Team Manager Supply Chain, Category Mechanical Systems & Manufacturing Enablement

ROLE HIGHLIGHTS: - Title: Team Manager Supply Chain, Category Mechanical Systems & Manufacturing Enablement - Department: Global Supply Chain - Reports to: Global Director Supply Chain - Location: Espoo, Finland - Type of Contract: Permanent - Working model: On-site - Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required) WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS: We are seeking an exceptionally technical Manager to lead, develop, and scale a high-performing team responsible for mechanical hardware sourcing, production enablement, and manufacturing support across our satellite engineering and production programs. This role operates at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing operations, and supplier technology, requiring deep expertise in build-to-print precision machining, electromechanical release mechanisms, COTS mechanical hardware, and the tooling and consumables ecosystem that keeps production running. The position will define the strategy, structure, and technical backbone of the Mechanical Systems & Manufacturing Enablement category, while embedding directly into engineering and production programs. Your team will ensure reliable, qualified, and cost-effective supply for both flight hardware components and production-enabling assets, while building scalable foundations to support the transition from low-rate prototype builds toward Continuous Production Configurations. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a regulated, technically demanding environment and maintains strong credibility with mechanical engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supplier partners. WHO WE ARE: ICEYE delivers space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to governments and allied nations. This includes sovereign and turnkey ISR missions leveraging ICEYE’s world-leading synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology, as well as access to data from the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation. These capabilities enable partners to detect and respond to critical changes anywhere on Earth with unprecedented speed and accuracy – day or night and in any weather, supported by ultra high-resolution imagery and high-frequency revisits. As a trusted partner for defense, intelligence, security, and maritime domain awareness, ICEYE’s near real-time data creates a tactical advantage for mission-critical operations. Designed for dual use, the platform also serves civil protection and commercial users for natural-catastrophe intelligence, insurance, maritime monitoring (including oil-spill detection), and finance, contributing to global security and community resilience. ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, Japan, the UAE, Greece, and the US. The company has more than 900 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation. REQUIREMENTS EXPECTED OUTCOMES & COMPETENCIES; 1. Supply continuity – Reliable, risk-managed sourcing for mechanical components, mechanisms, tooling, and consumables across R&D and scaling production. 2. Technical credibility – Read drawings, GD&T, and mechanism specs well enough to shape design and catch supply risk early. 3. Team leadership – Build and lead a team of 5+, with proven management experience and ability to scale as production grows. 4. Regulated supplier network – International, defense-capable supplier base meeting security, export, and qualification requirements. YOUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES; Day to day, this role means sourcing and managing suppliers for build-to-print CNC parts, release mechanisms, COTS hardware, tooling, and consumables, while sitting embedded in engineering programs to catch design and supply risks early. It also means running the team, coaching specialists, reviewing quotes and vendor selections, and keeping ERP data, cost tracking, and build readiness accurate day to day. Alongside that, expect ongoing supplier relationship management, negotiating capacity and tooling maintenance windows, and cross-functional coordination with engineering, manufacturing, and quality on schedules and risk mitigation. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES; 1. Leadership & Team Development - Build, lead, and mentor a team of category specialists with deep mechanical hardware and manufacturing-support expertise. - Define team workflows spanning build-to-print CNC components, electromechanical release mechanisms, COTS mechanical hardware, production tooling, and consumables. - Coach team members in mechanical fabrication processes, tolerance/fit considerations, GD&T interpretation, and manufacturability constraints. - Foster a culture of technical rigor, proactive risk management, and high accountability. - Develop hiring profiles and long-term talent strategies to scale the category organization. 2. Embedded Technical Category Leadership - Operate as a core, embedded member of engineering and production project teams from concept through qualification and series production. - Interpret mechanical drawings, GD&T tolerances, material specifications, and BOM structures for build-to-print and COTS mechanical items. - Provide DFM/DFMA and supply feasibility input on mechanical designs, including release mechanisms and other electromechanical assemblies. - Identify long-lead mechanical items, critical single-source mechanisms, and production-tooling dependencies early in the design and industrialization cycle. - Maintain visibility into machining capabilities, surface treatments, mechanism qualification status, and tooling/jig availability across the supplier base. 3. High-Velocity Sourcing & Procurement Execution - Lead sourcing for: - Build-to-print CNC mechanical components - Electromechanical release mechanisms - COTS mechanical hardware (fasteners, bearings, standard hardware) - Production consumables and protective/PPE equipment - Production tooling, jigs, and fixtures - Tooling maintenance services - Third-party consulting and technical services - Approve or direct procurement at risk when required to protect program schedules. - Guide the team in fast-turn quoting, vendor selection, and build execution for precision-machined and electromechanical parts. - Ensure accurate procurement execution through ERP, with proper traceability, cost tracking, and build/production readiness visibility. 4. Supplier Engagement & Capability Development - Own senior relationships with precision machine shops, mechanism suppliers, tooling partners, PPE/consumables distributors, and technical services providers. - Perform technical capability assessments to ensure supplier fit for qualified, low-volume, and scaling production builds, including regulated/defense-sector requirements where applicable. - Negotiate accelerated build slots, exotic material availability, advanced machining tolerances, and priority manufacturing/tooling maintenance windows. - Develop a robust, internationally diversified supplier ecosystem capable of supporting both prototype builds and qualified series production. 5. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Strategic Alignment - Act as the senior supply chain voice for mechanical systems and manufacturing enablement across engineering, program management, manufacturing, quality, and executive forums. - Ensure alignment on engineering changes, mechanical drawing revisions, tooling readiness, and supply risks. - Translate evolving technical and regulatory requirements into executable category strategies. - Communicate proactively on risk, mitigation plans, and dependencies critical to program success. - Collaborate with Global Supply Chain leadership to build scalable capabilities supporting the transition from R&D to production. 6. Risk Management & Development-to-Production Continuity - Identify risks related to mechanical component availability, machining complexity, tooling capacity, mechanism qualification, and export/regulatory constraints. - Surface risks early in the design cycle and ensure visibility at key program milestones (PDR, CDR, PRR). - Drive early evaluation of alternates for materials, mechanisms, fabrication methods, and tooling solutions. - Support the transition toward Continuous Production Configurations by scaling sourcing strategies for mechanical hardware and production enablement. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Manufacturing Engineering, or similar technical discipline. - 7+ years in mechanical sourcing, manufacturing engineering, or category management roles, with a proven track record of team leadership in a management position (ideally leading 5+ team members). - Deep technical knowledge of: - Build-to-print CNC machining and mechanical tolerancing - Electromechanical release mechanisms and their qualification requirements - COTS mechanical hardware - Production tooling, jigs, fixtures, and tooling maintenance - Production consumables and PPE requirements - International experience, with demonstrated ability to manage a globally distributed supplier base. - Experience operating in highly regulated environments (e.g., aerospace, defense, or similarly certified industries). - Strong communication, negotiation, coaching, and cross-functional leadership skills. - Ability to translate mechanical engineering and manufacturing requirements into actionable category strategy. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Experience in the defense sector, including familiarity with associated security, export control, and qualification requirements. - Established network of precision machining, mechanism, tooling, and technical services suppliers. - Experience supporting third-party consulting/technical services procurement. - Familiarity with rapid prototyping ecosystems and scaling toward series/volume production. - Professional certifications (APICS, PMP, Six Sigma) a plus. WORKING AT ICEYE At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win. HOW WE WORK (OUR VALUES) Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way. - Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions. - See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others. - Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions. - Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift. - Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins. BENEFITS Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process. Base salary range for this position is, dependant on experience, and will be negotiated individually. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work…