Lead, Procurement

Rocketdyne•Jupiter, FL

About The Position

The Lead, Procurement leads complex procurement activities supporting defense and aerospace programs, including acquisition of specialized materials, equipment, and services. The position manages the full procurement lifecycle—from acquisition strategy development, solicitation, proposal evaluation, negotiation, and award through post-award administration and closeout—while ensuring compliance with contractual, regulatory, and business requirements. Operating with minimal oversight, the role serves as a procurement subject matter resource and manages high-value, high-risk, complex procurement efforts that affect program execution and customer commitments. It partners with program management, contracts, engineering, quality, finance, supply chain, and legal to develop subcontracting strategies, address supplier issues, mitigate risk, and achieve business outcomes. The role may mentor or train less experienced procurement professionals, lead cross-functional initiatives, represent procurement in reviews and customer discussions, and sign supplier agreements and purchase orders within delegated authority. Travel up to 25% may be required. The position follows a 9/80 schedule.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant procurement experience; or a graduate degree and a minimum of 6 years of prior related procurement experience; or, in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 12 years of prior related procurement experience.
Ability to travel up to 25% may be required.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
Knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) requirements.
Experience procuring electronic components, mechanical parts, complex assemblies, or specialized services.
Familiarity with supplier performance management, cost analysis, and schedule risk mitigation.
Experience supporting engineering change activity, configuration changes, and material returns.
Working knowledge of export compliance considerations, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
Experience using material requirements planning or enterprise resource planning tools in a production or program environment.

Responsibilities

Lead procurement activities for complex and specialized materials, equipment, and services supporting defense and aerospace programs.
Develop and execute procurement strategies aligned with program objectives, customer requirements, compliance obligations, and business goals.
Prepare and review procurement specifications, statements of work, sourcing plans, bid packages, and terms and conditions.
Lead supplier solicitations, conduct bidders’ conferences, manage proposal receipt and evaluation, and support source selection decisions.
Perform cost and price analysis and evaluate proposals against technical, schedule, financial, and performance considerations.
Lead negotiations covering pricing, terms and conditions, schedule commitments, risk allocation, and other business provisions within delegated authority.
Oversee purchase order awards and procurement lifecycle administration, including performance management, funding actions, modifications, claims support, and closeout.
Identify, assess, and mitigate subcontractor financial, technical, schedule, quality, and execution risks.
Resolve complex procurement issues and develop mitigation or recovery plans with internal stakeholders and suppliers.
Provide procurement guidance and strategic support to program teams, maintaining alignment with technical requirements, contractual obligations, and program schedules.
Oversee application of FAR, DFARS, customer flow-downs, and company policies to procurement actions and supplier management.
Support fact-finding, audits, internal reviews, and compliance assessments related to subcontracting.
Drive continuous improvement of subcontract policies, procedures, tools, and processes.
May mentor or train less experienced procurement professionals.
May lead cross-functional initiatives or represent procurement at program reviews, management reviews, and customer-facing discussions.
May sign supplier agreements and purchase orders within delegated authority.