Supply Chain Manager - Rare Earth Metals at Ford Global Career Site

Dearborn, Michigan, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Apr, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

15 Jan, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Risk Mitigation, Geopolitical Analysis, Market Intelligence, Financial Analysis, Contract Negotiation, Technical Literacy, Strategic Thinking, Resilience, Cultural Intelligence, Supply Chain Management, Environmental Standards, Traceability Protocols, Circular Economy, Negotiation

Industry

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing

Description

1. Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Develop and execute a global sourcing strategy for Rare Earth Elements (REE) and permanent magnets (NdFeB). Identify, vet, and onboard upstream miners, midstream refiners, and downstream magnet manufacturers. Negotiate multi-year Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) to secure volume guarantees and price stability. Collaborate with Engineering to understand technical specifications and potential substitutions for heavy rare earths. 2. Risk Mitigation & Geopolitical Analysis Monitor global geopolitical trends, trade policies, and export controls that impact REE availability. Develop "China Plus One" strategies to diversify the supply chain and reduce dependency on single-region sourcing. Create contingency plans and buffer stock strategies to protect against sudden market disruptions. 3. Ensure all suppliers adhere to strict Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. Implement traceability protocols (e.g., blockchain or audited chain of custody) to ensure metals are mined and processed ethically. Partner with recycling firms to develop "circular economy" initiatives for recovering rare earths from end-of-life components. 4. Market Intelligence & Financial Analysis Conduct deep-dive market analysis on REE pricing indices and supply-demand balances. Manage total cost of ownership (TCO) models, including raw material indexing (RMI) and currency fluctuations. Provide regular briefings to executive leadership on supply chain health and cost projections. 5. Work closely with Manufacturing and Logistics to ensure timely delivery of materials to production sites. Interface with Government Affairs to stay informed on domestic mining subsidies and critical mineral grants (e.g., Inflation Reduction Act requirements). Bachelor's Degree: Required in Supply Chain Management, Mining Engineering, Geology, Chemical Engineering, or International Business. An MBA is a plus. Experience: 7+ years in global procurement or supply chain management, with at least 3 years specifically focused on metals, minerals, or complex chemical commodities. Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the "Mine-to-Magnet" value chain and the specific processing challenges of lanthanides. Contract Negotiation: Proven track record of handling high-stakes, multi-million dollar negotiations. Technical Literacy: Ability to discuss material science properties (e.g., coercivity, remanence) with engineering teams. Strategic Thinking: Ability to look 5-10 years into the future to anticipate supply bottlenecks. Resilience: Comfort working in a high-pressure, "frontier" market environment. Cultural Intelligence: Experience working with international suppliers across different time zones and business cultures. Existing relationships with major REE producers and processors globally. Familiarity with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) standards. As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including: Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases Tuition assistance Established and active employee resource groups Paid time off for individual and team community service A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6SP1 Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

Responsibilities

The Supply Chain Manager will develop and execute a global sourcing strategy for Rare Earth Elements and ensure supplier compliance with ESG standards. They will also monitor geopolitical trends and create contingency plans to mitigate risks in the supply chain.