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Salary: JPY 20,454,000 - 30,680,000 / annual
Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, is seeking a Director of Global Supply Chain Integration based in Tokyo to lead a hybrid role spanning supply chain strategy and growth enablement across Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
You will operate at the intersection of growth, strategic sourcing, and supply chain risk management—shaping deals before they're signed and building infrastructure for rapid scaling in a complex regulatory environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Growth & Partnership Development: Support Anduril's Japan expansion by forging relationships with industry leaders. Shape pre-contract strategy through scope definition, proposal development, and term sheet generation. Serve as the supply chain voice in critical go/no-go decisions, bringing market intelligence and risk assessment to leadership. Monitor Japan's industrial ecosystem, emerging manufacturing technologies, and regulatory developments to identify partnership opportunities.
Build & Optimize Japanese Supply Networks: Develop a regional supply base by identifying and qualifying suppliers across diverse commodity categories. Lead end-to-end supplier engagement including selection, qualification, and onboarding—assessing technical capability, capacity, quality systems, and financial stability. Understand and mitigate supply chain risks across tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers (keiretsu and independent). Drive localization initiatives aligned with Japanese national security supply chain requirements.
Expert Advisory & Support: Guide Japanese industry partners with strategic supply chain advisory support. Support comprehensive sourcing strategies for partners executing Anduril programs. Navigate regulatory complexity ensuring compliance with Japanese regulations (FEFTA, technology transfer restrictions, export controls, defense equipment transfer guidelines). Partner with business line teams to assess sourcing strategies and develop approaches aligned with product roadmap and cost targets.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as primary liaison between Anduril's engineering, operations, program teams and Japanese manufacturing partners. Partner with Product Sourcing Engineers and Global Sourcing Managers. Manage supplier performance including escalation protocols, corrective action oversight, and strategic capacity planning.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or related field
- 15+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing or procurement focused on contract manufacturing, preferably in defense, aerospace, or advanced technology industries
- Demonstrated success negotiating and managing complex manufacturing agreements with Japanese suppliers; deep understanding of Japanese business culture, negotiation practices, and relationship-building expectations
- Professional fluency in both Japanese and English (written and verbal); proven ability to navigate cross-cultural communication and influence stakeholders at all organizational levels in both languages
- Regulatory expertise in Japanese compliance landscape (FEFTA, Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment, export controls, dual-use technology regulations)
- Broad commodity knowledge spanning electronics, precision manufacturing, materials, optics, sensors, and other defense-relevant categories
- Demonstrated success managing complex supplier relationships and negotiating agreements with Japanese companies
- Strong analytical and financial acumen including expertise in total cost modeling, should-cost analysis, and make-vs-buy assessments; proficiency in ERP systems and sourcing tools
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance; willingness to travel domestically and internationally (approximately 30–40%) to support supplier engagement, audits, and program requirements
- Ability to work across international timezones with U.S. partners
Preferred Qualifications:
- Past experience in Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF)
- Track record of building supplier networks and partnerships in Japan
- NPI strategic sourcing experience in fast-paced environments
- Foundational understanding of manufacturing processes (electronics, machining)
- Strong financial acumen including TCO and cost reduction
- Past experience supporting growth teams or corporate development functions
