Sr Support Specialist, Operations

Company Overview:

MP Materials (NYSE: MP) is rebuilding American industrial capability for a new era of autonomy, robotics, and electrification.

We are the only U.S. company with a fully integrated rare earth supply chain-from mining and refining to advanced metal and magnet manufacturing. Our products include both the critical materials used to make permanent magnets and the finished magnets themselves-enabling next-generation technologies in robotics, automation, aerospace, transportation, defense, and energy systems. These materials are the foundation of physical AI-the convergence of computation, movement, and control.

We hire ambitious, mission-driven people who want to tackle complex challenges and shape the future of strategic industries. Our culture is rooted in teamwork, resiliency, and integrity, with a deep commitment to operational excellence and national purpose. MP is rapidly evolving from a materials producer into a leading U.S. manufacturer-and our people are driving that transformation.

Position Overview

The Senior Operations Support Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the daily execution of Operations in a fast-paced, dynamic manufacturing environment. This position requires a high degree of resourcefulness, sound judgment, adaptability, and ownership.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working in an environment where priorities can shift quickly, information may be incomplete, and solutions are not always predefined. This individual is expected to assess needs, identify available resources, determine appropriate next steps, and independently drive tasks through completion while keeping the appropriate stakeholders informed.

The Senior Operations Support Specialist should be able to take broadly defined objectives, determine what is required to accomplish them, develop practical options, and execute with limited direction. They should be able to recognize operational dependencies and apply practical judgment to unfamiliar situations.

Position Responsibilities

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with the role. The Senior Operations Support Specialist will be expected to perform a broad range of operational and administrative functions, including but not limited to:

Operational & Administrative Support

• Maintain awareness across multiple communication channels, rapidly assess and prioritize operational needs, and coordinate appropriate responses across stakeholders while managing competing priorities with accuracy, urgency, and follow-through.
• Take ownership of broadly defined or unfamiliar requests by identifying requirements, researching options, coordinating resources, and presenting practical solutions with limited direction.
• Operate effectively in complex or non-routine situations by applying sound judgment, understanding process dependencies and downstream impacts, and making timely decisions based on available information.
• Recognize when escalation or additional support is needed, engage the appropriate stakeholders, and clearly communicate relevant information, actions, and rationale.
• Respond effectively to unexpected operational needs while balancing immediate priorities with longer-term responsibilities and proactively identifying risks, obstacles, or future needs when possible.
• Support recurring accounting, purchasing, finance, reporting, administrative, and business-system activities, including navigating MRP and other systems to research information and support decision-making.
• Assist with project coordination, action tracking, follow-up, documentation, and record management to ensure open items, timelines, risks, and operational information remain accurate, organized, and accessible.

Employee & Process Coordination

• Support employee engagement, recognition, appreciation, meetings, events, and other operations or company-wide initiatives.
• Independently coordinate logistical needs such as meals, meetings, supplies, vendors, scheduling, developing appropriate options based on budget, timing, audience, and operational requirements.
• Serve as a key liaison between Operations and cross-functional departments, ensuring information is communicated accurately and actions are coordinated appropriately.
• Develop a working understanding of the manufacturing process and key operational dependencies to effectively respond to questions, identify impacts, and connect the appropriate resources.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, HR, Finance, IT, and other departments to support smooth execution of operational priorities.
• Build strong working relationships across all levels of the organization and know how to identify and engage the appropriate subject-matter experts when additional information is needed.
• Follow through on commitments and open actions, ensuring issues do not stall due to lack of ownership, communication, or coordination.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Management, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, changing environment with strong organization, prioritization, and time-management skills.
• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to take loosely defined or unfamiliar issues, identify needed information and resources, and determine an appropriate path forward.
• Ability to understand process dependencies, recognize downstream impacts, make timely decisions, and adjust quickly as circumstances change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across departments and organizational levels while handling sensitive information with discretion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and demonstrated ability to quickly learn and navigate business systems and processes; experience with SAP, MRP, ERP, or similar systems is beneficial.

Preferred Skills & Attributes

• Experience supporting manufacturing, production, operations, engineering, or other fast-paced service environments.
• Highly resourceful, proactive, and action-oriented with strong follow-through and personal accountability.
• Comfortable managing changing priorities, competing demands, and urgent or unexpected needs.
• Uses sound judgment to determine when to act independently, research further, collaborate, or escalate.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining awareness of the larger operational objective and downstream impact of decisions.
• Collaborative and service-oriented, with a continuous improvement mindset and willingness to step outside traditional role boundaries when needed.

MP Materials is Proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Underrepresented groups/Women/Disabled/Veterans are encouraged to apply. Candidates whose disabilities make them unable to meet the position's requirements will still be considered qualified if they can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation.

Your Right to Work - In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment verification document form upon hire.

For Assistance with Application - Alternative methods of applying for employment are available to individuals unable to submit an application through this site because of a disability. Contact Human Resources Department at 702-844-6111; dial 7 when prompted for HR; 1700 South Pavilion Center Dr. 8th Floor, Las Vegas, NV 89135 to discuss reasonable accommodation.