Manager, Procurement (Machining)

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next‑generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware‑rich and low‑cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi‑module Haven Station. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven‑1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. Our team is all‑in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us. 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

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job‑related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full‑time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non‑exempt staff with the ability to cash‑out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high‑quality meals for employees.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status or mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. #J-18808-Ljbffr Vast