Director, Supply Chain Management

Job Title: Director, Supply Chain Management Department: Operations Employment Type: Full Time FLSA: Exempt Location: Houston Who We Are Persona AI is developing and commercializing rugged, multi-purpose humanoid robots that perform real work. Persona AI’s founding team has a decades-long history in humanoid robotics, bionics, and product development delivering robust hardware that has touched the stars, worked miles below the surface of the ocean, and even roamed Disney Parks. Our mission is focused squarely on shipping beautiful, reliable products at massive scale, while building a customer-focused team to achieve these aims. Why Join Persona? We offer competitive compensation, a performance-based bonus, 99% employer-covered medical benefits (employee and dependents), early-stage equity, competitive PTO, and a company-wide paid winter break between Christmas Eve and New Year's. You’ll shape technology that’s redefining the possibilities of robotics and human About the Role We are seeking a seasoned Supply Chain Leader to design, build, and scale our end-to-end supply chain function from the ground up. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced supply chain leader who thrives on establishing infrastructure, processes, systems, metrics and teams in a start-up environment that has yet to create a formalized supply chain operation. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of building supply chain organizations, not just managing or maintaining an existing one. This candidate operates equally well at both strategic and tactical levels. This candidate also thrives in negotiations, contracts, metrics and mentoring. Key to success is the ability to transition product from development stage to volume manufacturing at hyper speed. What You Will Be Doing? Design the supply chain organization structure from scratch, including strategic sourcing, procurement, planning, and logistics. Develop strategy for supplier footprint, logistics, and warehousing to establish efficient, reliable, and repeatable delivery of product to Persona’s manufacturing site. Establish process and metrics for supplier qualification to meet Persona’s demanding plan for scale. Scrutinize suppliers' ability to repeatedly meet qualification levels as volume scales (Supplier Validation). Develop and maintain vendor partnerships; create scorecards for evaluation of supplier performance; manage RFx processes (RFI, RFP, RFQ). Establish a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. Develop and execute a multi-year supply chain strategy aligned with business growth objectives. Lead make-vs-buy decisions and “risk buy” requirements. Implement an S&OP process. Establish a warehousing strategy, including WMS selection, location, ownership, and logistics. Establish and communicate KPIs via a data collection strategy. Implement ISO certification and other industry compliance standards based on customer base and geographic locations (regulatory and compliance). Execute purchase orders for materials, components, and supplies needed for robotics manufacturing operations. Monitor and track all orders from placement through delivery, ensuring on-time receipt of materials. Expedite parts as required to keep the product schedule on track. Maintain optimal inventory levels, track stock levels, and coordinate with manufacturing to prevent shortages or excess inventory. Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with existing and potential suppliers to optimize cost and delivery. Analyze purchasing data and What We Are Looking For Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience) 10+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain management in a manufacturing environment Experience buying mechanical, electrical, cables, circuit boards, and soft and hard materials/components Understanding of manufacturing processes and material requirements, ideally in electronics, robotics, or precision manufacturing Proven ability to negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers Experience implementing MSAs, SLAs, and NDAs Proficiency with ERP systems, inventory management software, and procurement platforms Strong analytical abilities, with experience in cost analysis, data interpretation, and report generation Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple orders simultaneously Advanced Excel skills for data analysis, reporting, and inventory tracking Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) sourcing in a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment Experience collaborating with engineering on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) during early-stage sourcing Bonus Skills Experience working with actuators Experience sourcing servo motors, harmonic drives, or planetary gearboxes Familiarity with precision bearings, encoders, or force/torque sensors Experience procuring lithium-ion battery cells/packs and BMS components Background sourcing custom cable harnesses and connectors for high-flex, high-cycle applications Experience with precision-machined, cast, or forged structural components Experience with dual-sourcing or supply risk mitigation strategies for constrained/allocated components (e.g., semiconductors) Familiarity with export control regulations (ITAR/EAR) relevant to robotics hardware Experience with AS9100 or ISO 9001 supplier quality requirements Experience sourcing from Taiwan/China electronics manufacturing ecosystems Persona AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.