Manager

Job Summary:
The High-Risk & Critical/Rare Earth Minerals Manager
is a strategic leadership role responsible for ensuring the secure, sustainable, and competitive sourcing of rare earth and other high-risk critical minerals essential to Coherent's global operations. This position requires a leader with deep technical expertise in critical and rare earth materials and a proactive approach to mitigating geopolitical, environmental, and supply risks. The role focuses on developing diversified, resilient supply chains, particularly by expanding sourcing options beyond high-risk regions while maintaining ethical and responsible sourcing standards.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Enterprise Strategy & Global Governance

• Lead the enterprise-wide strategy for high-risk and critical mineral sourcing
• Define global governance frameworks for supplier qualification, risk assessment, and strategic inventory management.
• Partner with executive leadership and regional supply chain teams to align mineral sourcing with Coherent's business, sustainability, and risk mitigation goals.

High-Risk Material Management & Diversification

• Identify, assess, and manage all materials categorized as high-risk due to supply concentration, geopolitical exposure, or limited global refining capacity.
• Develop and execute strategies to diversify sourcing outside of China and other high-risk regions, fostering alternative supply partnerships in Asia, North America, Europe, and allied countries.
• Build resilient supply chains by engaging with new suppliers, refining facilities, and recyclers in stable jurisdictions.
• Ensure compliance with ethical sourcing standards while reducing regional dependency risks.

Technical Expertise & Market Insight

• Serve as Coherent's subject matter expert on rare earth elements (e.g., terbium, yttrium) and critical minerals (e.g., tungsten, cobalt, lithium, indium, tantalum).
• Evaluate refining processes, purity standards, and material specifications relevant to Coherent's product portfolio.
• Monitor global market trends, pricing, and government initiatives impacting availability and trade flows.
• Partner with engineering and R&D teams to assess material substitution, recycling, and next-generation sourcing solutions.

Supplier Relationship & Strategic Partnerships

• Identify, qualify, and manage global suppliers and refiners that meet Coherent's technical and ethical standards.
• Negotiate strategic, long-term contracts to secure stable supply at competitive costs.
• Foster partnerships with mining, refining, and recycling entities outside of high-risk regions to strengthen Coherent's material security.
• Collaborate with governments, trade alliances, and research institutions to advance resilient supply chain initiatives.

Compliance, Risk, and Sustainability

• Ensure full compliance with international regulations and frameworks such as the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, EU Critical Raw Materials Act, Dodd-Frank, and REACH/RoHS.
• Oversee due diligence, traceability, and ESG reporting processes to maintain transparency and ethical sourcing.
• Support sustainability and circular economy programs focused on recycling and responsible resource use.
• Conduct periodic risk reviews and scenario analyses to anticipate supply disruptions and recommend proactive mitigation plans.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in
  Materials Science, Metallurgy, Chemistry, Geology, or Engineering
  ; advanced degree (MS/MBA) preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of global experience in sourcing, supply chain, or materials management, with at least 5 years focused on critical or high-risk materials.
• Proven technical understanding of rare earth and critical mineral extraction, refining, and applications in advanced manufacturing.
• Experience managing supply networks across multiple business segments in a complex, global organization.

Skills

• Strong understanding of
  global mineral markets, refining capacity, and geopolitical risk landscapes
  .
• Demonstrated success in
  supplier diversification and de-risking initiatives
  , especially outside of high-dependency regions.
• Deep analytical, negotiation, and contract management skills.
• Excellent communication and influencing abilities across technical, executive, and global teams.
• Commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to travel internationally as required.

Performance Indicators

• Reduction in sourcing dependency from high-risk regions.
• Security of supply across all Coherent segments.
• Achievement of cost and risk mitigation targets.
• Supplier diversification and performance improvement.
• Compliance with ESG, regulatory, and responsible sourcing standards.

Working Conditions

• This role is 100% onsite