Supply Chain Manager - Rare Earth Metals

Supply Chain Manager - Rare Earth Metals
We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

In this position...
 

Responsibilities
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. Sustainability & ESG Compliance
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. Cross-Functional Leadership
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).
You'll have...
Education & Experience
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.
Skills
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.
Even better, you may have...
Existing relationships with major REE producers and processors globally.
Familiarity with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) standards.
You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

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.
This position is a leadership level 6.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6SP1

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

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