---
title: 'Lead Supply Chain at The Exploration Company'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-supply-chain-the-exploration-company-munich-ghy6tyn015aq'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-16'
---

# Lead Supply Chain at The Exploration Company

- **Company:** [The Exploration Company](https://feeny.ai/companies/the-exploration-company)
- **Location:** Munich, Germany
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-10-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/the-exploration-company/1bec0488-cb71-4fd8-9b9a-ffc3ba28def8

## Job description

Here at The Exploration Company, we are building spacecrafts for humanity.

## Role Overview

Reports to: Head of Procurement

We are looking for a Lead Supply Chain to lead operational purchasing and direct material procurement across The Exploration Company’s locations. You will manage the (direct material procurement) DMP team and own the operational procure-to-pay process within your scope, ensuring materials and services reach our teams on time and with the required documentation.

You will combine responsive purchasing support with the strict controls needed in an aerospace environment. Your first priority will be to protect Nyx Earth delivery, while allocating purchasing capacity to Storm, engine development and other approved activities.

## Key Responsibilities

Supplier and Delivery Management

- Manage supplier relationships for commodities, standard parts and other purchases within the operational purchasing scope.
- Monitor order confirmations, lead times and delivery commitments, and coordinate recovery actions when supply is at risk.
- Develop sourcing approaches for recurring purchases and identify opportunities for consolidation.
- Escalate shortages and supplier risks according to their impact on program milestones.

Procurement Operations and Controls

- Lead operational procure-to-pay activities for purchases outside the sourcing-board process, including development purchases subject to company approval rules.
- Ensure purchase orders accurately reflect approved requirements, prices, delivery dates and applicable contractual conditions.
- Maintain reliable purchasing and supplier data in the ERP system.
- Coordinate with receiving, logistics, Quality and Finance to resolve delivery, documentation and invoice discrepancies.
- Implement purchasing controls and maintain auditable records supporting TEC’s EN9100 requirements.
- Ensure urgent purchasing follows the appropriate approval and traceability processes.

Planning and Continuous Improvement

- Allocate purchasing workload across locations according to program priorities and delivery risks.
- Work with program procurement leads and Engineering to anticipate demand and identify long-lead requirements.
- Develop the company’s commodity and standard-parts purchasing strategy.
- Monitor delivery performance, overdue orders, purchasing lead times and data quality.
- Improve purchasing processes in coordination with the company’s process and ERP owners.

## Team Leadership and Collaboration

- Lead and develop the DMP managers across Germany, Italy, France and the planned US scope.
- Establish consistent ways of working while accommodating local operational requirements.
- Give team members clear decision authority and escalation criteria.
- Provide the Head of Procurement with a consolidated view of purchasing capacity, shortages and recovery actions.
- Coordinate closely with the Nyx, in-house development and indirect procurement leads.

## Qualifications

Education and Experience

- Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Engineering, Operations or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Significant experience in operational purchasing or supply chain management within aerospace, manufacturing or another controlled technical environment.
- Experience managing teams across multiple locations.
- Strong practical knowledge of ERP purchasing workflows, supplier follow-up and procure-to-pay controls.
- Experience working within EN9100/AS9100 or comparable quality management systems.

## Skills

- Strong operational judgment and the ability to prioritize against production and development milestones.
- Ability to establish disciplined processes without creating unnecessary administrative delays.
- Confidence using purchasing data to identify risks and direct corrective action.
- Effective supplier negotiation and cross-functional communication.
- Proven ability to develop a team that resolves routine issues independently and escalates critical exceptions.

## Why Join Us

- Help deliver Nyx Earth and develop the capabilities behind TEC’s future vehicles and engines.
- Take ownership of a procurement function with a direct impact on company milestones.
- Lead and develop a team in a collaborative, international engineering environment.

Why you should join us! What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:

- We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind
- We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them
- We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?

We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly.

The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.

All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.

If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.

## About The Exploration Company

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: The Exploration Company (TEC) is building a full-stack space transportation platform, including a reusable space capsule (Nyx) and a high-thrust rocket engine (Storm), to democratize access to space.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B)
- **Headquarters**: Munich, Germany (HQ); additional offices in Bordeaux (France), Luxembourg, Turin (Italy), Houston (Texas, USA), and Dubai/Abu Dhabi (UAE)
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Hélène Huby (CEO) and a team of aerospace veterans

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Space transportation, aerospace engineering, orbital logistics
- **Target customers**: Space station operators, satellite operators, government space agencies (e.g., NASA), commercial space companies (B2B, B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "To build space vehicles for humanity, enabling everyone to participate peacefully in the building of our human future." [exploration.space](https://exploration.space/about)

## Products & Services
- **Nyx**: A reusable space capsule designed to dock with any space station, capable of carrying cargo (and eventually crew) to low-Earth orbit. It is the company’s first commercial vehicle.
- **Storm**: A high-thrust, staged-combustion rocket engine delivering up to 180 tons of thrust, designed to power a globally competitive, reusable launcher.
- **Mission Bikini**: A first demonstrator capsule built for ballistic reentry, completed from paper sketch to flight-ready in nine months.
- **Mission Possible**: A second demonstrator capsule built for controlled re-entry and recovery with cargo, completed in two years.
- **Orbital Propulsion**: In-house development of avionics, flight software, guidance/navigation/control (GNC), and reusable thrusters.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Total Funding**: $210.06M (Series B, with a $160M round raised approximately two years ago) [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/the-exploration-company)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Backed by tier-one investors; first European company to sign a Space Act Agreement with NASA; board includes figures like Mike Griffin (former NASA Administrator) and Yo-Yo Ma (cellist and board advisor) [exploration.space](https://exploration.space/about)
- **Growth Signals**: 10 missions already booked; two demonstrator capsules built in under three years; team of 450+ employees spanning 35 nationalities; offices in 6 locations across Europe, the US, and the UAE; named one of the fastest-growing space companies worldwide.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed of execution**: Demonstrated ability to go from concept to flight-ready hardware in 9–24 months, far faster than traditional aerospace.
- **Reusability focus**: Both Nyx and Storm are designed for rapid reuse, dramatically lowering per-mission costs.
- **Open-source vehicle design**: TEC’s approach is intentionally collaborative, fostering partnerships across countries and with NASA.
- **Full-stack capability**: Controls the entire space transportation stack (capsule, engine, avionics, software), reducing dependency on external suppliers.
- **European base with global reach**: Positioned as a key European player in the new space economy, with strong government and commercial ties.

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercial cargo missions**: First priority is launching Nyx to serve low-Earth orbit space stations (both public and private).
- **Engine development**: Continuing work on Storm to power a future European launcher.
- **International expansion**: Deepening presence in the US (Houston office) and UAE (Dubai/Abu Dhabi office).
- **Talent scaling**: Growing the team from 450+ to meet mission milestones, with a focus on engineering, production, and digital roles.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Emphasizes speed, execution, and ownership. Values include Excellence, Teamwork, Integrity, and "Space for everyone." The company prides itself on gathering diverse, international talent from both space and non-space backgrounds.
- **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Offers flexibility and remote work opportunities depending on the role, but encourages a hybrid approach where possible. [exploration.space](https://www.exploration.space/careers)
- **Relocation Support**: Yes, the company provides relocation assistance and work permit/visa support for new hires.
- **Notable Perks**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge space vehicles from day one; internal mobility encouraged; background check required for all offers.
- **Engineering Culture**: Leadership includes aerospace veterans who have worked on major global space programs. The team is 450+ strong, representing 35 nationalities, with a flat, fast-moving structure.

## Sources
1. [exploration.space - Home](https://exploration.space/)
2. [exploration.space - About](https://exploration.space/about)
3. [exploration.space - Careers](https://www.exploration.space/careers)
4. [cbinsights.com - The Exploration Company](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/the-exploration-company)
5. [Wikipedia - The Exploration Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Exploration_Company)

## Other roles at The Exploration Company

- [Propulsion Engineer - Huracan Components](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-engineer-huracan-components-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-hm7d92nm0je9) — Bordeaux, France
- [HIL Engineer — Huracan Rocket Engine](https://feeny.ai/job/hil-engineer-huracan-rocket-engine-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-emhstqpnghzd) — Bordeaux, France
- [Intern- Office & Site Management](https://feeny.ai/job/intern-office-site-management-the-exploration-company-munich-0804jw3gzwpp) — Munich, Germany
- [Lead European Institutions and French Public Affairs](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-european-institutions-and-french-public-affairs-the-exploration-company-f5qg5721tw4a) — France
- [Project Security Officer](https://feeny.ai/job/project-security-officer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-xzdts7mgjyqe) — Bordeaux, France
- [Deputy Flight Software Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/deputy-flight-software-lead-the-exploration-company-munich-bs353xwvzqjx) — Munich, Germany
- [Lead Procurement In-House Engine development](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-procurement-in-house-engine-development-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-dmwhg1x0e1ns) — Bordeaux, France
- [Lead Project Manager Dual Use In-Orbit Services](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-project-manager-dual-use-in-orbit-services-the-exploration-company-munich-14vx6hjewz7z) — Munich, Germany
- [Propulsion Data & Modeling Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-data-modeling-engineer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-zpbm7wfw8vtq) — Bordeaux, France
- [Propulsion GSE Team Leader](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-gse-team-leader-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-t8ncqxzja0bd) — Bordeaux, France