Lead MRO Buyer

OP Mobility•Chattanooga, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Joining OPmobility means stepping into a global group with a purpose to keep people and goods moving safely, smarter, and sustainably everywhere. This role supports operations by delivering value through suppliers (cost, on-time delivery, quality) and contributing to plant performance. The Lead MRO Buyer identifies market opportunities to meet plant needs, manages the supply base proactively, and develops and implements cost reduction programs. They manage various commodities with a strong understanding of cost drivers and technical processes, lead the RFQ process, and oversee the “order-to-pay” process. This role also manages supplier crises and tracks MRO KPIs.

Requirements

Technical or business background with specialization in purchasing
Minimum 3 years’ experience in purchasing within an industrial and international environment
Knowledge of relevant markets
Strong understanding of purchasing processes

Responsibilities

Supports operations by delivering value through suppliers (cost, on-time delivery, quality) and contributing to plant performance
Identifies market opportunities (economic, technological, geographical) to meet plant needs
Manages the supply base proactively, considering all performance criteria
Develops and implements cost reduction programs (price reductions, cost optimizations) and benchmarks costs across POAE plants
Manages various commodities with a strong understanding of cost drivers and technical processes
Leads the RFQ process and recommends sourcing decisions in line with deontology rules and QCD objectives
Oversees the “order-to-pay” process, ensuring compliance with spend authorization rules and contract conditions through to supplier payment
Manages supplier crises as needed
Tracks and delivers MRO KPIs (savings, quality issues, supplier base, right-first-time invoicing, compliant sourcing)
Ensures all activities follow POAE governance rules, purchasing policy, and defined processes
Owns and manages the plant supply base; conducts annual vendor evaluations
Supports supplier risk management in collaboration with Finance (financial health, penetration rate, etc.)
Benchmarks MRO costs and purchasing conditions across POAE plants to identify improvement opportunities
Drives synergies with other buyers to leverage volumes and optimize costs
Manages supplier relationships and resolves issues in line with purchasing policies
Tracks and reports MRO performance through KPIs; commits to and reports monthly savings
Leads supplier negotiations ensuring fair competition (minimum three suppliers when possible) and optimal technical and cost solutions
Manages purchasing request flow and executes RFQ processes
Prepares and presents sourcing recommendations for approval
Oversees ordering process in compliance with legal and company requirements
Manages local contracts and deploys global agreements from lead buyers
Optimizes order-to-pay processes, especially for recurring purchases
Tracks supplier execution until full delivery and payment
Promotes technical savings proposed by suppliers
Leads or contributes to internal working groups focused on cost savings and problem-solving
Defines purchasing strategies for assigned commodities, identifying key drivers and opportunities
Coordinates the MRO buyer network for assigned commodity scope
Develops and maintains commodity databases
Defines and manages the supply base and supplier relationships
Leads RFQ processes and proposes sourcing decisions to stakeholders
Delivers and commits to savings targets within scope
Negotiates contracts aligned with POAE objectives (cost, quality, delivery, flexibility)
Coordinates with buyers to share feedback, business knowledge, and best practices
Supports and drives team performance in line with objectives
Assesses team members on skills and performance
Participates in recruitment and annual performance evaluations
Ensures proper use of POAE systems, policies, and processes
Consolidates and reports team performance to Plant Director and BU/Operations MRO Manager