Commodity Buyer – Automotive

About the role

The Commodity Buyer – Automotive will own end‑to‑end sourcing for assigned automotive commodities, managing contracts, capacity uplift, supplier negotiations and cost‑reduction programmes to support global purchasing strategies.

Key responsibilities

• Negotiate supplier contracts for design changes, capacity increases and material movement.
• Develop and execute sourcing and negotiation strategies to meet programme cost and tooling targets.
• Deliver year‑on‑year and multi‑year cost‑reduction initiatives through data‑driven analysis.
• Identify cost drivers and optimise total cost of ownership.
• Lead cross‑functional teams to build a sustainable and competitive supplier base.
• Identify high‑risk suppliers and implement mitigation plans.
• Drive localisation and cost‑saving opportunities aligned with regional market requirements.
• Represent the region in global commodity discussions and align regional strategies with global business plans.
• Support new programme launches and ongoing production requirements.
• Champion lean manufacturing and value‑engineering initiatives with suppliers.
• Lead structured supplier meetings and mentor team members to build capability.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (MBA preferred).
• 5–10 years of experience in automotive purchasing or strategic sourcing.
• Hands‑on experience managing suppliers and negotiations in a manufacturing environment.

Required skills

• Strong negotiation and commercial acumen.
• Excellent analytical, data interpretation and problem‑solving abilities.
• Effective written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes across automotive commodities.
• Project management experience with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Comfortable working across time zones with global and cross‑functional teams.
• Leadership attributes such as integrity, proactivity and collaborative mindset.