Advanced Purchasing Buyer Electronics

Advance Purchasing Buyer II (Electronics Engineer)

Are you looking to work for a company that provides an innovative work environment, and your voice is heard? We are looking for an Advance Purchasing Buyer with a focus on Electronics to work in Auburn Hills. This is a direct opportunity with our client. The primary role of the Advanced Purchasing Buyer II (Electronics Engineer) is to lead cost estimation and sourcing activities for programs, with a focus on electronic components. This position will work closely with costing team members, engineering, manufacturing locations, program management and supplier quality to ensure project milestones are met and to deliver best total cost for new programs. In addition, this role will actively engage in supplier development to support business needs of continuous growth and strong supplier partnerships. This role will also engage in pricing negotiations and strategic supplier strategies.

Major Duties/Responsibilities

• Act as the purchasing representative inside the project teams, and actively support projects from acquisition phase through APQP and launch and through life of programs (VA/VE).
• Drive sourcing of new components from the acquisition phase of the project, up to the industrialization of new projects, including major changes in make market, analyzing future material needs.
• Evaluate risks in current supply base and work closely with Supplier Quality, Supply Chain and Manufacturing to maintain strong supply chain and manage contingency plans during sourcing of new components.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality on new product designs and investigates new technical partners as needed for that development. Focus on early Supplier involvement for new products and customer quotes.
• Negotiate and maintain contractual agreements, protecting intellectual property, quality, delivery, and lean principles to ensure world class competitiveness with supply base.
• Follow up on supplier and material status during product development to ensure acquisition, to avoid delays to SOP, and facilitate handoff to production purchasing to ensure communication.
• Achieve and maintain Bill of Material (BOM) costs based on targets and in cooperation with Engineering team; Control BOM cost on each maturity step of the project, or for each change. Define measures to close the gaps to target BOM.
• Implement cost optimized concepts considering material, manufacturing, development and quality costs.

Required Skills

• This role requires a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, ideally within the automotive industry (Tier 1 preferred), with a strong background in Electrical Engineering and Purchasing.
• 3 to 5 years of experience in electrical engineering, including design, development, testing, and troubleshooting of electrical systems and components in compliance with industry standards.
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment preferred, including direct involvement in plant operations and/or supporting functions within a product manufacturing company.
• Work experience in areas similar to Clusters, ECUs, ADAS, EV/HEV, HUD's.
• Technical ability working with electronics.
• High level of teamwork skills.
• Excellent verbal & written communication (English) and networking skills.
• Proven level of negotiation acumen.
• Knowledge in project management.
• Drive and passion for a challenging environment.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams and remote teams.
• Competence in problem solving, team building, planning and decision making.
• Experience and knowledge in financial analysis, including forecasting & budget management preferred.
• Work requires strong customer service skills.
• Ability to communicate in Spanish or Japanese preferred.
• Ability to negotiate and operate in different cultures and to work under pressure.
• Willing to travel.
• Work requires Microsoft Office knowledge, advanced knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Work requires strong analytical skills (i.e. customer and/or supplier release analysis).
• Able to accommodate calls during off-hours and weekends to ensure customer issues are resolved.

Education

• Bachelor Degree in Supply Chain Mgmt. or Electrical Engineering
• MBA or advanced degree is a plus