Senior Strategic Buyer - Capital Projects

Asahi Kasei • Charlotte, NC

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

Celgard is seeking a Capex Buyer to join its procurement team in Charlotte, North Carolina. The role is responsible for securing the best total cost for equipment, services, and materials procured for Celgard’s U.S. sites. Its primary focus is capital expenditure (CAPEX) procurement, with direct and indirect material purchasing as needed by the procurement team.

The position leads procurement activities for CAPEX projects, including supplier identification, requests for quotation and bid alignment, and coordination with cross-functional teams to deliver projects on cost, on time, and to specification. The role also supports project managers and engineers with project timelines, tracks procurement tasks, manages supplier relationships and development, and builds alternative sourcing options. It is based full time at the Charlotte production plant, with flexibility for hybrid work as appropriate, and requires approximately 10% travel, with infrequent international travel possible.

The work takes place in a manufacturing plant and production environment around chemicals. Celgard’s manufacturing sites are IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 certified.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree in Business, Logistics, Purchasing Materials Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 7 years of purchasing or other relevant experience.
• Prior CAPEX experience.
• Demonstrated experience writing and reviewing scopes of work, technical specifications, and RFQs for capital equipment and related services.
• Previous experience working with cross-functional global teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience with ERP systems.
• Strong negotiation skills, including the ability to negotiate pricing and terms for goods and services.
• Good communication skills, including the ability to communicate with suppliers and employees at all organizational levels.
• Good project management skills, including defining project scope, developing and tracking timelines, and summarizing results for cost-reduction or other purchasing-driven projects.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing production environment around chemicals.
• Ability to travel approximately 10%; infrequent international travel may be required.

Nice To Haves

• Direct material procurement experience.
• Technical experience with extrusion equipment and manufacturing processes, including understanding equipment requirements, process parameters, and supplier technical proposals.
• CPIM or CPSM certification.

Responsibilities

• Procure equipment and services for Celgard sites.
• Procure direct and indirect materials for Celgard U.S. sites according to strategic and transactional purchasing processes.
• Lead procurement efforts for CAPEX projects, including supplier identification, RFQ and bid alignment, and cross-functional project execution to meet cost, schedule, and specification goals.
• Support project managers and project engineers in developing and adhering to project timelines.
• Track and communicate the status of procurement project tasks.
• Manage vendors, including relationship development, qualification, audits, price negotiation, and contract negotiation.
• Develop suppliers to improve cost, working capital, quality, delivery, and joint innovation.
• Develop alternative suppliers to establish dual-sourcing opportunities and reduce risk.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior