Senior Global Supply Manager Critical Minerals

ABOUT ROCKET LAB

Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets spacecraft and critical subsystems that keep the world connected protected expand humanitys reach to the Moon Mars and beyond. We move fast build real hardware for meaningful missions and make the impossible routine. Come shape the future with us.

SUPPLY CHAIN
Rocket Labs Supply Chain team is responsible for the flow of all materials products and components through the business. With many of our own products functioning as critical components to our own and our customers missions the Supply Chain team has a direct impact on the success of our rocket and satellite programs. They set up the assembly kits that enables our technicians to put together our Electron & Neutron rockets manage inventory look after shipping and receiving manage direct and indirect procurement and inspect and ensure that all of our materials and products are compliant and up to standard. They are the chain that links our teams together and are critical to our success.

SENIOR GLOBAL SUPPLY MANAGER II CRITICAL MINERALS (GERMANIUM)

Based on site at Rocket Labs global headquarters in Long Beach CA the Senior Global Supply Manager Critical Minerals (Germanium) will play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of Rocket Labs rocket and satellite this role youll serve as the domain expert and single leader for Germanium a strategic critical mineral essential to our products securing the raw materials that power our missions.

Youll lead sourcing strategies build strong supplier partnerships and drive supply chain resilience from early development to serial production collaborating across engineering manufacturing and quality teams to deliver world-class results. As the lead for Germanium youll own the global mandate end-to-end: market intelligence tiered supply chain mapping supplier and government relationship management should-cost modeling contracting and stockpiling strategy.

Rocket Labs Supply Chain team is the backbone of our operations ensuring the seamless flow of materials components and products that power our missions. From managing procurement to ensuring compliance and quality this team is critical to the success of our Electron & Neutron rockets and Space Systems programs.

WHAT YOULL GET TO DO:

• Own the commodity strategy for Germanium with explicit focus on supply chain resilience geopolitical risk mitigation (concentration in mining and refinement).
• Identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain ensuring resilience and reliability.
• Maintain expert-level market intelligence and deliver regular updates on pricing disruptions and geopolitical signals.
• Conduct market research and stay ahead of industry trends to inform strategic decisions.
• Host cross-functional tag-ups lead strategy reviews and conduct executive briefings on market conditions and mitigation plans.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies that align with program goals for cost quality and delivery.
• Lead RFI/RFQ/RFP processes across miners refiners processors and component suppliers.
• Lead supplier negotiations on a first principles basis to secure best-in-class terms; perform should-cost and TCO analysis and maintain cost models to deliver on competitiveness targets.
• Negotiate key agreements (offtake pricing capacity reservations payment terms) suited to volatile concentrated markets.
• Evaluate and recommend strategic interventions (stockpiling prepayments JVs equity investments vertical integration) partnering with Corporate Development and Finance.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships from initial RFIs to contract execution and beyond.
• Build trusted relationships with suppliers industry associations and U.S./allied government bodies (DoD DPA Title III DLA DOE); represent Rocket Lab externally for germanium.
• Engage with Legal/Contracts to establish the right contractual framework to support our programs and commodity strategy.
• Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance through metrics scorecards and regular reviews.

YOULL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS

• 8 years of experience in procurement sourcing supplier management or commodity management with direct exposure to critical minerals or their downstream products (e.g. germanium gallium rare earth magnets tungsten antimony lithium cobalt nickel manganese).
• Bachelors degree in supply chain engineering or related technical fieldor equivalent years of work experience (9 years of total work experience).
• Demonstrated experience navigating concentrated geopolitically sensitive supply chains.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 50% of the time including travel to mines refiners and processors.
• U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE

• Advanced degree (Masters or Doctorate) in materials science chemical sciences or metallurgical/mining engineering; MBA is a big plus.
• Experience in defense aerospace automotive or other disruptive manufacturing industries with deep raw material dependencies.
• Experience working with U.S. government programs supporting domestic critical mineral supply (e.g. DPA Title III DOE Loan Programs Office DLA National Defense Stockpile).
• Experience structuring or supporting non-traditional commercial arrangements (long-term offtake prepayments equity investments JVs).
• Strategic thinker with a track record of building commodity roadmaps alongside engineering and finance stakeholders.
• Experience in a rapid growth environment with constantly shifting priorities.
• Exceptional organizational and problem-solving skills; excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven cross-functional leadership and ability to influence at all levels of an organization.
• APICS certification; experience with AS9100 and export controls.

This position may require prolonged periods of sitting standing walking computer work and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise dust and fumes in production areas.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Were on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth but thats not an easy task. It takes hard work determination relentless innovation teamwork grit and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think out-work and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each others backs checking our egos at the door and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure work to tight deadlines and our focus is always on how we can deliver rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S. citizen lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder) or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here.

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race color religion age sex national origin disability status genetics protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab including recruiting hiring placement promotion termination layoff recall transfer leaves of absence compensation and training.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY:

For security reasons background checks will be undertaken prior to any employment offers being made to an applicant. These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that you be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by the United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Under these Regulations you may be ineligible for this role if you do not hold citizenship of Australia Japan New Zealand Switzerland the European Union or a country that is part of NATO or if you hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality. For more information on these Regulations click here ITAR Regulations.