Lead, Purchasing

Magna International•Mesa, ME

About The Position

The Lead, Purchasing provides leadership and professional development to Buyers and Purchasing personnel while establishing departmental goals and standardized procurement practices. The position manages strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, negotiations, cost improvement, production and launch support, and supply chain risk for manufacturing operations. It works with Materials, Logistics, Operations, and Engineering to support production requirements and new product launches, and promotes safety, compliance, responsible sourcing, and sustainability.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Purchasing, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
At least 5 years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, or supplier management experience.
Experience negotiating supplier agreements, contracts, and commercial terms.
Experience supporting manufacturing operations.
Automotive manufacturing experience.

Nice To Haves

Prior leadership or supervisory experience.
Experience with APQP, PPAP, and automotive launch processes.
Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPM, CSCP, or APICS certification.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development to Buyers and Purchasing personnel.
Establish departmental goals, priorities, and purchasing objectives; support recruiting, onboarding, training, and succession planning.
Lead team meetings, performance reviews, employee development, and accountability for purchasing and supplier performance.
Develop and implement standardized procurement processes and best practices.
Develop sourcing strategies and lead supplier selection, RFQs, sourcing activities, and contract negotiations.
Manage supplier performance, relationships, commercial negotiations, business reviews, and performance evaluations.
Support supplier development and continuous improvement; maintain supplier scorecards, KPIs, and performance metrics.
Lead cost reduction, value engineering, productivity, and Total Cost of Ownership improvement initiatives.
Negotiate pricing, contracts, tooling agreements, and commercial terms; support annual budgeting and cost planning.
Analyze supplier pricing, market conditions, and industry trends, and identify procurement and operational efficiencies.
Ensure uninterrupted material supply for production and support new product launches, engineering changes, APQP, and PPAP activities.
Coordinate supplier readiness and launch execution plans; manage supply shortages, escalations, and recovery activities.
Collaborate with Materials, Logistics, Operations, and Engineering to meet production schedules.
Identify and mitigate supplier and supply chain risks; develop contingency plans for critical suppliers and components.
Monitor supplier financial stability, capacity, and business risks; support business continuity and recovery planning.
Lead supplier escalations and corrective action processes.
Promote Magna's safety-first culture and ensure supplier compliance with environmental, ethical sourcing, and safety requirements.
Support responsible sourcing and sustainability initiatives, follow company policies and compliance requirements, and participate in continuous improvement and risk reduction.