be responsible for ensuring material availability, improving MRO delivery performance, maximizing aircraft readiness, strengthening supplier resilience, supporting program execution, and optimizing inventory and cash utilization.
This role requires a proven transformation leader capable of building high-performing teams, driving accountability, implementing operational rigor, and developing strategic supplier partnerships within a complex aviation environment.
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business Administration, Aviation Management, or a related discipline.
- 10 years of progressive Supply Chain leadership experience.
- 10 years leading multi-functional Supply Chain organizations.
- 10 years of experience in aerospace, aviation, defense, MRO, or highly regulated industrial environments.
- Proven experience leading large-scale organizational transformation and change initiatives.
- Deep expertise in procurement, supplier management, inventory planning, logistics, warehousing, and integrated planning.
- Demonstrated ability to build high-performing teams and drive accountability-based cultures.
- Strong executive leadership, communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred:
- 10 years of experience supporting aircraft operations, maintenance organizations, or asset-intensive businesses.
- MBA or advanced business/technical degree.
- APICS/ASCM, CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, Lean Six Sigma, or similar professional certifications.
- Experience leading ERP-enabled Supply Chain transformation initiatives.
- Experience supporting complex programs involving aircraft modifications, upgrades, certifications, or fleet modernization.
Travel Requirements:
This position offers flexibility regarding work location. While the Supply Chain organization primarily operates onsite, the VP Supply Chain may work remotely with periodic travel requirements.
Travel expectations include:
- Executive Leadership Team workshops and strategic planning sessions (typically quarterly).
- Regular onsite visits approximately every 4-6 weeks.
- Supplier visits and business reviews as required.
- Travel in support of critical operational, customer, program, or transformation initiatives.
Executive Profile:
The ideal candidate is a transformational Supply Chain executive who combines strategic vision with operational discipline and program execution excellence. They possess the leadership capability to build a world-class organization, the business acumen to influence executive stakeholders, and the operational rigor to ensure Columbia Helicopters delivers reliable aircraft availability, superior MRO performance, successful program execution, and sustainable long-term growth.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)