Supplier Quality Manager

About the role

At REGENT, we’re on a mission to revolutionize regional transportation between coastal cities. We're not just building vehicles, we're creating a new category of transportation: the Seaglider. These groundbreaking wing-in-ground-effect craft travel just above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an airplane with the low operating costs of a boat.

Capable of 180 miles at 180 mph on today's battery tech (and up to 400 miles with next-gen batteries), Seagliders will unlock fast, affordable, and sustainable coastal transit for passengers and cargo - connecting cities, islands, and communities like never before.

Backed by leading investors and powered by a team of passionate, forward-thinking engineers, builders, and operators, we’re now scaling from a breakthrough prototype to full production - and building the team to make it happen.

Role Overview

REGENT is scaling Viceroy from prototype into serial production and moving Squire toward repeatable production, and the supply base has to make that same leap with us. A supplier that can hand-build a conforming prototype part doesn't automatically know how to produce that same part, to the same standard, at rate, every time - and those gaps need to be found and closed before REGENT commits to production, not after. This role owns that work: approving suppliers, proving they're ready for serial supply, managing their performance over time, and fixing problems at the source rather than catching them downstream.

You'll build and lead the Supplier Quality team from the ground up as our supply base grows, sitting within Manufacturing & Supply Chain and working in lockstep with Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain so that commercial relationships, quality standards, and production readiness move together rather than at cross purposes. It's a role with real latitude to shape how supplier quality gets done here, on a vehicle program moving faster than most supply chains are used to.

If you’re energized by working at the intersection of cutting-edge innovation, real-world impact, and hands-on development, you’ll be in the right place - and we’d be thrilled to have you on the team!

What You'll Do

• Build the Team: You'll hire, manage, and develop the Supplier Quality team from the ground up as REGENT's supply base grows.
• Own Supplier Approvals: You'll lead supplier assessments, on-site audits, and qualification decisions, matching the depth of review to the risk of the part and process. You'll spend real time on supplier floors, because approval depends on how work is actually done, not just what's in the records.
• Drive Ramp Readiness: You'll verify that supplier processes are stable, first articles meet requirements, and suppliers can actually produce at the rate serial production demands. A prototype part that conforms once isn't the same as a process that holds up every time.
• Manage Ongoing Performance: You'll use scorecards, performance reviews, and recovery plans to hold suppliers accountable, helping them find root causes and verifying that corrective actions actually prevent recurrence.
• Partner Across Functions: You'll work in lockstep with Manufacturing Quality and Supply Chain so commercial relationships, quality standards, and production readiness move together as one coordinated effort.
• Protect Safety-Critical Quality: You'll read drawings and specifications to identify safety-critical characteristics, assess control plans, manage nonconformances, and make sure suppliers get REGENT's approval before changing a part or process.
• Support Certification Readiness: You'll work with suppliers to meet the requirements of a classification society or aviation authority, verifying traceability from raw material to finished part so production parts can be shown to conform to the approved design.

What You'll Bring

• Supplier Quality Leadership: You've built and led a supplier quality team, managed and developed people, and partnered closely with Supply Chain toward a shared goal of getting good parts on time.
• Ramp-Up Experience: You've led one or more supplier ramp-up projects from prototype into production in aerospace, marine, defense, or another regulated manufacturing environment, and know how to manage a fast-paced ramp without cutting corners.
• Audit and Qualification Expertise: You've led supplier assessments, on-site audits, and approvals, qualifying suppliers based on risk and evidence rather than paperwork alone.
• Performance Accountability: You've used scorecards, performance reviews, and recovery plans to improve supplier performance and verify that fixes actually hold in production.
• Technical Fluency: You can read drawings and specifications, spot safety-critical characteristics, and understand the common risks across composite, machined, electrical, and battery parts.
• Certification Know-How: You've worked with suppliers to meet the requirements of a classification society, aviation authority, or comparable approval body, and know which records demonstrate conformity.
• Calm, Evidence-Based Judgment: You make decisions based on verified evidence, stay steady under schedule or cost pressure, and back your team when they stop work over a legitimate quality concern.
• Energized by Fast-Moving Ambiguity: You're drawn to an environment where supplier plans, part designs, and process maturity can shift quickly, sometimes all at once, and you see that as the nature of the work rather than a temporary growing pain.
• Ready to Travel and Get Hands-On: You're willing to travel regularly to supplier sites and spend time on the production floor to see how processes really work and verify that corrective actions hold.
• Comfortable With Controlled Data: You can work with controlled technical drawings, specifications, and records in an ITAR- or EAR-regulated environment, handling them through the proper channels as a matter of course.
• Bonus Experience We'd Love: Experience launching a production line or supply base for a new aviation or marine vehicle, working directly with composite or battery suppliers, developing sub-tier suppliers, or holding an ASQ CQE, CQA, or Six Sigma credential would make you an especially strong fit.

Who We're Looking for

• Collaborative Team Player: You believe that great things happen when teams work together. You communicate effectively and collaborate with engineers, stakeholders, and other cross-functional teams to align on goals and move projects forward. You bring people together, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and moving towards a shared vision.
• Creative Problem Solver: You thrive on tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions. You don't just patch issues - you improve processes, anticipate downstream impacts, and help turn one-off fixes into scalable solutions that raise the bar for future builds.
• Adaptable & Agile: In a fast-paced, ever-evolving startup environment, you quickly adapt to changing priorities and requirements. You approach challenges with a calm, resilient mindset, and know how to pivot and adjust your approach as needed, ensuring that progress continues without missing a beat.
• Innovative Mindset: You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You’re passionate about driving continuous improvement, embracing new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance - we cover 100% of your premiums.
• 401(k) with company matching, so you can plan for the future.
• Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks.
• Relocation packages available for those moving to join our team.
• Daily, free catered lunches
• Learning & professional development opportunities

• If you’re ready to take on an exciting challenge, grow with us, and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you.
• Even if you don’t meet every requirement, but you see yourself contributing to our mission, we encourage you to apply!
• We value diverse skillsets and experiences and believe in the potential of passionate individuals to make a big impact.