Buyer - Stampings & Structural Assemblies

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

4d • $74,300 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Buyer at Ford Motor Company, you will lead commercial negotiations, manage supplier relationships, and optimize costs as part of Ford’s Global Supply Chain organization. You will work with cross-functional teams to select supply partners that deliver the right product at the right price, with outstanding quality and on-time performance. The role focuses on procuring steel and aluminum stamped parts and welded assemblies, and involves substantial interaction with Product Development, Manufacturing, Supplier Technical Assistance, and MP&L.

The position includes strategic sourcing and negotiation, business-plan and material-cost development, and support for supply continuity. The Buyer develops sourcing and supplier strategies, negotiates cost efficiencies, manages supplier performance and relationships, presents sourcing and commercial decisions to executive leadership, and partners with engineering, finance, supply chain, and category teams. The position is hybrid, with a requirement to work onsite four or more days per week.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in procurement, preferably in the automotive industry.
• At least 3 years of experience with manufactured commodities and manufacturing processes.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of procurement experience, preferably in the automotive industry.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and basic procurement software.
• Experience with stampings and structural assemblies.
• Strong business and commercial acumen and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build relationships with teammates, suppliers, and cross-functional team members through collaboration in virtual and in-person settings.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines, handle complex projects, and resolve open issues promptly.
• Strong analytical skills, including sourcing evaluations and business case studies.
• Strong negotiation skills, including creating leverage in both offensive and defensive situations.
• Cost analytics knowledge, including commodity cost drivers, part cost breakdowns, and gaps to optimal cost.
• Strategic mindset and understanding of current challenges facing the automotive industry.
• Creativity, energy, and commitment to learning and developing commodity expertise.
• Persuasive communication skills for proposals, reports, and plans that secure business-leader commitment.
• Ability to interpret organizational needs and commercial strategies as input to global Category Strategies.
• Strong working knowledge of Purchasing policies, procedures, and systems.

Responsibilities

• Conduct sourcing activities to deliver quality parts at the best material cost within program timing requirements.
• Understand upcoming program sourcing requirements and key launch milestones.
• Align with the Category Manager on supplier bid lists, industry trends, technologies, and strategic supplier analysis.
• Develop supplier strategies that support on-time sourcing at target while managing cost, quality, and risk.
• Present and explain sourcing decisions to executive leadership.
• Provide suppliers with feedback on their cost position relative to the market and develop productive long-term relationships.
• Support quality initiatives by holding suppliers accountable and sourcing Q1 sites or helping sites achieve Q1 status where targeted.
• Develop and execute negotiation strategies to deliver material efficiencies and minimize inflationary costs.
• Develop material cost roadmaps that support corporate objectives and long-term viability.
• Work with the Category Manager, Global Commodity Team, and Product Development to understand supply-base footprint, financial health, technologies, and trends.
• Work with Supply Chain and Finance to develop a year-over-year commodity cost position.
• Set annual cost-savings goals by identifying commercial leverage, design efficiencies, and end-to-end supply-chain improvements.
• Present commercial settlements and outlooks to executive leadership.
• Lead supplier Quarterly Business Reviews and/or Supplier Quality, Cost, and Delivery meetings.
• Support the Critical Supply Team and Supplier Technical Assistance when part-quality issues or shortages occur.
• Work with engineering to identify alternative technologies or supply sources to maintain product flow to Ford production facilities.
• Travel to supply partners as required.
• Identify and challenge opportunities to improve existing processes.
• Work closely with others to meet deadlines and ensure materials are delivered on time and with quality.
• Attend internal and external workshops with stakeholders to support continuous process improvement.
• Hold working-level meetings with supply partners to close issues quickly and develop relationships.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new-parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup childcare.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• Paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level