Director of Supply Chain and Planning

Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years, dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces, and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better.  We value passion, creativity, and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products. 

You will join a team developing state-of-the-art general-purpose robots designed to operate in human spaces and with human tools. It is designed to work alongside humans, mobilize to human spaces, and manipulate the world around it.

The Director of Supply Chain and Planning is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the entire supply chain and demand planning process, from forecasting to procurement to distribution.  This role involves strategic planning, execution, and continuous improvement in an outsourced manufacturing environment while enhancing operational efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure timely delivery of products. 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 

• Direct all activities of all functions involved in the contract manufacturing management, purchasing, forecasting, order & production planning, product cost, Tier 2 core supplier management, Vendor Managed Inventory strategies, inventory management, warehousing, and delivery of products to our customers. 

• Strategic Planning 

• • Develop and implement supply chain strategies aligned with the company metrics and business goals to drive growth and profitability. 

• • Identify opportunities for process improvement and material cost reductions. 

• • Develop a robust Demand Planning process jointly with Sales and Finance. 

• Supplier Management 

• • End to end ownership of the contract manufacturing partnership. 

• • Establish and maintain relationships with strategic supply base partners. 

• • Negotiate contracts and Service Level Agreements (SLA) with core suppliers, inclusive of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) agreements. 

• • Maintain compliance with all regulatory requirements and ethical standards related to procurement inclusive but not limited to: RoHS, REACH, Conflict Minerals and Green Initiatives. 

• Demand Planning 

• • Oversee demand forecasting and factory planning to ensure customer order fulfillment to meet customers’ expectations. 

• • Collaborate with sales and finance to align demand forecasts with quarterly business plans and metrics. 

• • Actively participate in new product planning processes to assure timely acquisition of materials to support product launches. 

• Supply Chain Optimization 

• • Identify and implement best practices in supply chain management, including supply continuity, full landed cost reduction, second sourcing, soft vs hard tooling, E2E collaboration with partners and facilitate alternative materials selection support for engineering. 

• • Drive initiatives with the contract manufacturing partner for continuous improvement and material/labor cost reductions. 

• • Identify potential risks within the supply chain and develop mitigation strategies. 

• Order Fulfillment and Revenue Planning 

• • Manage day to day sales order planning and shipments to our order acknowledgement promise dates to meet or exceed customer expectations. 

• • Plan and report on weekly s