Head of Supply Chain & Global Operations

About the role

The Head of Supply Chain & Global Operations is responsible for owning and building Sauron's entire supply chain function, with a primary focus on developing and managing deep relationships with contract manufacturers (CMs), suppliers, and strategic partners. This is a zero-to-one leadership role that reports directly to the CEO.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and onboard contract manufacturers across regions (U.S., Mexico, Asia, etc.)
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with CM partners
• Negotiate MSAs, pricing, capacity allocation, and long-term agreements
• Act as the primary point of accountability for CM performance (quality, delivery, cost)
• Design and implement end-to-end supply chain strategy (sourcing → production → fulfillment)
• Develop multi-sourcing strategies to reduce risk and increase flexibility
• Build systems for demand planning, forecasting, and inventory management
• Scale production by partnering with engineering and operations to transition from prototype to mass production
• Drive DFM (Design for Manufacturing) and DFX improvements with suppliers
• Ensure rapid iteration cycles while maintaining production stability
• Source and qualify critical component suppliers
• Build strategic supplier partnerships for key technologies and components
• Maintain supplier health, geopolitical risk, and long-term viability
• Own COGS cost targets and continuous cost reduction efforts
• Implement KPIs and dashboards for supply chain performance
• Work closely with hardware, firmware, and product teams
• Partner with finance on budgeting, forecasting, and unit economics
• Build and lead the supply chain team over time

Requirements

• 8–15+ years of experience in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations within the consumer electronics space (with a mix of operational scale and early stage startup experience)
• Deep experience working with top tier contract manufacturers
• Proven track record scaling hardware products from NPI to volume production
• Strong negotiation experience with suppliers and manufacturing partners
• Experience operating in fast-paced, high-growth environments (startup or high-growth business unit)
• Managed global supplier networks and manufacturing footprints
• Strong intuition for balancing speed vs. cost vs. quality
• Comfort operating with ambiguity and high ownership

Skills

• Built or significantly scaled a supply chain function from scratch
• Experience with robotics and camera systems, AI hardware, or complex electromechanical systems
• Experience navigating tariffs, trade regulations, and geopolitical constraints
• Prior experience hiring and leading high-performing supply chain teams

Benefits

Sauron offers a competitive compensation package including a base salary of $225,000 - $250,000 per year, equity, and benefits. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Pay

$225,000 – $250,000 per year

Schedule

Not specified