Senior Buyer

Role Overview

• Responsible for execution and management of purchasing strategies to ensure finished product sourcing and procurement practices are highly cost-effective and supported by best-practice tools, systems, processes, etc. This role also ensure relationships with suppliers are strong, strategic, and compliant as required.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Execution:

• Executes overall organizational strategies by aligning finished product purchasing strategies to meet market needs and drive profitability through Coordination of timely commodity and sourcing activities, optimization of COGS & DOP, and risk mitigation
• Ensures process, tool, metric, and communication standards are followed as defined by global COE, and coordinates necessary adaptations with global COE as indicated by the market

Procurement Process Management & Compliance:

• Manages business goals and relationships with suppliers including price negotiations, outsourcing and phase out decisions, and solving fill rate issues
• Coordinates with local teams to develop and monitor Global Cost Out projects
• Manages entire procurement process from RFQ to PPAP, including reviewing purchase orders, and overseeing the receipt of goods
• Ensures compliance with legal requirements and organizational policies related to procurement, including contract evaluation and renewal

Supplier Management:

• Ensures standard use of Global Supplier Terms and Conditions, suppler approval process, RFQ process, Cost Out Programs
• Develops contracts with vendors and suppliers on pricing, lead time and terms of agreement aligned to global standard for contract terms/conditions
• Maintains supplier profiles, supplier scorecards, supplier capabilities, supply agreements & contract files, price lists (through Suppliers Portal where active).
• Develops strong relationships with existing and potential suppliers, sources and onboards new suppliers, and negotiates contracts to secure favorable terms.
• Interfaces between suppliers and engineering/operations/marketing to answer any questions related to RFQ and ensure timelines are met
• Coordinates with Quality teams to manage suppliers approval process, including supplier sample testing to ensure new SKUs or COPs SKUs are approved, ensure compliance with the companies Quality system, and support ISO-9001 Quality Audits
• Coordinates with the Suppliers Portal Administrator to ensure tool effective and updated
• Works closely with PM team to support the procurement of new SKUs and prduct families, resolve invoicing, pricing, quantity discrepancies related to price or quantity differences.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Participates in monthly meeting to monitor BU / COE Action Plan, in which KPIs are reviewed/analyzed, upcoming/new actions are defined (owners/timing), current issues, requests, and/or opportunities are discussed, and guidance/feedback is provided.
• Provides training to the organization on process, tools, and systems, as required
• Support system implementations as required

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 7–10 years of experience in Procurement, managing +900 SKUs and +$80m supplier contracts
• Proven finished good procurement experience within the automotive aftermarket industry, particularly in managing rigid / metal parts product categories
• Strong analytical skills to interpret large data sets, monitor KPIs, solve issues, assess trends, find opportunities, and support data-driven decisions
• Strong market knowledge and understanding of related processes, strategies, and best practices
• A relationship builder with ability to influence to create lasting partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
• A strategic mindset with ability to focus on the big picture and create actionable steps to achieve business goals
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate across diverse cross-functional teams and stakeholders
• A creative thinker who ‘Acts Like an Owner’ and has a continuous improvement mindset
• Able to train teams on tools, systems, and related processes
• Exceptional communication skills (verbal, written, and presentation) to support proposals, reporting, and presentations
• Adaptable and proactive in a changing and dynamic environment
• Strong negotiation skills and expertise in contract management