Johanna Pallmann serves as an Indirect Supply Chain Manager at Wisk’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA, where she acts as a strategic partner to teams ranging from Facilities and Marketing to Production Engineering. Known for her thoughtful approach to contract negotiations and vendor strategy, she focuses on securing the best outcomes while making the process seamless for her colleagues. Outside of work, Johanna is an avid traveler and hiker who tackles a new trail every weekend, with local favorites including Lands End and the Dipsea Trail.

We sat down with Johanna to learn more about her role, her approach to negotiations, and her favorite Bay Area weekend spots.

Can you share a bit about your role as Indirect Supply Chain Manager and what your day-to-day looks like?

No two days are the same, which is exactly why I love it. I support a variety of teams across Wisk, including Marketing, Facilities, the People Team, Global Partnerships, and Production Engineering. On any given day, I might be writing statements of work for a major video shoot or market research study, negotiating better pricing for our favorite office snacks, or managing software renewals.

For those outside of Supply Chain, what does "indirect supply chain" cover, and how does your team support the broader company?

In technical terms, "indirect” supply chain covers all the goods and services a company buys to operate day-to-day, essentially everything that doesn’t go directly into building the aircraft itself. The indirect supply chain function may be a small team, but we support almost every department across the business.

To me, being in indirect supply chain means being a strategic partner to our internal stakeholders. My main goal is always to set up every project for success by reducing risk, securing the best pricing, and moving quickly. Everyone at Wisk is a true master of their craft, and my job is to make their contracting process as seamless and painless as possible so they can focus on what they do best.

What’s your favorite part of the job, or what makes a project feel like a big win for you?

Even though I joined Wisk relatively recently, the culture here made me feel welcome from day one. I’m lucky to work with an incredibly competent, grounded team, and having a supportive manager like Janet Jenkins makes all the difference.

A big win for me is delivering clean, rock-solid work efficiently, knowing that I saved the company time and resources while giving my stakeholders complete confidence in the contracting side.

Contract negotiations and vendor management can get complex. What’s your secret to keeping things running smoothly and stress-free?

Honestly, even the people doing negotiations for a living get stressed during tough negotiations. My secret weapon is preparation. I spend plenty of time mapping out my strategy and writing down key points before jumping into any high-stakes discussion.

I’m also meticulous about tone. A thoughtful, intentional, and clear email can change the direction of a conversation. And when negotiations hit a temporary wall? I’ve learned the power of stepping back, letting things breathe, and coming back to the table with a fresh perspective.

When you're not managing supply chains, how do you like to spend your time off the clock?

I love traveling and exploring new places. To me, stepping into a new city or country feels just like unlocking a whole new section of the map in a video game. Hawaii holds a particularly special place in my heart, as it’s where I got both engaged and married.

On the weekends, you’ll usually find me outdoors. I make a point to tackle one hike every weekend, with local favorites like Lands End, the Dipsea Trail, Alamere Falls, and Rodeo Beach.