VP Purchasing & Supply Chain

Workhorse•Wixom, MI

About The Position

The Vice President of Purchasing & Supply Chain is a member of the Operations Leadership Team responsible for developing and executing Workhorse’s global sourcing, procurement, supplier quality, materials management, and supply chain strategy. The role establishes the long-term vision and operating model for supply chain excellence, with a focus on scalability, resilience, cost competitiveness, quality performance, and supplier innovation across the enterprise. The VP partners with Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, Program Management, and Executive Leadership to advance business objectives, support product launches, mitigate risk, and optimize total cost of ownership throughout the supply chain. The role leads an organization spanning Purchasing, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Supplier Development, Materials Planning, and Supply Chain Operations, and represents Workhorse with key suppliers, customers, industry organizations, and strategic partners. This executive role calls for deep experience building and scaling high-performance organizations, leading enterprise transformation, and managing complex global supply chains in technology-driven manufacturing environments. The position is located in Wixom, Michigan, and reports to the EVP of Operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations, Business, or a related field.
15+ years of progressive leadership experience in Purchasing, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain, Procurement, or Supplier Quality.
10+ years leading managers and multifunctional supply chain organizations.
Demonstrated success developing and executing enterprise-level supply chain strategies.
Experience leading supply chain operations in automotive electric commercial vehicles, modular infrastructure systems, advanced energy systems, aerospace, or other technology-driven manufacturing environments.
Strong financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, cost reduction programs, and supply chain performance metrics.
Proven success negotiating high-value commercial agreements and managing strategic supplier relationships.
Deep understanding of APQP, PPAP, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Supplier Quality Systems, and Operational Excellence methodologies.
Exceptional executive communication, influence, and stakeholder management skills.
Experience leading organizational transformation and large-scale change initiatives.
Strong background in global sourcing and supplier relations.

Nice To Haves

Electric vehicle, advanced energy systems, or complex technology industry experience.
Master’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field.
Professional certification such as CPSM, CPIM, CSCP, CQE, or Six Sigma certification.
Experience supporting rapid growth, product launches, and manufacturing scale-up environments.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an enterprise-wide Purchasing & Supply Chain strategy aligned with corporate growth, operational, financial, and product development objectives.
Advise executive leadership on supply chain market conditions, supplier capacity, cost structures, risk management, and long-term sourcing strategies.
Build and lead the Purchasing, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Supplier Development, Materials Planning, and Supply Chain Operations organization.
Establish organizational goals, KPIs, succession plans, and talent development strategies, and foster accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.
Develop category and commodity strategies that optimize cost, quality, technology, delivery performance, and supplier innovation.
Lead indirect procurement and logistics strategy to drive savings, supplier performance, and best practices.
Negotiate and execute complex commercial agreements that secure favorable pricing, contractual protections, and long-term supply continuity.
Establish sourcing governance for new product introductions, production scaling, and strategic growth initiatives.
Drive annual productivity, cost reduction, value engineering, and supplier rationalization initiatives, aligning procurement decisions with financial targets, enterprise risk management, and long-term business strategy.
Establish supplier quality systems using APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and continuous improvement methodologies.
Lead supplier qualification, development, performance monitoring, and corrective actions; build strategic supplier partnerships and drive supplier quality and performance improvement.
Develop resilient supply chain strategies to mitigate disruptions and support business growth.
Oversee inventory optimization, material availability, logistics collaboration, supplier capacity planning, and supply chain risk management.
Implement supply chain analytics and performance reporting tools to improve decision-making and operational visibility.
Improve forecast accuracy, supplier responsiveness, production readiness, and inventory efficiency.
Ensure compliance with regulatory, customer, quality, and operational requirements across the supply base.
Partner with Engineering on product designs that support manufacturability, supply chain efficiency, and cost optimization.
Collaborate with Manufacturing and Program Management on product launches and production readiness.
Work with Finance on budgets, forecasts, savings targets, and strategic investment initiatives.
Provide executive-level reporting on supplier performance, supply risks, cost trends, mitigation plans, and operational priorities.
Represent Workhorse with key suppliers, customers, industry organizations, and strategic partners.