Head of Procurement (AU) in Alexandria, New South Wales at DroneShield Group Pty Ltd

Work with cutting edge AI technology, making the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) offers an opportunity to solve some of world’s most challenging technical problems in the rapidly growing counter-drone sector.

Our customers operate in some of the most challenging and high-stakes environments in the world, including military organisations, government agencies, airports, critical infrastructure operators, and law enforcement. Protecting airspace in these settings requires technology that performs under pressure and teams that understand what’s at stake. At DroneShield, employees work at the leading edge of counter-drone innovation, helping to address real-world security challenges as drone threats continue to evolve globally.

With one of the largest listed defence company market capitalisations in Australia, now part of the ASX200 index, DroneShield is experiencing a period of hypergrowth. Revenue has surged from A$57 million in 2024 to over A$217 million in 2025, representing growth of more than 400% year-on-year, with record profitability and cashflow. The total addressable global market for counter-drone is assessed at approximately $100 billion, and is currently at the nascent stage with much of the growth still to come, with DroneShield well positioned as a global market leader, and the only public listed pure-play business in this sector.

The company has grown from 11 employees in 2017 to over 450 staff globally today, and is on track to reach around 550 by the end of 2026. This expansion includes investment of over A$50 million annually in R&D, a global pipeline exceeding A$2.5 billion, and continuous scaling of production capacity to meet accelerating demand.

The role is based at DroneShield’s central Sydney headquarters. Overseas on-the-ground presence includes Virginia (USA), Netherlands, Denmark, Mexico and Dubai, as well as distributors in over 70 countries worldwide.

About the role

DroneShield is seeking a Head of Procurement with relevant experience to join the team in Sydney, NSW.

The position will report to the Chief Operating Officer.

The Head of Procurement is accountable for the evaluation, selection and on-boarding of all suppliers up to and including contract award, ensuring the organisation has reliable access to high quality suppliers, components, capabilities, and services required to meet delivery, quality and compliance commitments. This role leads and develops a team of category managers and establishes procurement practices that balance speed, resilience, risk management and innovation.

Responsibilities, Duties and Expectations

Supply Network Strategy & Resilience

• Define and execute a global procurement strategy aligned with manufacturing scale‑up, technology roadmaps, and compliance requirements.
• Build a resilient, multi‑tier supply network that mitigates supply, geopolitical, regulatory, and capacity risks.
• Ensure critical components and capabilities are sourced with appropriate redundancy and flexibility.
• Actively manage supplier concentration and single‑source exposure.

Supplier Evaluation & Selection

• Lead robust supplier evaluation and qualification processes for:
• Contract manufacturers
• Tier 1 and other critical component suppliers
• Indirect and shared‑service suppliers
• Ensure suppliers meet technical, quality, delivery, security, and compliance requirements.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, and Operations to assess supplier capability and readiness.

Procurement Execution & Contract Award

• Own all procurement activities through to contract award, including sourcing strategy, negotiation, and approval.
• Ensure contracts support delivery certainty, scalability, IP protection, regulatory compliance, and long‑term value.
• Balance commercial outcomes with delivery risk and operational criticality.
• Ensure clarity of scope, performance obligations, and risk allocation in all supplier agreements.

Category Management Leadership

• Lead and develop a high‑performing team of category managers across:
• Contract manufacturing
• Tier 1 critical suppliers
• Indirect procurement
• Establish clear category strategies aligned to business priorities and risk profiles.
• Ensure consistent sourcing, evaluation, and contracting standards across categories.

Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Ensure procurement activities comply with defence, export control, security, and ethical sourcing requirements.
• Work closely with Legal, Quality, Security, and HSE to ensure suppliers meet regulatory and contractual obligations.
• Establish clear governance, approval frameworks, and escalation pathways for procurement decisions.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Define and track procurement KPIs covering delivery performance, supplier risk, responsiveness, and commercial outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement in sourcing speed, supplier reliability, and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Use data and insight to proactively address emerging supply risks.

Measures of Success

• On‑time availability of all critical components and services
• Reduced supply disruption and improved resilience
• Strong supplier performance and collaboration
• Procurement cycles that support fast operational execution
• Contracts that balance cost, risk, compliance, and scalability
• Procurement recognised as a strategic enabler of delivery and innovation

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Senior procurement or supply chain leadership experience in high‑tech manufacturing
• Experience operating in regulated or defence‑adjacent environments
• Proven capability managing strategic suppliers and contract manufacturers
• Experience leading category management teams
• Engineering, supply chain, or commercial qualifications
• Experience with global supply networks and geopolitical risk
• Exposure to scale‑up or rapid growth manufacturing environments

Note for recruitment agencies: We do not accept unsolicited candidates from external recruiters unless specifically instructed.