Senior Sourcing Manager

Senior Sourcing Manager

Location: Houston, TX (On-site)

Company: Yinlun TDI LLC

Yinlun TDI LLC is a leading provider of advanced thermal management solutions for the U.S. automotive, commercial truck, and off highway markets. Following the acquisition by Zhejiang Yinlun Co., Ltd., Yinlun TDI has further strengthened its engineering expertise and manufacturing capabilities in the United States.

Headquartered in Houston, TX, Yinlun TDI LLC maintains sales and engineering facilities in California, Michigan, and Illinois. With strong support from our parent company, we are well positioned for continued growth across conventional heat exchangers, hybrid, electric vehicle (EV), and autonomous driving sectors.

Yinlun TDI LLC is an ISO 14001 and IATF 16949 certified manufacturer of heat exchangers and fluid cooling components for automotive, commercial truck, bus, and industrial markets.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Sourcing Manager to lead supplier development, strategic sourcing, and project purchasing activities supporting our manufacturing operations across North America.

This position will focus on developing and qualifying suppliers, improving supplier quality and performance, driving cost reduction initiatives, and ensuring supplier readiness for new product launches and ongoing production.

The Sourcing Manager will work closely with Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE), Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Purchasing teams to strengthen supplier capabilities, support sourcing strategies, and align supplier development activities across the United States, Mexico, and our global headquarters.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing and supplier development strategies to support automotive manufacturing operations, cost reduction, and supplier localization.
• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and develop new suppliers for direct materials, components, and manufacturing-related products.
• Lead supplier selection, RFQ/RFP processes, commercial evaluations, cost analysis, contract negotiations, and sourcing decisions.
• Work closely with Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE) and Quality teams to support supplier qualification, supplier audits, quality improvement, and corrective action initiatives.
• Support APQP, PPAP, supplier readiness assessments, and new product introduction (NPI) activities to ensure suppliers meet quality, cost, and delivery requirements.
• Manage project purchasing activities, including supplier selection, sourcing timelines, cost targets, and supplier readiness for new product launches.
• Monitor supplier performance through KPIs, scorecards, quality metrics, delivery performance, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Drive supplier development and continuous improvement programs to strengthen supplier capabilities, manufacturing processes, and operational performance.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Purchasing teams to resolve supplier-related technical, quality, capacity, and production issues.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with automotive suppliers, including Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.
• Support supplier localization, dual sourcing, and supply risk mitigation strategies to improve supply continuity and competitiveness.
• Coordinate sourcing and supplier development activities across the United States and Mexico while maintaining alignment with global sourcing strategies and headquarters.
• Lead and support cross-functional sourcing projects and promote collaboration among supplier development, strategic sourcing, and project purchasing teams.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree or above in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Logistics, Operations Management, or a related field.

Professional Experience

• 5–8 years of relevant experience in strategic sourcing, supplier development, procurement, supplier quality, or project purchasing within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in automotive manufacturing, automotive components, or Tier 1/Tier 2 automotive suppliers strongly preferred.
• Strong experience in supplier identification, evaluation, qualification, development, and performance management.
• Hands-on experience with direct material sourcing, RFQ/RFP processes, supplier negotiations, cost analysis, and sourcing strategy development.
• Working knowledge of supplier quality management processes, including APQP, PPAP, supplier audits, corrective actions, and IATF 16949 requirements.
• Experience supporting new product launches, NPI, or project purchasing activities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with SQE, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Purchasing teams.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects or managing sourcing and supplier development teams.
• Experience working in multinational manufacturing organizations preferred.

Skills

• Strong understanding of automotive manufacturing supply chains and supplier development processes.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to evaluate supplier capabilities, manufacturing processes, cost structures, and quality performance.
• Knowledge of cost reduction methodologies, should-cost analysis, and supplier risk management.
• Strong project management and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, Microsoft Excel, and sourcing or procurement tools.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multinational manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Mandarin Chinese and/or Spanish language proficiency preferred.
• Experience working with automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, or Tier 2 suppliers.
• Experience with supplier quality engineering (SQE), supplier development engineering (SDE), or supplier quality management.
• Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, IATF 16949, 8D problem-solving, and supplier corrective action processes.
• Experience with direct material sourcing, supplier localization, cost reduction, and new product launches.
• Experience working with suppliers and manufacturing operations in the United States, Mexico, and China.
• Previous team leadership or people management experience preferred.

Travel Requirement

• This position requires approximately 25% domestic or international travel.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonus
• Comprehensive benefits package (medical, dental, vision, life insurance)
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid vacation, sick time, holidays, and floating holidays
• Career growth opportunities in a fast-paced, global environment