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Airbus

Manufacturer of commercial aircraft, helicopters, defense

Team Lead Supplier Management Customer Operations

Supply Chain ManagementPosted on Nov 9
Full-timeHerndon, VA, USANo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

  • A master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or Quality Management is required.
  • At least 8 years of technical aviation experience focused on aftermarket, maintenance, repair and overhaul, or airline operations is required.
  • At least 4–5 years in a team management or supervisory role is required.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
  • Knowledge of airline business and operations, customer support, and supplier and contract management is required.
  • Strong customer relationship management, cross-cultural communication, executive presentation, and negotiation capabilities are required.
  • Ability to work under high pressure and tight deadlines is required.
  • Conflict management capabilities are required.
  • Proven management, leadership, and team development capabilities in multicultural organizations are required.
  • Contract law and negotiation skills are required.
  • Supply chain and supplier management experience is required.
  • High resilience, flexibility, and operational efficiency are required.
  • Authorization to work in the United States is required.

Responsibilities

  • Manage a portfolio of strategic regional customers and resolve customer queries about supplier management for equipment, cabin, and engine suppliers within lead-time targets.
  • Qualify and record queries in customer relationship management tools.
  • Manage relationships with key customers regarding supplier improvement plans, supplier performance key performance indicators, rating results, supplier improvement commitments, and customer supplier improvement plans.
  • Build a network with customer-facing Airbus counterparts to capture and address airline supplier management needs.
  • Ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly communicated and applied with other Airbus Customer Services business units.
  • Support tripartite meetings as required.
  • Conduct regular customer visits, including visits with the team as required.
  • Manage an allocation of supplier-furnished-equipment suppliers.
  • Ensure suppliers adhere to Airbus supplier support requirements, including General Conditions of Purchase, Supplier Support Conditions, and Supplier Product Support Agreements.
  • Organize local supplier meetings in the Americas and regular management meetings as needed.
  • Contribute recommendations to long-term supplier improvement plans managed by commodity teams, based on recurring regional customer issues.
  • Develop regional improvement plans where required.
  • Follow up with suppliers regarding low airline ratings and negative comments.
  • Provide executive briefs on supplier operational topics for airline senior management meetings.
  • Contribute to briefs for supplier senior management meetings.
  • Share customer pain points within the supplier organization to incorporate customer feedback into future supplier support templates and negotiations.
  • Lead weekly team meetings to review operational risks and track resolution progress.
  • Act as the team's first-level escalation point, resolving complex customer queries by interfacing and negotiating with supplier stakeholders when cases or tickets are not progressing.
  • Develop relationships and continuously improve ways of working with aftermarket supplier management, contract management, and aftermarket supply chain operations teams responsible for spare parts and repair performance and recovery management.
  • Contribute to weekly and monthly supplier reports, analyze them, and submit consolidated reviews of supplier activity to management.
  • Engage with other functions in Airbus Americas Customer Services.
  • Propose and lead improvement projects related to customer feedback and process improvement within the supplier management operations team.
  • Lead the team's contribution to regional Airbus and aviation industry events and conferences with airlines and suppliers, including supplier meetings, conferences, maintenance repair and overhaul events, and training.
  • Analyze customer supplier improvement plan results to define team action plans and provide recommendations to the global supplier organization.
  • Report on market perception using supplier ratings, customer supplier improvement plan results, customer visits, and market demand analysis.
  • Prepare analytical insights from annual Americas supplier rating survey results for the regional webinar.
  • Track technical request and Salesforce activity and monitor on-time delivery key performance indicators to identify trends and corrective actions.
  • Consolidate performance data and provide reporting inputs for internal monthly, quarterly, and annual management reviews.
  • Act as deputy for the Head of Supplier Management Americas on customer operations topics.
  • Coach and guide local team members' training and professional development.
  • Contribute customer-query best practices and frequently asked questions, and recommend process improvements within supplier management and related Airbus departments.
  • Develop self-service documentation and tools to support customer training and self-sufficiency.

Desired Qualifications

  • Airline or original equipment manufacturer background is preferred.
  • French, Spanish, or German language skills are a plus.

About the Company

Airbus

Manufacturer of commercial aircraft, helicopters, defense

Airbus designs and manufactures a wide range of aerospace products, including commercial airplanes, helicopters, defense systems, and space technologies. Its aircraft and rotorcraft are built with integrated airframes, propulsion, avionics, and digital systems to carry passengers, cargo, or conduct military missions, while its space division covers satellites, orbital infrastructure, launch services, and secure communications. Airbus differentiates itself with an end-to-end portfolio across commercial, defense, and space, a global manufacturing and services network, and a focus on sustainability and digital transformation. Its goal is to enable global mobility and connectivity while reducing aviation’s environmental impact through sustainable aviation and collaborative innovation.

Company size
10,001+
Company stage
IPO
Headquarters
Blagnac, France
Founded
1970

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