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.
Ford Motor Company is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Buyer to manage the strategic sourcing and procurement of Tuners and Amplifiers. This critical role involves overseeing the entire lifecycle of these commodities, from initial program development through to long-term viability and continuous improvement. In this role you will be responsible for driving cost efficiency, ensuring quality and timely delivery, and fostering strong relationships with a global supply base. This position requires a strategic thinker with strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills, capable of influencing senior executives and leading a team within a dynamic environment.
In this position...
- Commodity Management: Manage the cost, quality, and delivery of Tuners and Amplifiers throughout the program lifetime.
- Cost Management & Savings: Understand and set annual cost savings goals, identifying opportunities through commercial leverage, design efficiencies, and end-to-end supply chain improvements.
- Market & Supplier Analysis: Work closely with Product Development to understand the latest supply base footprint, financial health ratings, technologies, and market trends. Analyze market supply/demand balances and deficit risks.
- Sourcing Strategy & Execution: Align on sourcing to component and part requirements. Implement a comprehensive sourcing strategy for the category, delivering a balanced portfolio of material that meets Ford’s capacity, cost, timing, and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) needs.
- Financial Partnership: Partner with the finance team and controller’s office to update quarterly material indices and provide forecasted pricing mentorship based on third-party data (where applicable).
- Engineering Collaboration: Conduct regular design reviews with engineering to ensure alignment and identify opportunities.
What you'll do...
- Procurement Operations: Lead sourcing execution activities, including Request for Proposal (RFP) events, tactical sourcing, spot buys, and contract administration.
- Program Ownership: Serve as the Point of View (POV) owner for program-specific sourcing decisions.
- Supplier Relationship Management: Manage relationships with existing and future audio suppliers, understand industry and asset-specific costs, and work with suppliers to define integration opportunities within the supply chain.
- Process Improvement: Continuously challenge existing processes and identify opportunities for improvements, regardless of scale.
- Strategic Planning: Develop material cost roadmaps that deliver corporate objectives and ensure long-term viability of the commodity.
- Claim Management: Lead and bring to closure all supplier claim activity.
- Team Leadership & Support: Support operational buyers on all resourcing, banking, and operations activities. Formulate and update tuner/amplifier strategy with Manufacturing Process (MP) alignment.
- Risk Management: Understand and manage forecasted risks and opportunities for your buy, both in system and offline.
- Supply Chain Visibility: Understand all amplifier/tuner supplier turnover, including down to Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels.
You'll have...
- Bachelors Degree
- 3+ years of strategic buying experience.
- Proficiency in Purchasing systems and procedures.
- Clear understanding of the purchasing program lifecycle.
- Continuous pursuit of learning and development to drive commodity expertise.
- Ability to influence senior executives to drive decision-making.
- Ability to develop and successfully execute negotiation strategies.
- Strong analytical skills; must be data-driven and able to analyze multiple potential scenarios and business plans.
- Big Picture / Strategic Mindset; must be able to drive the future of the commodity.
- Creative thinker and problem solver.
- Must be a self-starter/motivated and able to work both independently and in a team setting.
- Strong negotiation skills, creating leverage in both offensive and defensive situations.
- Persuasive and convincing communication skills (e.g., proposals, reports, plans) to secure commitment from business leaders.
- Ability to interpret organizational needs and commercial strategies as input into global Category Strategies.
Even better, you may have...
- Masters Degree
- Familiarity with manufacturing processes is a plus.
