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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

Manufactures high-reliability payload release systems

Senior Manager - Site Supply Chain

Full-Time
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's, MBA
Simsbury, CT, USA
In Person
Operations & LogisticsSupply Chain Management
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field is required.
  • At least 10 years of supply chain experience in aerospace and defense or regulated manufacturing is required.
  • Five to seven years of experience managing managers and leader-of-leaders experience are required.
  • Strong end-to-end supply chain experience across procurement, planning, and logistics is required.
  • Experience operating in a matrixed organization is required.
  • An MBA or advanced degree is preferred.
  • CPSM, CPIM, PMP, or Lean/Six Sigma certification is preferred.
  • Experience with process design, problem solving, and Lean tools is preferred.
  • Experience with IFS or similar enterprise resource planning systems is preferred.
  • Experience supporting research and development to production transitions is preferred.
  • A background in complex machining, electronics, or energetics is preferred.
Responsibilities
  • Lead and develop a multilayered organization including Purchasing, Materials Planning, and Logistics managers and their teams.
  • Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Drive clarity of roles and alignment across a matrixed supply chain organization.
  • Own site-level execution of procurement, planning, inventory, and logistics operations.
  • Ensure seamless material flow from suppliers through production and to customer delivery.
  • Balance competing priorities across development programs and production commitments.
  • Oversee execution of procurement across more than $100 million in annual spend in low-volume, high-mix aerospace and defense programs.
  • Partner with Category Leads and Supplier Development to align sourcing strategies with execution.
  • Act as the escalation point for supplier delivery, quality, and performance issues.
  • Lead demand and supply planning processes, ensuring alignment with production and program schedules.
  • Drive improvements in forecast accuracy, inventory optimization, and material availability.
  • Ensure strong inventory control processes, achieving high accuracy and efficient working capital management.
  • Oversee inbound and outbound logistics, warehousing, and material handling operations.
  • Ensure safe and compliant handling of regulated materials, including energetics.
  • Optimize material flow, storage, and transportation efficiency.
  • Collaborate with Category Management on sourcing strategy.
  • Collaborate with Supplier Development and Supplier Quality Engineering on supplier performance.
  • Collaborate with Quality and Compliance on regulatory adherence.
  • Collaborate with Operations and Engineering on program execution and new product introduction.
  • Influence without direct authority across functions to drive outcomes.
  • Ensure adherence to Federal Acquisition Regulation, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, International Traffic in Arms Regulations, AS9100, Contractor Purchasing System Review, Department of Transportation, International Air Transport Association, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and internal policies.
  • Support audits and ensure procurement system integrity.
  • Lead initiatives to improve on-time delivery, cost, inventory turns, and process efficiency.
  • Implement lean practices, visual management, and key performance indicator-driven performance routines, including Gemba walks.
  • Support site- and enterprise-level transformation initiatives.

About the company

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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense provides high-reliability payload release and spacecraft deployment solutions for space and defense missions. Its main products, Multi Point Payload Release Mechanisms (PRM) and Hold Down Release Mechanisms (HDRM), are precision mechanical systems that hold payloads securely during launch and release them on command to enable safe satellite deployment. The company differentiates itself with decades of aerospace heritage dating back to 1836, plus tailored engineering, rigorous testing, and strong collaboration with government and private sector clients to ensure safety and performance. The goal is to deliver dependable, proven hardware that helps customers achieve mission success while supporting STEM education and community initiatives.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Simsbury, Connecticut

Founded

N/A

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • January 2026 Falcon 9 Twilight mission proved PRM9103 flight success.
  • March 2026 Navy MK8 order and January 2026 MK68 sourcing show sticky demand.
  • EBAD's 2026 hiring and Top Workplace status signal continued production expansion.

What critics are saying

  • Beyond Gravity's 2024 suit exposed pricing leverage fights tied to Amazon Kuiper deliveries.
  • EBAD's customer concentration in NASA, SpaceX, and Navy programs ties revenue to few winners.
  • A failed Artemis III, PRM9106, or Kuiper qualification cycle would crush credibility.

What makes Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company unique

  • EBAD's NEA heritage still wins sole-source DoD awards in 2026.
  • Artemis II validated EBAD separation hardware across NASA's 2026 lunar mission.
  • PRM family spans 150-kilogram to 2,000-kilogram spacecraft, unlike narrow-point competitors.

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Benefits

  • Professional Development Budget
  • Health Insurance
  • Paid Vacation

Company News

Ebad
Sep 3rd, 2026
Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Simsbury-based aerospace manufacturer honored for 190 years of innovation and its critical role in NASA's h...

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Simsbury-based aerospace manufacturer honored for 190 years of innovation and its critical role in NASA's historic Artemis II mission. SIMSBURY, Conn. - September 1, 2026 - Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD) was inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame yesterday at the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Lisa Brown, EBAD's Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles, accepted the honor on behalf of the company. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal presented the induction, with Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer Kirti Patel also in attendance. The induction recognizes EBAD's 190-year manufacturing legacy in Simsbury, dating back to 1836 and William Bickford's invention of the safety fuse, as well as the company's role as a critical supplier on NASA's Artemis II mission. Hardware designed and built by EBAD performed successfully throughout Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years. During the nearly 10-day mission, which launched April 1, 2026, four astronauts traveled approximately 1.4 million miles, reaching a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth before safely returning home. EBAD engineered the critical separation hardware that helped separate Orion's Crew Module from its Service Module, a crucial step ahead of the astronauts' return to Earth. "From the same Simsbury factory where this all began, we are honored to be recognized alongside Connecticut's most iconic manufacturing innovators," said Lisa Brown, Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles, EBAD. "This induction belongs to every EBAD employee, past and present, whose precision and dedication have helped carry Connecticut manufacturing from mining safety caps to the Moon and beyond." The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, presented by Connecticut Office of Manufacturing, brought together manufacturers, educators and state leaders to explore the technologies, strategies and workforce solutions shaping the industry's future. EBAD served as an event sponsor alongside RBC Bearings, Trumpf, CLA and Raymond James, with Fox61 as media partner. Founded in 2014, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame honors Connecticut's manufacturing and innovation legacy, celebrating a state that has served as a birthplace of innovation for more than 350 years - from the helicopter and the nuclear submarine to the first spacesuit worn on the Moon. americanmanufacturinghof.com