Project Purchasing Site Lead

AISIN•Clinton, TN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Purchasing Site Lead manages purchasing activities and team members at a designated location, including members of AISIN’s virtual organization who may not be direct reports. The role coordinates with staff members’ direct managers, communicates purchasing needs to North American Purchasing (NAP), reports commodity and project purchasing results, tracks project timelines and issues, and coordinates work among plant, purchasing, and other functions. It manages procurement of component products for AISIN North America locations in conjunction with staff across multiple locations and companies, supports commodity purchasing and new-program launches, and addresses supplier and plant issues. The position leads procurement processes, including supplier negotiations and quotation analysis; requisition, purchase order, invoice, and supplier-performance oversight; budget planning and monthly purchase price variance (PPV) reporting; cost-reduction work; and purchasing procedure standardization and audits. It supports supplier identification and assessment for new model programs and localization, sourcing strategies, engineering changes, feasibility studies, capacity investigations, and related purchasing activities. The role also supervises, develops, and supports team members, maintains communication and performance feedback, coordinates purchasing relationships with plants and other groups, and reports activities and results to management. Travel is approximately 10%. The position is performed onsite when necessary, with reasonable accommodation.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience and accomplishments in the areas described for the position.
Experience in a manufacturing and technical environment.
Experience in component purchasing and understanding of manufacturing processes and associated costs.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent organization and time-management skills.
Ability to work effectively in a collaborative environment.
Ability to demonstrate patience and verify facts.
Demonstrated ability to persevere and complete difficult tasks.
Strong computer skills, especially in Excel.
Understanding of contract standards.
Willingness and availability to travel as necessary to meet business needs; travel is approximately 10%.
Ability to work onsite when necessary, manage multiple assignments and deadlines, and comply with safety requirements.
Acceptable attendance record and availability to work weekends and holidays as necessary to meet business needs.

Nice To Haves

Automotive-industry experience and understanding of standard job functions and requirements in the industry.
Experience in a multicultural environment, preferably Japanese-based.
Fluency in English and additional language skills in Japanese, Chinese, German, and/or Spanish.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, another Applied Science, or Purchasing/Supply Chain Management is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage purchasing members at the location, including virtual-organization members, coordinating with their direct managers and addressing sign-offs and staff issues.
Lead purchasing communication to NAP and report commodity-group results, monthly PPV results, project purchasing activity, timelines, issues, support needs, and project status.
Coordinate SPTT activity with plant groups and gain cross-functional support and consensus for work.
Address daily purchasing issues and lead administrative or PDI members as applicable; communicate NAP needs to appropriate purchasing groups and arrange meetings to resolve issues.
Manage procurement of component products for AISIN North America locations in coordination with staff in multiple locations and companies.
Support commodity purchasing teams with supplier negotiations involving pricing, delivery, payment terms, agreements, process changes, engineering requirements, and other required items.
Analyze quotations and negotiate cost drivers; support new-program launches and track prototype and trial materials.
Evaluate new supplier performance and information; approve requisitions and purchase orders; monitor invoices, supplier performance, and supplier setup and procedural compliance.
Prepare materials to obtain approvals for price changes, asset purchases, and sourcing plans.
Prepare annual budget plans for purchases, manpower, and expenses in coordination with management and Commodity Purchasing; align purchasing and NAP budgets and report monthly PPV results.
Train and enforce standard purchasing processes, systems, policies, strategies, and negotiation practices for procurement team members.
Lead IATF and other audits, gather supporting documentation and personnel, and standardize procedures across locations.
Develop forms, processes, and systems; execute communized purchasing activities; track supplier performance and cost-recovery issues; and lead updates to purchasing procedures and reports.
Manage administrative staff to ensure purchase orders are written and updated, obtain required plant approvals, and discuss issues with Commodity Purchasing teams.
Support plants and purchasing groups with tracking and ordering prototype, trial, and other purchases.
Lead procurement and support other teams in NAP-related cost-reduction activities; coordinate and analyze volume usage, forecasts, and total material buys.
Manage processes for quotations, Letters of Intent, Feasibility Studies, Engineering Changes, capacity investigations, and related activities.
Analyze cross-functional inputs to identify cost-saving opportunities.
With Project Purchasing and SPTT members, assess prospective suppliers for new model programs and localization, support component purchasing strategies, identify suppliers for new business, and review supplier capabilities against engineering requirements.
Prepare reports and presentations; act as an AISIN supplier champion and represent AISIN to suppliers; resolve daily supplier issues and plant investigation needs.
Supervise and delegate work to direct and related group members; evaluate and develop team members; establish effective plans and strategies within budget constraints; and provide ongoing performance feedback and development support.
Evaluate business systems and procedures and recommend improvements; support team and system performance; and manage relationships between plants and purchasing groups.
Support competitive and supplier intelligence activities, including information on new products, product and process improvements, value analysis/value engineering, profit improvement, and cost reduction.
Report major, weekly, and monthly activities to management; compile, analyze, and communicate data and prepare status materials; support cost estimates for engineering analysis and business opportunities.
Attend and support purchasing meetings with plants; maintain group morale and motivation; establish and control documented activity plans; and develop and execute short- and long-term plans with purchasing, engineering, and other teams.
Accept additional responsibilities as business needs dictate and perform other tasks and duties as assigned.
Travel to locations as necessary to meet business needs, approximately 10%.
Maintain acceptable attendance and be available to work weekends and holidays as necessary to meet business needs.
Operate a personal computer, telephone, and other office equipment; work onsite when necessary; manage multiple assignments and deadlines; work effectively as a team member in a fast-paced environment; and comply with safety laws and company safety policies.