Senior Purchasing Manager, Transportation

Ford • Dearborn, MI

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.
The Ford Purchasing team adds critical value to the entire organization. You’ll help us source the highest quality parts and services from around the globe while ensuring optimal cost and on-time delivery. You’ll also contribute to establishing a robust supply chain so that we can continually produce the vehicles our customers want.

In this position...
Ford Motor Company is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Manager, Purchasing - Transportation & Logistics to lead a critical segment of our supply chain team. This role offers a unique opportunity to manage billions in annual spend across diverse and dynamic transportation and logistics categories, directly impacting Ford's operational efficiency, innovation, and sustainability goals.
The successful candidate will be responsible for leading a dedicated team of managers and buyers, driving best-in-class performance in cost, quality, delivery, service, and resiliency within our transportation and logistics supply base. This position requires a visionary leader with expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, and complex contract negotiations, capable of fostering strong relationships across various internal skill teams and navigating the specific challenges and opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain management, with a portion (3+ years of experience) in indirect purchasing.
• 5+ years of experience leading and managing purchasing teams. Previous people management is expected.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-million dollar spend categories.
• Proven expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and complex contract negotiations.
• Highly proficient in digitalization and driving adoption of new IT systems and technologies.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute comprehensive purchasing strategies for categories including Finished Vehicle Logistics (Road, Rail, Ocean/Short-Sea, Air), Material Parts Logistics (Road, Rail, Ocean, Air), Customs, Warehousing & Distribution Services, and related Transportation Services, ensuring alignment with overall company objectives and financial targets for our operations.
• You will actively lead engagement improvement initiatives and manage an effective team that optimizes delivering business results with employee development and fulfillment, including people development plans and career coaching.
• Spend Management: Oversee and optimize annual spend totaling billions of dollars, identifying and implementing opportunities for cost reduction, value creation, and process improvements across assigned categories.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of 31 purchasing managers and buyers, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain robust relationships with key strategic suppliers, driving performance, innovation, and long-term partnerships. You will establish and maintain strong cross-functional relationships and manage positive relationships with the supply base by acting like a partner, being accountable, trusting and being trustworthy, communicating with consistency, being fact-based while driving for results, and thinking value not just price.
• Contract Negotiation: Lead and execute complex contract negotiations, ensuring favorable terms, conditions, and service level agreements that mitigate risk and deliver maximum value to Ford. You will facilitate best pricing and achieve Year-Over-Year cost reductions in contracts and rates.
• Operational Efficiency: Implement and champion best practices in sourcing processes, supplier selection, and performance management to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness. This includes developing supply base/commodity strategies and taking the lead in implementing those strategies and developing analytical tools and strategy to deliver BIC (Best in Class) pricing through Cost Models, Benchmarking, Market Intelligence, targets, and competitive bids.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as a key interface and trusted advisor to MP&L as well as various internal skill teams, including Manufacturing, Product Development, Engineering, Finance, and Legal, ensuring purchasing strategies support their objectives. You will be the Purchasing representative at cross-functional program/project management and launch meetings.
• Risk Management & Resiliency: Proactively identify and mitigate supply chain risks, ensuring continuity of supply and building resilient supplier networks. This involves monitoring the financial health of the supply base, including follow-up on further development and establishment of a back-up plan in case of risk, and utilizing SRM (Supply Risk Management) tools to intervene proactively, avoiding potential supply disruption. You will also monitor quality and supply of the supply base, including follow-up on further development/improvement and establishment of a back-up plan in case of risk.
• Market Analysis: Stay abreast of industry trends, market conditions, technological advancements, and evolving regulations within transportation and logistics to inform strategic decisions. Engage with external partners such as regulatory bodies, brokers, industry experts, benchmarking companies, industry associations, etc. to build a knowledge base on all transport modes.
• Sustainability Initiatives: You will also be the Purchasing lead in TCM (Total Cost Management) /Indirect Cost Task activities/ with a focus on sustainable transportation solutions.
• Ethical Operations: Establish a tone of ethical business operations to avoid any fraud, bribery, or corruption in order to maximize relationship value.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of 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
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees