Director, Supply Chain Operations

What we’re building

Every idea starts with a problem. Ours was simple: Boats are special — but they’re loud, pollutant, unreliable, and stuck in the past. Gas-powered boats dominate not because they’re great, but because no better option has existed. Until now.

Arc is here to change that. We’re building 100% electric boats from the ground up — quicker, quieter, easier to maintain, and better for the water they ride on. We’re not just swapping gas for batteries. We’re rethinking every detail on the boat — from propulsion and powertrain to software and ownership model — applying first-principles engineering from aerospace and EVs to deliver a better boating experience.

Electric boats haven’t taken over yet. The tech hasn’t been ready. The talent hasn’t been focused here. That’s our opportunity — and we’re moving fast.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for a Director of Supply Chain who is fired up by our mission and ready to build the function end-to-end at a fast-scaling hardware startup. This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll operate as both a strategic leader and a day-to-day operator — personally driving critical supplier decisions, building scalable systems, and developing a high-performing, lean team. You will be charged with ensuring Arc’s supply chain scales reliably as we ramp production across recreational (Sport, Coast) and commercial product lines.

This is a full-time, on-site role at our Los Angeles headquarters. You’ll report to our Head of Operations and work closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, and Finance as a key member of the Operations leadership team.

You should be comfortable going deep — negotiating key contracts, resolving supply issues in real time, and building processes from first principles — while also stepping back to design the system that enables the company to scale.

You’ll thrive here if you move quickly, take ownership without waiting for direction, and hold a high bar for both yourself and your team.

Core responsibilities

Supply Base & Strategy

• Source and qualify suppliers across EV components and marine materials to meet cost, quality, and delivery targets
• Lead supplier negotiations (pricing, terms, agreements) and manage ongoing performance (scorecards, reviews)
• Build a resilient supply base (dual sourcing, lead time reduction, risk mitigation)
• Drive make vs. buy decisions and align supply chain to product roadmaps across the business
• Translating strategy into an operating model (roles, cadences, decision rights) 
• Partnering with Engineering, Production and Finance to align assumptions and resolve cross-functional issues.

Planning, Inventory & Logistics

• Own demand translation into procurement and inventory strategy, balancing lead times, MOQs, and working capital
• Define and maintain inventory levels and warehouse operations (layout, systems, cycle counts)
• Manage inbound logistics, carrier relationships, and freight cost/reliability

Execution, Systems & NPI

• Own supply chain performance (OTD, inventory turns, forecast accuracy, supplier quality) and build the systems to support it
• Ensure data integrity and reporting across ERP/MRP systems
• Lead supply chain readiness for new products (sourcing, prototypes, risk assessment)
• Lead the development and execution of supply chain risk mitigation strategies, including supplier diversification, business continuity planning, and real-time disruption monitoring, to ensure supply resilience and maintain on-time delivery performance across a  complex product portfolio.

Team Leadership

• Build and lead a lean, high-performing team across procurement, planning, logistics, and warehouse
• Hire and develop talent with a high bar for ownership and output
• Establish clear structure and operating cadence as the team scales
• Operate as a player-coach, going deep when needed while building team capability

Basic qualifications 

• 8+ years of supply chain experience spanning procurement, planning, and/or logistics, with at least 4 years in a leadership role
• Experience sourcing and managing suppliers of complex electromechanical components (e.g., motors, power electronics, battery modules, or similar)
• Background in low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environments — startup or scale-up experience strongly preferred with a track record of building or significantly improving supply chain systems, processes, or teams
• Demonstr