Head of Procurement

At least 7 years of strategic procurement experience with demonstrated progression in responsibility and scope

Demonstrated experience with should-cost modeling, bottom-up cost analysis, and economic modeling of procured goods and services. Proven ability to move beyond systems and process management to engage deeply with the substance and economics of what is being procured.

Mining, energy, industrial, or technology sector experience strongly preferred

Proven track record of building procurement functions from the ground up or leading significant procurement transformations

Strong knowledge of international procurement practices, contract law, and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions

Experience managing procurement in emerging markets and complex regulatory environments preferred

KoBold is seeking an experienced Head of Procurement to build and lead our procurement function from the ground up. This is a high-visibility position with significant authority and autonomy to establish procurement best practices, policies, and systems that will support KoBold's rapid growth across our 70+ projects on four continents. You will have the opportunity to shape procurement strategy, implement innovative sourcing approaches, and create scalable processes that align with our technology-driven exploration model. You will collaborate closely with operations, technical, and executive leadership to optimize our global supply chain while ensuring compliance with local regulations and company standards. This position requires both strategic vision and tactical execution expertise, and since KoBold is a startup company, your role and responsibilities will be dynamic and will evolve as the company grows. This position will focus on establishing procurement standards and processes that can be implemented across KoBold's operations, with coordination and collaboration across regional teams.

Strategic sourcing and supplier management.

Develop and execute comprehensive global procurement strategies across all spend categories including drilling services, geophysical surveys, laboratory services, exploration equipment (core rigs, geophysical instruments, sampling equipment), technology solutions (AI/ML platforms, data management systems, specialized software), professional services (geological consulting, environmental assessments, legal services), and operational supplies. Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers across multiple jurisdictions, establishing preferred vendor programs and long-term partnerships that support KoBold's exploration timeline requirements and cost optimization goals.

Should-cost modeling and deep economic analysis.

Develop and maintain rigorous should-cost models across all major procurement categories, building KoBold's own independent economic understanding of what vendors do, what they should be doing, and what it should cost them to provide goods and services. Drive the organization, including all internal stakeholders who purchase goods and services, to engage deeply with the substance of what is being procured, not just the quoted price. Construct bottom-up cost models that account for vendor inputs, labor, margins, and market dynamics, and use these models to inform sourcing strategy, negotiate from a position of knowledge, and identify opportunities where KoBold is overpaying or under-specifying.

The mining industry has steadily become worse at finding new ore deposits, requiring >10X more capital to make discoveries compared to 30 years ago. The easy-to-find, near-surface deposits have largely been found, and the industry has chronically under-invested in new exploration technology, relying on the manual techniques of yesteryear – even as demand accelerates for copper, lithium, and other metals to build electric vehicles, renewable energy, and data centers.

KoBold builds AI models for mineral exploration and deploys those models—alongside our novel sensors—to guide decisions on KoBold-owned-and-operated exploration programs. In the six years since founding, KoBold has become by far both the largest independent mineral exploration company and the largest exploration technology developer. Our data scientists and software engineers, who come from leading technology companies, jointly lead exploration programs with our renowned exploration geologists.

KoBold has proven its first discovery with materially less capital than the industry average and found one of the best copper deposits ever discovered: the copper is far more concentrated than the global average of copper mines, and this asset alone is expected to generate meaningful revenue for decades. KoBold has a portfolio of more than 60 other projects, each of which has the potential for another high-quality discovery.

KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, and Standard Investments; and natural resources companies Equinor, BHP, and Mitsubishi.