Director, Materials Strategy

About the job

How you'll help us Keep Climbing (overview & key responsibilities)

The Director, Materials Strategy, is a critical leader within Technical Operations responsible for defining and executing the long-term vision for the Materials organization. This leader oversees inventory management, materials planning, material availability, and supply chain performance while driving innovation through advanced analytics, process optimization, automation, and emerging technologies that enhance reliability, efficiency and working capital performance.

Reporting to the Managing Director, Component Operations, the Director serves as a senior functional expert and transformational leader responsible for advancing the Materials organization’s strategy, performance, and long-term capabilities. The role leads a complex, multi-layered organization through general managers and managers, building a high-performing leadership team, strengthening succession readiness, and developing the next generation of Materials and Supply Chain talent.

Success in this role requires deep aviation materials and supply chain expertise, coupled with a forward-looking mindset that leverages data, advanced analytics, AI, automation, and digital technologies to enhance material availability, optimize inventory investment, improve operational reliability, and drive sustained business performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the long-term Materials strategy aligned with Technical Operations’ operational, financial, customer, and growth objectives.
• Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for aviation materials, inventory optimization, demand planning, and material availability.
• Build a multi-year roadmap that supports future fleet, maintenance, and MRO growth.
• Identify emerging industry trends, technologies, and best practices to drive innovation, strengthen supply chain resilience, and sustain competitive advantage.

Operational Excellence

• Lead enterprise inventory strategy, demand planning, material readiness, supplier performance, and strategic supplier partnerships to ensure operational reliability and supply chain effectiveness.
• Ensure the right material is available at the right time, in the right location, balancing service, reliability and working capital objectives.
• Drive Lean, Six Sigma and champion continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish and govern performance metrics that drive accountability and continuous improvement across service, reliability, inventory productivity, quality, cost efficiency, and operational effectiveness.

Data Analytics & Technology Leadership

• Champion advanced analytics, AI, machine learning, and digital technologies to improve decisions and outcomes.
• Partner with Technology, Engineering, Maintenance, Commercial, Logistics, and Finance to enable predictive decision making.
• Develop dashboards, KPIs, and tools that provide actionable insights.
• Lead modernization that simplifies processes, increases automation, and improves user experience.

Talent & Organizational Leadership

• Lead a large, multi-layered organization through direct reports and second-level leaders, creating alignment, accountability, and focus on strategic and operational priorities.
• Build a robust leadership pipeline and succession bench to ensure organizational readiness, leadership continuity, and long-term business success.
• Develop high-performing leaders who effectively balance operational execution, strategic thinking, innovation, and people leadership
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner across Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Technology, Operations Planning, and Commercial.
• Influence decisions across organizational boundaries and create alignment around enterprise priorities.
• Communicate effectively with frontline employees, senior leaders, and executive stakeholders.

Benefits and Perks to Help You Keep Climbing

Our culture is rooted in a shared dedication to living our values – Care, Integrity, Resilience and Servant Leadership – every day, in everything we do. At Delta, our people are our success. At the heart of what we offer is our focus on Sharing Success with Delta employees. Exploring a career at Delta gives you a chance to see the world while earning great compensation and benefits to help you keep climbing along the way:

• Competitive salary, industry-leading profit sharing program, and performance incentives.
• 401(k) with generous company contributions up to 9%.
• New hires are eligible for up to 2-weeks of vacation. This is earned for use in the following vacation year (April 1 – March 31).
• In addition to vacation, new hires are eligible for up to 56 hours of paid personal time within a 12-month period.
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year.
• Birthing parents are eligible for 12-weeks of paid maternity/parental leave.
• Non-birthing parents are eligible for 2-weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, vision, short/long term disability and life insurance benefits.
• Family care assistance through fertility support, surrogacy and adoption assistance, lactation support, subsidized back-up care, and programs that help with loved ones in all stages.
• Holistic Wellbeing programs to support physical, emotional, social, and financial health, including access to an employee assistance program offering support for you and anyone in your household, free financial coaching, and extensive resources supporting mental health.
• Domestic and International space-available flight privileges for employees and eligible family members.
• Career development programs to achieve your long-term career goals.
• World-wide partnerships to engage in community service and innovative goals created to focus on sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.
• Business Resource Groups created to connect employees with common interests to promote inclusion, provide perspective and help implement strategies.
• Recognition rewards and awards through the platform Unstoppable Together.
• Access to over 500 discounts, specialty savings and voluntary benefits through Deltaperks such as car and hotel rentals and auto, home, and pet insurance, legal services, and childcare.

What you need to succeed (minimum qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Operations, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership in aviation materials, supply chain, inventory planning, or related operational functions.
• Significant experience leading large teams through multiple layers of leadership.
• Deep understanding of aviation materials, inventory optimization, forecasting, operational planning, and maintenance-driven supply chains.
• Demonstrated leadership of large-scale operational and organizational transformation.
• Strong analytical capability and experience using data to drive decisions.
• Proven delivery of measurable operational, cost, reliability, and customer outcomes.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• This position requires 5 days in office and 25% global travel.
• Consistently prioritizes safety and security of self, others, and personal data.
• Embraces diverse people, thinking, and styles.
• Possesses a high school diploma, GED, or high school equivalency.
• Is at least 18 years of age and has authorization to work in the United States.

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications)

• Advanced degree in Business, Supply Chain, Analytics, or related field.
• Experience implementing AI, machine learning, automation, or advanced analytics.
• Lean, Six Sigma, APICS, CSCP, or equivalent certification.
• Experience in airline, aerospace, MRO, manufacturing, or another highly complex operational environment.