Sr. Buyer BIW

Slate Auto•Troy, MI

1d•$108,000 - $136,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Slate is looking for an energetic, organized, experienced Sr. Buyer, Body-in-White (BIW) & Raw Materials to join their growing team. The role requires a "roll up the sleeves" approach to getting things done, with responsibilities that are wide-ranging. The company embraces a startup mindset of being fast, frugal, scrappy, and fun. Important skills for this role include accountability, strategic thinking, relationship building, business case analysis, and negotiation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field preferred
10+ years of experience in Procurement/Supply Chain Management or Engineering
Minimum of 3 years focused on metals and/or industrial raw materials
Proven experience sourcing BIW for production and prototype (stampings, assemblies, roll forming, aluminum extrusions, BIW tooling)
Demonstrated expertise in metal commodity markets, price indices, and sourcing strategies for ferrous and/or non-ferrous metals
Experience in a manufacturing or automotive environment strongly preferred
Proven track record of negotiating multi-million-dollar supply contracts and delivering cost reduction targets
Knowledge and experience with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Plex, Oracle, NetSuite)
Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, cost modeling, pivot tables, and reporting
Intermediate+ skills in using AI tools to enhance procurement workflows and analytics
Strong analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional and supplier interaction
Ability to identify process issues and drive improvements to improve operational efficiency
High level of integrity and ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced start-up environment
CPSM, CPM, or equivalent professional certification preferred

Responsibilities

Develop a strategic supply base, lead supplier negotiations, and manage RFIs, RFQs, and commercial agreements to meet cost targets, deliverables, and Job 1 timing.
Source and purchase production parts, service parts, tooling, and services while resolving cost, quality, and delivery issues.
Take ownership of Automotive BIW sourcing ensuring precision fit, supplier readiness, risk mitigation, and launch timing.
Collaborate cross-functionally to implement cost reductions, drive supplier quality, and ensure adherence to Slate Global Terms and Conditions.
Support change management tracking during design phases, coordinating PO updates and revisions as engineering changes occur.
Manage pricing updates for raw material adjustments per contracts with suppliers.
Negotiate and administer long-term supply agreements, blanket orders, and consignment programs aligned with demand planning.
Administer NDA processes and manage General Terms & Conditions (GTCs), Purchased Part Agreements (PPAs), and other supplier contracts throughout their lifecycle.
Monitor domestic and global metal commodity markets (LME, COMEX, CRU, AMM) and communicate potential factors driving changes to those markets.
Analyze commodity price trends, indices (HRC, CRC, aluminum premiums, copper COMEX), and forecasts to inform purchasing strategies and budget planning.
Monitor raw material cost impacts to piece price and compare with current market trends, escalating significant variances to leadership.
Develop and implement price risk mitigation strategies including forward contracting, index-linked pricing, and strategic safety stock management.
Track tariffs, trade policy changes, import/export regulations, and geopolitical events that impact raw material availability and cost.
Develop and maintain Tier-n supplier maps to provide visibility into the full depth of the supply chain for critical raw materials and components.
Identify and document sub-tier suppliers for critical raw materials, components, and single-source dependencies.
Support supply chain risk assessments by maintaining up-to-date mapping data and identifying concentration or disruption risks.
Coordinate with suppliers and internal teams to proactively address material availability issues before they impact production.
Build and maintain a diversified global supplier base, continuously evaluating new sources to reduce single-source dependency.
Establish and manage a formalized raw material buy program, defining procurement timing, volume commitments, and pricing strategies aligned with market conditions and production demand.
Develop program governance including buy triggers, approval thresholds, inventory targets, and performance metrics to measure program effectiveness.
Coordinate scrap pooling activities across internal facilities and supplier partners, consolidating scrap streams to maximize recovery value and reduce net raw material costs.
Negotiate scrap resale agreements and manage relationships with scrap dealers and processors to ensure competitive returns on metal scrap recovery.
Track scrap generation rates, grades, and recovery credits by material type and facility; report on scrap revenue and its offset impact to raw material spend.
Collaborate with operations and engineering to identify opportunities to reduce scrap generation at the source through material utilization improvements and yield optimization.
Develop and execute category strategies for ferrous metals (carbon steel, stainless, alloy), non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass, titanium), and other industrial commodities.
Lead RFQ/RFP processes, track and follow up on outstanding quote responses, and conduct competitive bid analysis.
Negotiate contracts including pricing, payment terms, lead times, and quality specifications, delivering measurable year-over-year cost savings.
Manage strategic supplier relationships through regular business reviews and performance scorecards (OTD, quality, pricing, service).
Lead supplier qualification, onboarding, and development activities in partnership with quality and engineering teams.
Resolve supply disruptions, quality escapes, and delivery issues swiftly to protect production continuity.
Identify cost reduction opportunities and savings trends through data analysis; assist in preparing period-end procurement reports.
Serve as liaison between Purchasing and Cost Estimating to align material pricing with project estimates; provide current and historical pricing data for accurate cost models.
Review estimated vs. actual material costs and communicate variances; support new program launches to ensure early procurement involvement in the estimating process.
Support the annual budgeting process with commodity forecasts and raw material cost models.