Engine Castings Buyer

Ford • Dearborn, MI

2d • $74,300 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Engine Castings Buyer develops commodity sourcing strategies and completes commercial negotiations to support supplier onboarding dates and program targets. The role manages supplier relationships and commodity strategies across regions, pursues cost reductions, supports sourcing decisions and supplier industrialization, and works cross-functionally to achieve quality, delivery, and cost objectives. This position is hybrid, with four days onsite in Dearborn and one optional remote day; candidates within commuting distance of a Ford hub may be required to work onsite four or more days per week. Travel to supply partners is required as needed.

The Buyer leads sourcing and negotiation activities, including preparing requests for quotation, evaluating supplier quotations, securing target sign-off, completing commercial agreements, and presenting sourcing recommendations to executive leadership. The role also develops cost roadmaps and negotiation strategies, monitors commodity trends and supplier financial health, and leads quality, cost, delivery, and responsiveness (QCDR) reviews. The Buyer partners with internal stakeholders and suppliers to resolve commercial, quality, and delivery issues and to identify process and competitiveness improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Administration, or Finance, or a bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• At least 3 years of procurement and supply chain experience.
• Availability to work hybrid, with four days in Dearborn and one optional remote day.
• Ability to travel to supply partners as required.
• Ability to lead and challenge existing processes to identify improvements.
• Ability to hold effective working-level meetings with supply partners to resolve issues, communicate, and develop relationships.
• Completion of required systems training for day-to-day Category Implementation operations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with engine castings commodities.
• Master's degree.
• At least 3 years of direct automotive procurement and supply chain experience.
• Desire to strengthen negotiation skills and fact-based problem solving.
• Experience with strategic sourcing and cost negotiations.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop sourcing plans and commodity strategies that enable timely sourcing, supplier onboarding, and achievement of program and material cost targets.
• Lead target sign-off with match-pairs, prepare RFQs, evaluate supplier quotations, and complete commercial agreements.
• Lead QCDR processes and reviews, including plans to achieve full-year objectives and prompt resolution of commodity issues.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier partnerships; conduct agenda-driven supplier meetings and provide post-sourcing feedback.
• Lead supplier commercial negotiations and cost-reduction strategies, using an understanding of commodity cost drivers and commercial leverage.
• Manage and annually update category strategy (CBP) with global team members, identifying industry trends, technologies, and suppliers to meet quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
• Complete upcoming sourcing decisions and work with new suppliers on industrialization plans.
• Develop roadmap actions and material-cost roadmaps to deliver targets.
• Present sourcing strategies and recommendations to executive leadership, explaining the rationale behind sourcing decisions.
• Support future-model program workshops and Commodity Management activities.
• Support quality initiatives by sourcing to Q1 supplier sites and holding suppliers accountable through clear action plans.
• Monitor the supply-base footprint, supplier financial health ratings, technologies, and trends; work cross-functionally on strategies for introducing new suppliers.
• Attend internal and external stakeholder meetings and workshops, including those focused on process improvement.
• Support SOT, STA, and MP&L when supplier quality or delivery issues arise.
• Close commercial issues in a timely, effective, and competitive manner.
• Complete required training and day-to-day systems training.
• Challenge existing processes and supplier partners to identify improvements and opportunities where Ford may be less competitive than other OEMs.

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