Supply Chain Commodity Manager III

Application close date:

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 

As part of a passionate and accomplished team, you will be the leading commercial market expert for a critical commodity, or commodities, defining supply base strategies, managing global supplier performance, and developing relationships with critical aerospace suppliers for various spaceflight programs.  You will use your in-depth knowledge or markets, suppliers and company requirements to develop commodity strategies that mitigate short and long-term business risks guaranteeing continuity of supply for all of Blue's programs.  You will be responsible for execution of these strategies, which can include but is not limited to conducting RFx activities, negotiating price agreements and establishing long-term strategic procurement contracts; identification and vetting of potential new sources of supply; developing and executing your grow/exit/maintain supplier strategies. Success in this role will require close collaboration across functions, including Program, Finance, Engineering, and other teams, with an integrative approach to analyze tradeoffs and manage priorities.

Commodity Managers study trends to identify and solve potential supply chain problems, and they continually seek new opportunities for innovation.  They drive effective category strategies enabling the acquisition of quality, cost-effective components for Blue’s programs, for the benefit of Earth!  This position will directly impact the history of space exploration by driving effective category strategies enabling the acquisition of cost-effective components for Blue’s programs.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

• Provides strategic leadership in the evaluation, sourcing, and development of the supply base to support the development and production of space vehicles
• Ensures supply base can deliver to commercial scope of component procurements and fulfill on time at the lowest lifecycle cost to support program requirements
• Responsible for conducting capability and capacity assessments
• Responsible for conducting RFx activities for strategic procurements
• Responsible for Negotiating Long-Term Agreements
• Develop and manage commodity metrics / reporting including but not limited to updates on the state of the industry, supplier rating, supplier segmentation (grow, maintain, exit) to support periodic supplier business reviews to internal stakeholders
• Participates in the use and improvement of databases that guide sourcing activity and capture supplier status, history, criticality, operational performance, and known issues
• Works with program stakeholders to identify long lead procurement requirements and gaps in supply base capabilities
• Evaluates suitability and stability of current and potential suppliers with regard to financial health, staffing, quality, throughput, technical capability, and reputation.
• Leads suppliers through structural business changes required to fulfill Blue’s lifelong program demand
• Identifies opportunities to leverage existing supplier relationships, segment/ rationalize/consolidate the supply base, maintain alternate supplier options, and support long term supplier relationships
• Supports development, deployment and maturation of supplier recognition program
• Identifies candidate suppliers for M&A activity and supports process with M&A team
• Relentlessly gathers intelligence on the health of strategic suppliers’ business and informs Sr. Leadership of long-term risk and proposed countermeasures  
• Team with supply chain engineering, procurement and supplier quality engineering to conduct site surveys and business evaluations of existing and potential suppliers, serves as a point of escalation and resolution of corrective actions with suppliers

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• 8+ years minimum experience managing commodities in aerospace R&D and manufacturing environments, along with supply chain management experience in aerospace or other regulatory controlled environments.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field
• Extensive technical knowledge of assigned commodity’s manufacturing processes in at least one assigned commodity.
• Track record of performance in driving supplier improvements in cost, quality, schedule, or other performance criteria.
• Must be able to travel 25% - 50% of time and to remote sites
• Experience in sourcing for both development and production
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, and independently
• Strong communication skills and ability to manage multiple tasks and projects
• Exceptional organizational and analytical skills, and a proven ability to drive complex projects with minimal oversight

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Manufacturing or a related field
• Engineering background or strong technical experience in assigned commodity
• CPM, CSCP certification or equivalent
• ASQ quality engineer certification
• 2 years or more of supplier quality experience
• Six sigma/lean process improvement experience
• Experience with AS9100, ISO9001 supply base requirements
• Experience with FAR/DFAR requirements
• Experience with commercial programs and contracts

Compensation Range for:

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.