Customer Project Buyer

Schneider Electric•Franklin, OH

19h

About The Position

The Customer Project Buyer acts as procurement lead for customer projects from Quote-to-Win through project execution. The role secures competitive sourcing, supports customer project margin improvement, mitigates risk, and drives end-to-end supplier performance to maximize project success and customer satisfaction. The position leads sourcing actions from early project stages, coordinates supplier selection across tendering, engineering, category buying, supply chain, and plant teams, and identifies opportunities for joint sourcing across plants on large customer projects. It drives competitiveness and productivity through negotiation, QVE, Change of Supplier, should-cost analysis, and Bill of Material analysis; monitors productivity in iSAVE; and works to improve project margins while maintaining on-time delivery. The role integrates procurement deliverables into project governance, supports data accuracy and use of digital procurement tools, coordinates spot deals and sourcing alignment, evaluates supply chain risks, and supports shortage management during critical phases. It also works with supplier quality teams to secure quality and delivery commitments, participates in stakeholder governance, communicates across functions, and shares best practices within the Customer Project Buyer community.

Requirements

Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management skills.
Excellent process orientation and ability to focus on priorities in complex projects.
Clear, persuasive communication and strong cross-functional influencing skills.
Analytical mindset and data-driven decision-making.
High adaptability and autonomy, with ability to lead cross-functional governance.
Business acumen and understanding of project-driven procurement.
Decision-making ability and a team-player approach.
Customer-centric mindset and strong focus on cost.
Strong problem-solving skills.
Ability to navigate cross-functional and multicultural environments.

Responsibilities

Lead RFIs, RFQs, and eRAs from early customer project stages, aligning cost, lead time, technology, and quality.
Coordinate supplier selection with Tendering, Engineering, Category Buyers, Supply Chain, and plant teams.
Identify synergies across plants for large “Elephant” (Mega) customer projects and initiate joint sourcing actions.
Improve project competitiveness during tendering through negotiation, QVE, Change of Supplier, and should-cost levers.
Analyze Bills of Material to identify productivity opportunities.
Report customer project productivity in iSAVE throughout all customer project stages.
Improve customer project margins during execution while ensuring on-time delivery.
Integrate procurement deliverables into customer project governance, including kick-offs and stage-gate reviews.
Ensure reliable data accuracy and use of dashboards and digital procurement tools.
Coordinate with Category Buyers on spot deals and sourcing alignment.
Evaluate supply chain risks early and implement mitigation and continuity plans.
Support shortage management (“hyper care”) during critical customer project phases.
Collaborate with supplier quality teams to secure quality and delivery commitments.
Participate in monthly governance with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Plant stakeholders.
Maintain ongoing communication to influence and align cross-functional stakeholders.
Share best practices and lessons learned across the Customer Project Buyer community.
Participate in Customer Project Process training and upskilling sessions.