Direct Material Buyer

CSP•Auburn Hills, MI

About The Position

CSP is the industry leader in the formulation and molding of lightweight, advanced composite components for the transportation industries. As an innovative, full-service Tier One supplier, we offer an entrepreneurial environment where you’re only limited by your own imagination. In addition to our team-focused environment, we provide industry-leading benefits, called BENEfits4U. Our comprehensive offering includes: affordable medical, dental, and vision care; flexible spending accounts; life insurance; 401k with company match and much, much more.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
2-4 years of direct material purchasing experience in an automotive or manufacturing environment
Working knowledge of assigned commodity category(ies) — material properties, cost drivers, and supplier landscape
Strong analytical skills, including proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, modeling) and familiarity with BI tools (Power BI preferred)
Experience with ERP/procurement systems (QAD, Coupa, or similar)
Strong negotiation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Responsibilities

Evaluate and select sources for production components/materials based on technical fit, capacity, quality, and total cost
Develop and maintain deep knowledge of assigned commodity markets (e.g., resin/SMC, metals, chemicals) including pricing drivers, index tracking (e.g., PPI, resin indices), and supply/demand trends
Develop Long Term Agreements (LTAs) with suppliers as appropriate
Manage pricing at a corporate level across CSP plants, including inflation/deflation tracking and index-based pricing mechanisms
Support CSP facilities in resolution of supplier issues; lead negotiations as necessary
Build and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers supporting CSP plants
May participate in Supplier Quality audits and financial health assessments of critical suppliers
Identify and execute cost savings opportunities using data analysis (e.g., spend analytics, should-cost modeling, PPV and BIP tracking)
Analyze supplier quotes and proposals using structured cost breakdowns to determine most competitive and lowest-risk suppliers
Build and maintain reporting/dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Excel) to track commodity pricing trends, savings pipelines, and supplier performance
Monitor and forecast commodity price exposure; support rolling forecast reconciliation (e.g., 6+6, 3+9) across programs
Place purchase orders (via QAD EE) with suppliers
Work closely with Engineering to understand program requirements and coordinate Engineering Changes
Participate in program kickoff meetings; work with Sales, Engineering, CSP plant personnel, and suppliers to ensure duties and timelines are met; expedite as necessary
Participate in development of new or enhanced Purchasing policies and procedures
Ensure customer requirements are met throughout the sourcing and program lifecycle
Perform a variety of complex tasks with a wide degree of independence and decision-making latitude
Adhere to all CSP company policies, guidelines, and procedures