Indirect Commodity Buyer

DRiV•Southfield, MI

22h

About The Position

The Indirect Procurement Commodity Buyer is responsible for the strategic sourcing, cost management, and supplier performance oversight of assigned indirect categories supporting manufacturing, engineering, and corporate operations. This role drives total cost optimization, supplier innovation, risk mitigation, and compliance with corporate procurement standards across North American operations, while collaborating with global commodity teams and customer engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field
5+ years automotive procurement experience (indirect preferred)
Strong negotiation and contract management skills
Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing operations
Proficiency in ERP systems and sourcing tools
Demonstrated background and proven experience with managing large amounts of data in systems and manipulation with pivot tables, VLOOKUP or BOT programming
Demonstrated background and proven experience with negotiations and analytical skills
Working with and/or leading team to drive resolution to supplier invoice disputes
Ability to utilize Microsoft Office and navigate ERP systems (i.e.. SAP and other)
Excellent interpersonal, detailed-oriented and English communication skills

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of CapEx procurement highly preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and execute sourcing strategies for assigned indirect commodities (e.g., MRO, capital equipment, facilities services, tooling, logistics, utilities, professional services).
Conduct RFQs, RFPs, and reverse auctions aligned with Tenneco’s global sourcing framework.
Lead competitive bidding processes and negotiate pricing, terms, and long-term agreements.
Identify dual-source strategies to mitigate supply and geopolitical risk.
Support capital investment procurement initiatives in alignment with plant expansion and modernization programs.
Deliver annual cost reduction targets through supplier consolidation, volume leverage, contract renegotiation, and total cost of ownership modeling.
Partner with engineering and plant leadership on CapEx procurement optimization.
Track savings through validated financial reporting processes.
Evaluate supplier performance using KPIs (OTD, quality, cost competitiveness, service levels).
Lead quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with strategic suppliers.
Ensure compliance with corporate ESG, safety, and quality standards.
Drive supplier innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
Partner with Plant operations including: Engineering, Finance, Maintenance, Corporate stakeholders.
Ensure procurement governance and spend compliance.
Support ERP procurement processes (SAP / Oracle / etc.).
Assess supplier financial stability and risk exposure.
Mitigate tariff, inflation, and supply chain disruptions.
Ensure contractual protection and regulatory compliance.
Support internal audit and SOX controls.