Job Description: Assistant Manager – Costing & Quotation (Defense & Aerospace Electronics)
Role Overview
The Assistant Manager – Costing & Quotation is responsible for end-to-end preparation of technical and commercial proposals for complex RFQ/RFP opportunities in the defense, aerospace, and high-reliability electronics domain. The role involves detailed cost estimation, BOM validation, vendor coordination, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver competitive and compliant bids.
Key Responsibilities
1. Costing & Estimation
- Prepare Activity-Based Costing (ABC) for electronic products including analog, digital, RF assemblies, hybrid microcircuits, and power converters.
- Perform process costing for manufacturing, testing (internal/external), and qualification activities.
- Develop and maintain costing models using MS Excel to ensure pricing accuracy and consistency.
2. RFQ / RFP Management
- Handle end-to-end RFQ/RFP/RFI evaluation and response preparation.
- Lead technical and commercial bid preparation as the single point of contact for Sales teams.
- Ensure proposals are competitive, compliant, and aligned with customer requirements.
3. BOM & Engineering Analysis
- Conduct BOM and C-BOM analysis, including:
- Component validation
- Lifecycle assessment
- RoHS compliance
- Alternate component recommendations
- Work closely with Engineering teams to ensure design-cost optimization.
4. Vendor & Supply Chain Coordination
- Collaborate with Supply Chain Management (SCM) teams for:
- Vendor identification and sourcing
- Vendor quote collection and evaluation
- Price negotiations and cost optimization
- Support development of sourcing strategies for critical components.
5. Customer & Stakeholder Management
- Interface with key domestic and international customers (e.g., defense labs, aerospace organizations, global OEMs).
- Act as a bridge between Sales, Engineering, SCM, and Leadership to ensure seamless execution.
- Provide clarifications and support during customer discussions and bid reviews.
6. Compliance & Quality
- Ensure all proposals comply with AS9100 standards and internal quality processes.
- Adhere to MIL/Space-grade standards for components and testing (EMI/EMC, environmental).
7. Order Lifecycle Support
- Support transition from RFQ to Purchase Order execution.
- Coordinate with ERP systems (BAAN/LN) for order creation and tracking.
- Assist in inventory assessment and clearance planning.
Required Skills & Competencies
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of:
- Activity-Based Costing
- Electronic component engineering & lifecycle
- Defense & aerospace standards (MIL, QML, QPL)
- Understanding of testing standards such as:
- MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-883, MIL-STD-461
Tools & Software
- Advanced MS Excel (costing models)
- ERP Systems: BAAN / LN
- MS Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word)
- Power BI (preferred)
- Basic knowledge of AutoCAD / CAM tools (optional)
Qualifications
- Graduate degree in Engineering / Science
- MBA (Finance or Operations) preferred
Experience
- 10–15+ years of experience in costing, quotation, or proposal management
- Experience in defense, aerospace, EMS, or high-reliability electronics industry preferred
Key Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Stakeholder communication
- Ability to handle multiple RFQs under tight timelines