Corporate Procurement Manager

Kia Corporation•Tustin, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for leading and administering the procurement of goods and services for Kia America, including high‑complexity strategic sourcing initiatives and enterprise‑wide procurement programs. The role manages end‑to‑end procurement activities such as supplier sourcing and selection, RFI/RFP development, cost and price analysis, contract negotiation, and vendor performance management. This position serves as a subject matter expert in enforcing Purchasing Policy, ensuring compliance, mitigating risk, and supporting continuous improvement through monitoring, reporting, and training. The role partners closely with internal stakeholders which includes Legal, Finance, and operational business units, to align procurement activities with business objectives while delivering optimal value. Additionally, this position oversees vendor management initiatives, including diversity and inclusion efforts, PR/PO lifecycle management, and supports leadership functions through mentorship, process oversight, and special project execution.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related discipline or equivalent work experience required
Seven to ten years of experience in purchasing goods and/or services or related experience.
Complete understanding and experience with analysis and negotiation of various contract types (i.e., firm-fixed, cost-plus, time & material etc.)
Experience with integrated purchasing/accounting/financial systems
Basic knowledge of general accounting practices and principles
Demonstrated leadership, analytical, and negotiation skills required.

Nice To Haves

MBA a plus
Experience with purchasing corporate indirect services is a plus

Responsibilities

Manage highest priority / highest complexity procurement projects. Lead and facilitate supplier selection, cost/price analysis of supplier responses and quotes, and contract negotiations.
Creation and administration of Request for Information (RFI), and Request for Proposal (RFP), assist operational department to development of statements of work, service agreements, with minimal direction.
Manage cross-departmental projects and are responsible for communication and reporting for large projects affecting multiple business units.
Complete reconciliations and KPIs upon program completion.
Lead and oversee the Purchasing Policy Monitor and Enforcement Process including risk mitigation.
Proactively monitor for policy compliance and continued communication and training of Purchasing Policy with Business Units Leadership.
Create, establish and enforce process to document and report non-compliance matters to appropriate departments.
Ensure the Policy is up to date and reflects the latest approved business practices.
Lead Procurement Vendor Management, including Diversity and Inclusion efforts.
Establish additional vendor information tracking capabilities.
Develop internal spend baseline for various vendor groups.
Monitor and track vendor usage and deactivate when necessary.
Manage the PR/PO closure process.
Identify PRs/POs that can be closed based on program completion or policy requirements.
Act as procurement subject matter expert, ensuring consistent enforcement and integrity of KUS Purchasing Policy and Procedures.
Partner with internal stakeholders (Operations, Legal, Finance) to provide procurement guidance outside of formal project leadership, as needed.
Track and report project schedule and cost performance beyond required KPI closeouts.
Serve as backup for Procurement Head, including assigning PRs, releasing POs, and approving LDARs.
Train and onboard new procurement employees on procurement-related processes and systems.
Provide guidance, mentoring, and ad-hoc support to procurement peers.
Perform special projects and ad-hoc assignments as required.
Domestic travel as required.