Senior Strategist

Job Posting Title
Senior Strategist

Job Description Summary
The Strategist is responsible for long-term planning, strategy development, leading the strategic sourcing process, leading continuous improvement initiatives and supporting Dauch's Global manufacturing facilities. This role ensures cost-effective sourcing while maintaining quality and delivery standards in line with Tier 1 automotive supplier requirements. The Strategist will work closely with Global engineering, manufacturing, sales, program management, finance, and suppliers to optimize the supply chain and support new product launches. The ideal candidate has familiarity with cost drivers, cost breakdown analysis, and cost models and experience collaborating with international suppliers.

Ready to join the team that's Built to Perform? Apply Today!

Job Description:

• Sourcing & Procurement: Assist with the strategic sourcing process; including request for quotation, evaluation of bids, cost breakdown analysis, negotiation, supplier evaluation, sourcing recommendation, and contracting.
• Strategy: Execute the Global Strategy with the approved supply base, consolidating strategic suppliers while reducing costs, maintaining quality and performance standards.
• New Product Development Support: Collaborate on sourcing strategies for new business programs to ensure timely supplier sourcing and readiness.
• Cost Analysis: Analyze supplier cost structures and market trends to identify opportunities for cost reductions.
• Continuous Improvement / VAVE: Lead and implement process improvements / cost reduction and VAVE activities to improve competitiveness of category spend to meet or exceed budget and business plan targets.
• Quality & Compliance: Work with Quality and Engineering teams to ensure supplier compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and other AAM and industry standards.

• Financial Budgeting & Forecasting: Contribute to annual procurement budget development process and support submission of monthly forecasts to finance team.

• Negotiation: Conduct cost and price negotiations and establish long-term agreements with suppliers to deliver the highest value materials that meet cost, quality, and delivery requirements and drive cost savings and supplier performance improvements.

• Supplier Management: Develop and manage relationships with suppliers to ensure quality, cost competitiveness, and on-time delivery.
• Technical Support: Lead technical sourcing reviews with supply base, systems engineering, component engineering and supplier quality engineering contacts to close out all issues and ensure cross-functional support of sourcing recommendations.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain, including capacity, price fluctuations, and geopolitical factors.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with internal teams (engineering, manufacturing, finance) to align procurement strategies with company objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Education

• Bachelor's degree required, preferred major in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or other related field
• 5+ years previous purchasing or related manufacturing experience preferred
• Preferred experience with seals in the automotive industry
• Thorough knowledge of industry purchasing policies, procedures, and commercial practices
• Understanding of global sourcing, landed cost, and supply chain risk management
• Strong negotiation skills with a history of cost savings and supplier performance improvement
• Proficiency in ERP systems (Oracle / Plex Preferred) and data analytics tools
• Self-starter who takes initiative, is able to work independently, identifies what needs to be done, prioritizes, and completes tasks.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and project management skills
• High degree of planning and organization skills
• Ability to travel as required for supplier visits and audits
• Familiarity with cost drivers, cost breakdown analysis, and cost models

About Dauch:

Dauch Corporation is a premier Driveline and Metal Forming supplier serving the global automotive industry with a powertrain-agnostic product portfolio that supports electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles. The company is headquartered in Detroit, MI, with operations that span 24 countries and more than 175 locations. Formed through the acquisition of Dowlais Group plc and its subsidiaries - GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy, Dauch unites deep engineering roots with global manufacturing capabilities and an entrepreneurial spirit to move mobility forward. Visit to learn more.

Dauch will not discriminate against any Associate or applicant for employment because of age, race, color, gender, religion, weight, height, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or other characteristic protected by law. Dauch will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that Associates are treated equally during employment, without regard to their age, race, color, gender, religion, weight, height, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or other characteristic protected by law. For the Disabled Job Seeker: We offer reasonable accommodations for qualified disabled individuals who are applicants for employment. To request assistance or accommodations, please e-mail View email address on click.appcast.io. Dauch is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.