Commodity Lead

Aria Networks builds switches paired with a telemetry-centric software intelligence layer purpose-built for AI/ML clusters. As our Commodity Lead, you will secure supply and cost for every part that goes into our data center switches, owning the full system bill of materials from ICs and passives to optics, thermals, and enclosures. As the first commodity hire, you will run sourcing, cost, lead times, material planning, and E&O across all commodities yourself at first, then build the team and hand off categories as we grow. This is a hands-on role: you balance supply assurance against cost every day and make those calls with engineering, NPI, and finance.

Responsibilities

• Own cost and supply for the whole system, leading sourcing for ICs and passives, PCBs, connectors, copper and optical cables and transceivers, power supplies, fans and thermal solutions, sheet metal, and enclosures
• Track lead times and market conditions across the BOM, flag constrained parts early, and put buffer stock, alternate sources, or LTAs in place before shortages hit builds
• Build working relationships with component manufacturers, franchised distributors, and manufacturers’ reps to win allocation, pricing, and support
• Negotiate pricing and terms, build should-cost models, and decide when to pay for supply assurance and when to push for cost
• Hit BOM cost targets set with NPI and finance
• Turn the build forecast into material plans with contract manufacturers, run clear-to-build reviews, and keep CM-held inventory aligned with demand
• Monitor excess and obsolete exposure, manage cancellation and rescheduling windows, and resolve E&O claims with CMs and suppliers
• Partner with hardware and NPI early on part selection, second sources, and life-cycle risk so new designs are buildable at cost
• Set up commodity processes, supplier scorecards, and reporting, then hire and hand off categories as the team grows

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field
• 10+ years in commodity management, strategic sourcing, or supply management for enterprise hardware
• Hands-on sourcing experience across a full system BOM: electronic components, copper and optical cables, thermals, enclosures, and electromechanical parts
• Established network with component manufacturers, franchised distributors, and manufacturers’ reps
• Track record of managing lead times and securing supply through shortages and allocation
• Proven E&O management with contract manufacturers, including liability reviews and claim resolution
• Material planning experience: forecasts, MRP, clear-to-build, and CM inventory
• Skilled negotiator who builds should-cost models and explains cost and supply tradeoffs to engineering and executives
• Comfortable working hands-on in a startup with little structure
• Experience in the networking industry, ideally data center switches, routers, or optics, is a plus
• Sourcing experience with high-speed optics, DACs/AECs, and liquid-cooling components is a plus
• Experience setting up sourcing at a startup or scaling a supply base from NPI to volume is a plus
• Experience with suppliers and CMs in Asia is a plus
• People management experience, or a clear desire to build and lead a commodity team, is a plus
• APICS CPIM/CSCP or ISM CPSM certification welcome but not required