Vice President, Supply Chain

About Electra

Electra is building the EL9 Ultra Short - a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. By pairing blown-lift aerodynamics with distributed electric propulsion, the EL9 opens thousands of new access points - fields, parking lots, small airstrips - that conventional aviation can't touch. We call it Direct Aviation: getting people from where they are to where they want to go, without the airports, noise, or emissions.

We've filed for FAA Part 23 type certification, hold 2,200 pre-orders, and are backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran. Bristow Group has secured the first EL9 delivery slot. First EL9 test flights are planned for 2027, with certification targeted for late 2029 to 2030.

The Role

We're hiring a Vice President of Supply Chain to build and lead the supply chain function for the EL9 program. The supplier base you assemble will shape the EL9's cost, quality, and delivery performance, and the supply chain you build will support Electra's commitments to launch customers like Bristow.

You'll own sourcing strategy, contracts, supplier risk, indirect procurement, and external logistics. You'll partner closely with the Director of Manufacturing Engineering on make-or-buy execution, with the VP of Industrialization & Manufacturing Strategy on supplier integration into the broader industrial plan, and with Engineering on supplier selection for critical systems. You'll also build the team - starting small and scaling as the program ramps from prototype through first conforming articles toward 2027 first flight.

What You'll Do

• Define and own the sourcing strategy for the EL9, from major structural assemblies and propulsion components through avionics, batteries, and supporting systems
• Build the supplier base from the ground up, including supplier identification, qualification, selection, and onboarding
• Negotiate and manage supplier contracts, including long-term agreements, pricing structures, delivery commitments, quality requirements, and intellectual property terms
• Develop and own the supplier risk assessment and management program, covering financial health, single-source exposure, geopolitical risk, capacity constraints, and quality performance
• Lead indirect procurement across the company, building the processes and controls that scale with Electra's headcount growth
• Design and own the external logistics strategy, including inbound logistics from global suppliers, customs and trade compliance, and the logistics infrastructure required to support both prototype builds and rate production
• Partner with the Director of Manufacturing Engineering to execute make-or-buy decisions and ensure supplier capability matches manufacturing requirements
• Partner with Engineering to support supplier selection for critical and novel systems, particularly in the hybrid-electric propulsion and battery domains
• Build and lead the supply chain team, scaling deliberately as the program matures
• Develop the supply chain metrics, dashboards, and operating cadence that give the executive team visibility into cost, risk, and delivery performance
  
  

What You Bring

• 20 years of supply chain experience, with at least 5 years leading supply chain for an aerospace or comparable regulated, high-complexity hardware program
• Direct experience building or substantially rebuilding a supplier base for a new product - not just managing an inherited one
• Deep contracts and negotiation experience, including long-term agreements with strategic suppliers
• Demonstrated ownership of supplier risk programs, including the judgment to know when to qualify a second source and when to accept concentration risk
• Strong working knowledge of indirect procurement and the controls required to scale it in a fast-growing company
• Experience with international logistics, customs, and trade compliance
• Track record hiring and developing supply chain leaders
• Comfort operating across the strategic and tactical layers - this role requires a leader who can negotiate a major supplier agreement on Monday and resolve a part shortage on Tuesday
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or equivalent experience
  
  

Nice to Have

• Experience standing up a supply chain for a clean-sheet aircraft program through Part 23 or Part 25 certification
• Hybrid-electric, electric, or other novel propulsion program experience, particularly with battery suppliers
• Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, and aerospace export control requirements
• Background in lean / TPS supply chain practices
• Experience with ERP/MRP system implementation and the supply chain side of digital manufacturing
• MBA or equivalent business education
• Prior experience scaling a supply chain organization from prototype through serial production
  
  

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity in a Series B aerospace company with strategic backing from Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Generous PTO, company holidays, and a paid winter break
• Free catered lunches, coffee, and snacks at our Manassas headquarters
• The chance to build the supply chain for an aircraft program that will change how people and goods move