Sourcing Manager, Contract Manufacturing (Starlink) - SpaceX

SOURCING MANAGER, CONTRACT MANUFACTURING (STARLINK)

SpaceX is leveraging our experience building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s largest satellite constellation and most advanced broadband internet system. We provide reliable and fast internet to millions of users worldwide, including populations with little or no connectivity, rural communities, aircraft, watercraft, and places where existing services are unreliable, too expensive, or disconnected by natural disasters. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system, thousands of satellites and consumer antennae that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing. The Starlink team is seeking out the best-in-class professionals to maximize Starlink’s potential for communities and businesses around the globe.

As a Sourcing Manager, you will be part of an agile, yet robust, supply chain team that will enable a competitive advantage for the company. The functions within the department include procurement, planning and fulfillment, supplier development and quality, and logistics and inventory. SpaceX supply chain plays a key role in enabling SpaceX to meet these ambitious growth targets and contribute to making us a multi-planetary species.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Conduct comprehensive supplier analysis to formulate a strategic sourcing plan that identifies new/suitable suppliers, optimizes cost structures, and proactively ensures continuity of supply per demand
• Create sourcing strategies to reduce risk, enable continuous cost reduction, and align with company strategy on payment terms, cash targets, on-time delivery, and cost savings
• Build and own overall project budgets, compile funding requests, generate capitalization plan based on project timeline focusing on TCO of project, and negotiate with contract manufacturer on optimizing capex investment and utilization
• Manage the supply base by implementing a precise forecast model and clear-to-build model, including the tier 2~3 supply base of the contract manufacturer
• Oversee contract manufacturer’s day-to-day operations including capacity bring-up, equipment readiness, and material readiness to ensure new product development schedule is on track
• Execute purchasing transactions within scope area by issuing purchase orders for SpaceX programs and ensure delivery with materials requirement planning (MRP) to ensure accurate and complete information at all times
• Oversee contract manufacturer’s procuring components while managing supply shortage and liability risks
• Direct and execute initiatives that support aggressive improvements in supplier operation, total cost effectiveness, service levels, delivery, pricing, lead-times, payment, risk compliance, and other areas as identified
• Develop supplier scorecards to measure supplier performance against agreed upon key performance indicators and report findings to leadership
• Develop strong relationships with internal stakeholders to best understand their needs and consult with them to build quality procurement strategies aligned to business requirements
• Coordinate with engineering and quality organizations to determine cause of rejected material and to drive appropriate changes to ensure elimination/reduction of those quality issues
• Administer moderate to large contracts and independently negotiate with supplier’s contract terminology, pricing, technical requirements, scope, and terms involving responsibility, liability, indemnification, intellectual property, and export compliance
• Consult and advise sales and planners on strategic planning, and work with contract manufacturers on developing/expanding capacity to ensure operational success in tactical procurement execution
• Coordinate and drive alignment between SpaceX future designs and preferred supplier technology road maps
• Build genuine relationships both internally, externally, and within cross-functional teams to achieve consensus
• Present value propositions to SpaceX executives, including those related to contract awards, cost reviews, cost reduction strategies and critical supply issues 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of experience working in a supply chain, production, or engineering function OR 9+ years of experience working in a supply chain, production, or engineering function in lieu of a degree

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Advanced degree and 3+ years of experience working in a supply chain, production, or engineering function
• 1+ years procurement experience in high volume contract manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of consumer electronic manufacturing supply chain, capex planning, and commercial negotiations.
• Experience in managing product development, new product introduction (NPI), and mass production (MP) processes
• Experience working with contract manufacturers
• Broad technical knowledge in mechanicals, SMT, and assembly process
• Experience sourcing from a global supply base and managing sourcing phases from market research, supplier evaluation and selection, negotiations, and supplier onboarding
• Proven success working on cross-functional, new product introduction projects, cost models, benchmarking, and negotiations
• Familiarity with ERP systems and purchasing/planning functions
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• Ability to identify and resolve technical, operational, and organizational problems
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to respond quickly to a fast-moving and ever-changing environment

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel up to 40%
• Willingness to communicate outside of work hours
• Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed to meet critical deadlines
• Must be willing to work onsite, remote work not considered