Senior Global Supply Manager - Critical Minerals

The role

The Senior Global Supply Manager, Critical Minerals (Germanium) will serve as the domain expert and single leader for Germanium. You will lead sourcing strategies, build supplier partnerships, and manage the global mandate for this strategic mineral to support rocket and satellite programs.

What you will do

• Own the commodity strategy for Germanium with focus on supply chain resilience and geopolitical risk mitigation.
• Identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain.
• Maintain expert-level market intelligence on pricing, disruptions, and geopolitical signals.
• Conduct market research to inform strategic decisions.
• Host cross-functional tag-ups, lead strategy reviews, and conduct executive briefings.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for cost, quality, and delivery.
• Lead RFI/RFQ/RFP processes across miners, refiners, processors, and component suppliers.
• Lead supplier negotiations and perform should-cost and TCO analysis.
• Negotiate key agreements including offtake, pricing, capacity reservations, and payment terms.
• Evaluate and recommend strategic interventions like stockpiling, prepayments, JVs, and equity investments.

Required qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, supplier management, or commodity management with direct exposure to critical minerals or their downstream products.
• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, engineering, or related technical field or 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.
• U.S. citizenship is required.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree (Master's 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
• Experience working with U.S. government programs supporting domestic critical mineral supply
• Experience structuring or supporting non-traditional commercial arrangements
• Strategic thinker with a track record of building commodity roadmaps
• Experience in a rapid growth environment
• Exceptional organizational and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proven cross-functional leadership

Benefits

• Company stock
• Employee Stock Purchase Program with a 15% discount
• Medical plans (HMO, PPO, and zero cost HDHP)
• Significant HSA company contribution
• Dental and vision coverage
• Paid vacation and sick time
• 11 paid holidays
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts
• Paid parental leave
• Disability and life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Subsidized EV charging

Before you apply

• U.S. citizenship is required
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted refugee/asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or Commerce

About the company

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems. The Supply Chain team manages the flow of materials and components to support Electron & Neutron rockets and Space Systems programs.