The Head of Supply Chain & Global Operations will build and manage the supply chain function, focusing on relationships with contract manufacturers, scaling production, optimizing costs, and ensuring performance across global operations.
About Us
Sauron protects your family and home, bringing the innovations of autonomous robots and self-driving cars to residential security. Our team is led by veteran operators and engineers, alumni of Sonos, Paypal, Tesla, Apple, and Google. Sauron has raised an $27M seed round led by A* and Atomic with participation from other leading venture capital firms.
The Role
We’re hiring a Head of Supply Chain & Global Operations to own and build our entire supply chain function, with a primary focus on developing and managing deep relationships with contract manufacturers (CMs), suppliers, and strategic partners.
This is a zero-to-one leadership role. You will define how we source, build, and scale physical products—balancing speed, cost, quality, and resilience. This role reports directly to the CEO.
What You’ll Do
Contract Manufacturer Strategy & Relationships
- Identify, evaluate, and onboard contract manufacturers across regions (U.S., Mexico, Asia, etc.)
- Build and maintain executive-level relationships with CM partners
- Negotiate MSAs, pricing, capacity allocation, and long-term agreements
- Act as the primary point of accountability for CM performance (quality, delivery, cost)
Supply Chain Architecture
- Design and implement end-to-end supply chain strategy (sourcing → production → fulfillment)
- Develop multi-sourcing strategies to reduce risk and increase flexibility
- Build systems for demand planning, forecasting, and inventory management
Scaling Production
- Partner with engineering and operations to transition from prototype to mass production
- Drive DFM (Design for Manufacturing) and DFX improvements with suppliers
- Ensure rapid iteration cycles while maintaining production stability
Supplier Network Development
- Source and qualify critical component suppliers
- Build strategic supplier partnerships for key technologies and components
- Monitor supplier health, geopolitical risk, and long-term viability
Cost & Performance Optimization
- Own COGS cost targets and continuous cost reduction efforts
- Implement KPIs and dashboards for supply chain performance
- Drive operational excellence across vendors and internal teams
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Work closely with hardware, firmware, and product teams
- Partner with finance on budgeting, forecasting, and unit economics
- Build and lead the supply chain team over time
What We’re Looking For
- 8–15+ years of experience in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations within the consumer electronics space (with a mix of operational scale and early stage startup experience)
- Deep experience working with top tier contract manufacturers
- Proven track record scaling hardware products from NPI to volume production
- Strong negotiation experience with suppliers and manufacturing partners
- Experience operating in fast-paced, high-growth environments (startup or high-growth business unit)
You likely have:
- Built or significantly scaled a supply chain function from scratch
- Managed global supplier networks and manufacturing footprints
- Strong intuition for balancing speed vs. cost vs. quality
- Comfort operating with ambiguity and high ownership
Bonus Points
- Experience with robotics and camera systems, AI hardware, or complex electromechanical systems
- Background in both domestic and international manufacturing ecosystems
- Experience navigating tariffs, trade regulations, and geopolitical constraints
- Prior experience hiring and leading high-performing supply chain teams
What Success Looks Like
- Reliable, scalable manufacturing pipeline with strong CM partnerships
- Clear visibility into cost, timelines, and risks across the supply chain
- Ability to rapidly iterate hardware without breaking production
- Supply chain becomes a strategic advantage, not a bottleneck
We Value
1. The Power of "We": “Align, then Accelerate”
- We celebrate as a team and troubleshoot as a team.
- The goal is the mission, not the credit.
2. High Challenge, Low Ego: "Respect the person, debate the idea."
- Be ruthless with problems, but kind to people.
- Raise the bar, lower the shield
3. Speak up: "Silence is a setback."
- Your perspective is a requirement, not a suggestion.
- Speak the hard truths early so we can fix them fast.
4. Integrity in Motion: "Own the outcome, not just the task."
- Do what you say you’ll do.
- If it breaks, fix it. If it works, make it better.
5. Humanity at the Core: "Relationships over transactions."
- Earn trust through empathy and consistency.
- Anticipate needs before they become requests.
Compensation: $225-250k base + equity + benefits
We are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you’re excited about this role, but do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed above, we encourage you to apply.
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Sauron is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics or any other basis forbidden under federal, state, or local law.
Please review our CCPA policies here.
CompensationThe base pay range for this role is $225,000 – $250,000 per year.
Sauron San Francisco, California, USA Office
San Francisco, CA, United States
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