Principal Material Project Manager

Every program has a deadline. Behind every deadline is a purchase order that has to land on time. You make sure it does.

It’s Monday morning in Huntsville. A long-lead component is slipping, a supplier is quiet, and the program manager needs an answer before the next status review. The schedule is tight, the budget is watched, and the hardware has to ship.

You open the purchase order, pick up the phone, and get to work. By the end of the day, the delay has a recovery plan, the supplier has a commitment, and leadership has a clear picture of the decision ahead. The program moves because you made the material move.

Your Greatest Work is Ahead

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people, who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

The Role

Leidos is excited to announce an opening for a Principal Material Project Manager on our Global Supply Chain team in Huntsville, AL. The Material Project Manager (MPM) works as part of a team to execute material strategy across the program by managing open purchase orders, resolving delays, and driving supplier accountability. The role also includes, but is not limited to, identifying and mitigating program risks and opportunities related to material requirements; achieving program material budget objectives; managing program purchase requirements to lead time schedules; participating in sourcing process improvement projects (both Supply Chain and Program); resolving Supply Chain issues for the program; and resolving program material cost problems.

The MPM reports to the Material Operations & Strategies Associate Director, is directly aligned to the Program Manager, and represents Material Operations & Strategies on customer programs. You are an extension of the corporate shared services for supply chain related support.

You’re also responsible for all activities associated with researching and recommending cost-effective purchase arrangements. You’ll work closely with the Manufacturing organization to review purchase requisitions for clarity, compliance, detail, completeness, and regulatory compliance, and to obtain any additional information needed. You’ll also work with Manufacturing to actively manage the procurement process from order placement through receipt of products and subsequent payment of invoices. Some travel may be required.

We’re looking for someone who is energetic, resilient, and creative in supporting corporate reporting requirements throughout program manufacturing execution obligations. You’ll promote a team atmosphere and help cultivate improved communication lines with agile problem-solving solutions.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading.

Why It Matters

Leidos’ Defense Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions. Explore more here.

What You’ll Do

• Lead execution of material strategy across the program by managing open purchase orders, resolving delays, and driving supplier accountability.
• Act as the primary interface between Leidos and key suppliers, escalating delivery risks, resolving performance issues, and ensuring adherence to contractual requirements.
• Articulate to senior leaders and personnel the value, schedule, and decision points that impact the efficient delivery of specific commodities (materials, hardware, and software). Provide summaries and aid in compiling program metric data and statistics.
• Manage projects, including requirements justification, planning, executing, and evaluating.
• Play an integral part in the approval process for procurements.
• Use critical thinking skills to propose sound and innovative business solutions that increase operational efficiencies and ensure business area and program success.
• Mitigate and resolve supply chain challenges with priority deliveries and suppliers.
• Facilitate supplier negotiations and discussions to resolution with supply chain and program personnel.
• Articulate and drive execution of vision and goals for the corporate supply chain team in conjunction with program critical needs.
• Manage risk, including creating mitigation plans in coordination with the PMO and project team.
• Participate in Program Management Reviews, status meetings, and other programmatic subcontractor meetings as needed.
• Perform Control Account Management, including establishing and maintaining a baseline, supporting EAC/ETC updates, and conducting variance analysis.
• Be a self-starter who is flexible and able to work independently at a higher level.

What You Bring (Basic Qualifications)

• BA degree and 12-15 years of prior relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with 10-13 years of prior relevant experience, in material project management, procurement, or supply chain execution within Defense, Aerospace, or high-complexity industries.
• Strong knowledge of Supply Chain and related systems, along with material procurement.
• Strong analytical and creative problem-solving abilities to understand and facilitate complex supply chain decision-making.
• Expert knowledge of industry practices, advanced techniques, and solutions within a professional discipline to develop new standards, processes, and solutions. Serves as a subject matter expert.
• Proven ability to be a self-starter and quick learner, capable of supporting efforts to achieve goals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills at all levels, both internally and externally with customers and suppliers.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced situation with continuous innovation and flexibility in an on-site manufacturing environment.
• Excellent risk management methodologies.
• Ability to collaborate and effectively influence across multiple functions to achieve supply chain performance requirements.
• High level of proficiency in MS Office products (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project).
• Working knowledge of customer flow-through requirements such as AS9100, FAR, ITAR, OFFSET, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and public law.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoW Secret security clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supplier relationship management experience.
• Deltek Costpoint experience.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with tactical application of strategies to programs.
• PowerBI experience.
• Previous mechanical or electronic manufacturing environment experience a plus.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.