Senior Manager - Commercial Applications

Vulcan Elements • Research Triangle Park, NC

17h

About The Position

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence and Transparency.

The Senior Manager Commercial Applications will lead Vulcan Element’s customer engagement and qualification pipeline—from first contact through long-term partnership. This role is responsible for managing customer relationships, coordinating technical and commercial requirements across internal teams, and ensuring a seamless customer experience from quote to contract.
You will serve as the voice of the customer across the organization - translating market and customer needs into actionable input for operations, product development, and leadership. This is a highly cross-functional role requiring both commercial and technical fluency.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, materials science, business, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in engineering, technical sales, business development, or customer program management - preferably in advanced manufacturing, materials, or automotive/aerospace sectors.
• Proven ability to manage complex programs with technical deliverables (e.g., samples, testing, or qualification).
• Strong communication and relationship management skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Demonstrated experience working cross-functionally with operations, R&D, and quality teams.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in rare-earth materials, magnetics, or related advanced materials markets.
• MBA preferred.
• Familiarity with defense or aerospace procurement processes.
• Technical aptitude in magnet design, materials processing, mechanical engineering, or component manufacturing.
• Experience building and maintaining CRM pipelines and customer reporting systems.

Responsibilities

• Own the full commercial pipeline including quotes, sampling, qualification, and transition to production.
• Serve as the primary point-of-contact for customers—building relationships, coordinating site visits, and ensuring timely communication throughout all stages of engagement.
• Translate customer requirements and feedback into clear technical and operational inputs for internal teams.
• Work closely with operations, R&D, and quality teams to ensure all customer testing and qualification milestones are met.
• Lead the quotation process, ensuring pricing and terms align with company strategy and cost structure.
• Partner with operations to align production schedules, sample delivery, and customer timelines.
• Maintain accurate records of customer status, technical progress, and commercial forecasts in CRM and internal reporting systems.
• Support the Commercial team in gathering competitive intelligence and identifying emerging customer or market opportunities.

Benefits

• You’ll play a key role in rebuilding America’s rare-earth magnet supply chain - supporting national security, economic resilience, and industrial leadership.
• As part of a fast-growing team, you’ll have the opportunity to directly influence both customer success and company growth.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior