Senior Global Supply Manager II

About the role

The Senior Global Supply Manager II owns the end-to-end sourcing and supplier management lifecycle for critical space programs. They develop and execute sourcing strategies that directly align with Rocket Lab's cost, quality, and delivery objectives for both Electron and Neutron vehicles. This role builds and maintains strategic supplier relationships, conducting negotiations from a first principles foundation to secure best-in-class terms. The hire will drive continuous improvement in supplier performance using metrics and scorecards while identifying and mitigating supply chain risks to ensure resilience. They collaborate extensively with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to validate supplier capabilities from prototyping through serial production. The role acts as the primary procurement expert, engaging with Legal and Contracts to establish the correct contractual frameworks. They are responsible for conducting market research and performing cost modeling to identify savings and maintain competitiveness. Ultimately, this position serves as the go-to leader for solving complex procurement challenges in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Key facts

What you'll do

Develop and execute sourcing strategies that align with program goals for cost, quality, and delivery.

Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, from initial RFIs to contract execution and beyond.

Lead supplier negotiations on a first principles basis to secure best-in-class terms, including cost, quality, and delivery performance.

Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance through metrics, scorecards, and regular reviews.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure supplier capabilities meet program requirements, from prototyping to full-scale production.

Identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain, ensuring resilience and reliability.

Engage with Legal/Contracts to establish the right contractual framework to support our programs and commodity strategy.

Identify cost savings/avoidance opportunities, execute cost reduction strategies, and maintain cost models and should-cost analysis up to date to deliver on competitiveness targets.

Conduct market research and stay ahead of industry trends to inform strategic decisions.

Act as the go-to procurement expert, solving challenges and driving results in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Perform supplier quality assessments to ensure compliance with aerospace and mission-critical standards.

Manage strategic inventory planning and supply chain forecasting to support production schedules.

Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for supply chain disruptions.

Serve as a key interface between Rocket Lab and key suppliers to ensure alignment on strategic initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.

5+ years of progressive supply chain or procurement experience, including at least 3 years in a people management role.

Proven experience managing suppliers for complex hardware programs in a regulated environment.

Strong knowledge of procurement best practices, supplier relationship management, and negotiation strategies.

Experience with cost modeling and should-cost analysis is required.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and supply chain management tools is required.

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and meet aggressive deadlines.

U.S. citizenship required for this role due to export control regulations.

Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice to have

Experience with composite materials, electronics, or space hardware manufacturing.

Familiarity with quality management systems such as AS9100.

Knowledge of ERP systems, particularly SAP.

Experience with supplier performance management and continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position based onsite at Rocket Lab's global headquarters in Long Beach, CA.

U.S. citizenship is required for this role due to export control regulations.

Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

About Rocket Lab Corporation

Rocket Lab Corporation is hiring for Senior Global Supply Manager II. The listing location is Long Beach, CA.

This Senior Global Supply Manager II opening is posted for Long Beach, CA.