Manager, Procurement (Machining)
Vast is seeking a Manager, Procurement (Machining) to lead procurement strategy, supplier execution, and team performance for machining commodities supporting the development and production of the world’s first commercial space station. This role is accountable for building and scaling the machining supply base, driving supplier performance, managing critical escalations, and ensuring sourcing processes enable the speed, agility, cost discipline, and quality required in a high-reliability aerospace manufacturing environment.
The Manager will lead a team of 3–5 buyers or procurement professionals and will serve as the functional owner for machining commodity strategy. This includes supplier selection, capacity planning, commercial negotiations, KPI development, supplier relationship management, and continuous improvement across sourcing and procurement processes. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can operate strategically while also engaging directly in complex sourcing activities, supplier escalations, and cross-functional problem solving.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
Lead, develop, and performance-manage a team of 3–5 buyers or sourcing professionals supporting machining commodities
Own and execute the overall commodity strategy for machining, including supply base development, sourcing plans, supplier segmentation, capacity planning, and risk mitigation
Establish supplier selection strategies that balance speed, quality, technical capability, cost, capacity, and long-term scalability
Act as the primary escalation point for machining supplier issues, including schedule recovery, quality concerns, commercial disputes, capacity constraints, and delivery risks
Partner closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Planning, Program Management, Finance, and Operations to align sourcing execution with production and program priorities
Develop, track, and improve KPIs related to sourcing cycle time, supplier on-time delivery, cost performance, quote turnaround, quality performance, and supplier responsiveness
Drive competitive sourcing events, RFQs/RFPs, supplier negotiations, contract execution, and long-term agreement strategies for machining spend
Lead supplier business reviews and performance management routines to drive accountability and continuous improvement
Identify and qualify new machining suppliers to support increasing production demand, technical complexity, and schedule requirements
Optimize procurement and sourcing processes to improve speed, agility, data integrity, and scalability as Vast transitions from development to production
Challenge requirements, identify cost and schedule opportunities, and partner with technical teams to improve manufacturability and sourcing outcomes
Support make-versus-buy evaluations, supplier capacity assessments, and sourcing risk reviews for critical hardware
Ensure supplier execution supports quality management system requirements, including AS9100, ISO9001, or equivalent aerospace manufacturing standards
Build organizational capability through coaching, prioritization, training, and development of team members
Provide clear visibility to senior leadership and other department leaders on supplier performance, sourcing risks, recovery plans, and commodity health
Identify and implement scalable improvements to support company growth, production readiness, and long-term supply chain resilience
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, or a related field; or equivalent relevant experience
7+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, supply chain, supplier management, or a related field
Experience sourcing machined components or managing machining suppliers in a hardware manufacturing environment
Demonstrated experience leading teams, mentoring buyers or sourcing professionals, or managing procurement execution through others
Experience developing commodity strategies, supplier selection plans, or sourcing strategies for complex technical commodities
Experience negotiating pricing, terms, lead times, capacity commitments, or supplier agreements
Experience managing supplier escalations related to delivery, quality, cost, capacity, or contractual performance
Experience developing or managing KPIs related to supplier performance, procurement execution, sourcing cycle time, cost, or delivery
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous, and high-growth manufacturing environment
Strong communication skills with experience engaging technical stakeholders and senior leadership
Preferred Skills & Experience:
Experience in aerospace, defense, space, automotive, advanced manufacturing, or other high-reliability hardware environments
Strong understanding of machining processes, including CNC milling, CNC turning, multi-axis machining, complex assemblies, special processes, and inspection requirements
Experience sourcing tight-tolerance, low-volume/high-mix, prototype, development, or production machined hardware
Experience working within a quality management system such as AS9100, ISO9001, or equivalent
Experience qualifying new suppliers and scaling a supplier base to support production growth
Experience conducting supplier business reviews, supplier scorecards, capacity reviews, and corrective action follow-up
Experience partnering with Engineering and Manufacturing teams to improve manufacturability, reduce cost, and shorten lead times
Experience reviewing engineering documentation such as drawings, BOMs, specifications, models, and revision-controlled data packages
Experience supporting ERP/MRP-driven procurement processes and improving procurement data discipline
Experience developing dashboards or reporting mechanisms to provide visibility into sourcing performance, supplier health, and commodity risk
Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance cost, schedule, quality, technical risk, and supplier relationship considerations
Proven ability to drive process improvement and build scalable sourcing practices in a rapidly growing organization
Knowledge of lean manufacturing, supplier development, or continuous improvement methodologies
Additional Requirements:
Willingness to work extended hours or weekends as needed to support critical milestones
Ability to travel to suppliers
Pay Range:
Manager, Procurement (Machining): $114,000 - $162,000
Pay Range: California
$114,000—$162,000 USD