Manager, Starshield Supply Chain

SpaceX•Hawthorne, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

As a member of the Starshield Supply Chain team, the Manager supports engineers by planning, sourcing, and fulfilling mechanical components critical to Starshield constellation production. The role leads a supply chain team and owns category vision and strategy across new product introduction (NPI) and production phases. It focuses on supplier continuity, cost, quality, execution speed, and scalable operational processes. The position works closely with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and SpaceX executives to evaluate supplier capability and performance, support product development and production, and negotiate contracts. Starshield applies SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to national security efforts, with an initial focus on Earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. It is designed for government use and supports diverse mission requirements through adaptable satellites and SpaceX's end-to-end development and launch capabilities. This role is onsite in Hawthorne, California, and requires travel for short or extended trips as needed, up to 50%. Long hours and weekends may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and at least 6 years of experience in purchasing or procurement, material or production planning, operations or supply chain management, engineering, or master production scheduling; alternatively, at least 10 years of experience in one or more of these areas.
At least 3 years of management experience with direct reports.
Ability to travel for short and extended trips as needed, up to 50%.
Ability to work long hours and weekends as needed.
Ability to work onsite in Hawthorne, California; remote work is not considered.
Must meet U.S. Government export-control eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Experience sharing information and influencing others across organizational lines, internally and externally.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presenting to suppliers, team members, internal customers, and senior management.
Demonstrated exceptional achievements at SpaceX or previous companies in quickly executing improvement projects while maintaining product reliability and mission success.
Direct experience negotiating contracts.
Experience sourcing suppliers.
Prior formal people leadership experience.
Organized and self-driven, with the ability to work independently with little direction.
Ability to conduct all activities with integrity and urgency.

Responsibilities

Lead sourcing specialists, sourcing managers, and/or global supply managers to ensure continuity of supply for hardware within the team's scope.
Improve and standardize operational planning, workflows, tools, and resources for scalability.
Assess employee performance, provide feedback, facilitate conflict resolution, and address recurring issues through corrective actions, performance improvement plans, or disciplinary measures.
Own the vision and strategy for assigned categories through NPI and production, including cost management, contract negotiations, supplier development, supplier performance management, industry research, and strategic sourcing.
Visit supplier facilities and assess their operational capability, financial health, and capacity to support contract awards for new product development and long-term production.
Analyze suppliers' strategic direction, capacity, market and industry position, and risks.
Work with stakeholders to define supplier SLAs and KPIs and evaluate performance across business outcomes, cost savings, quality, and delivery timeliness.
Present value propositions to SpaceX executives concerning contract awards, cost reviews, cost-reduction strategies, and critical supply issues.
Advise internal customers on design for manufacturability, trade analysis for mechanical components and assemblies, onboarding requirements, and quality.
Ensure suppliers are prepared with appropriate equipment and materials for prototype builds, product development, ramp-up, and production.
Negotiate long-term contracts to ensure continuity of supply and protect SpaceX interests.

Benefits

Potential long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
Potential discretionary bonuses.
Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
Comprehensive medical coverage.
Vision coverage.
Dental coverage.
401(k) retirement plan.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Various other discounts and perks.
May accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation.
Eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year.
Paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy, meeting or exceeding applicable legal accrual, carryover, and use requirements.