Procurement Engineer

About the Role

We are seeking a highly analytical and technically minded Procurement Engineer to lead sourcing and purchasing operations at our manufacturing facility. This role bridges the gap between engineering and procurement, managing the end-to-end lifecycle for both production materials and critical indirect requirements (MRO, equipment services, and spare parts). The ideal candidate understands technical specifications, possesses strong supplier-facing negotiation skills, and can seamlessly balance tactical plant support with strategic cost-reduction initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-End Procurement: Manage end-to-end procurement activities across both direct production materials and indirect categories, including MRO, spare parts, tooling, facility services, and packaging.
• Technical Review: Review technical drawings, blueprints, and bills of materials (BOM) to ensure supplier alignment with engineering and quality requirements.
• Sourcing & Evaluation: Source, evaluate, and qualify reliable suppliers, execute RFQs, and analyze commercial and technical proposals to secure optimal quality, delivery, and cost.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with maintenance, quality, and manufacturing engineering teams to clarify specifications, optimize component sourcing, and resolve technical issues.
• Negotiation & Risk Mitigation: Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and supply agreements to drive cost savings and mitigate supply chain risks.
• Supplier Performance: Monitor supplier performance, manage order execution, and proactively resolve any delivery, quality, or invoicing discrepancies to minimize plant downtime.
• Inventory & Planning Support: Support plant inventory strategies for critical spare parts and assist with production material planning during transitional phases or product launches.
• Data Integrity: Maintain accurate purchasing documentation, material masters, and pricing agreements within the ERP system.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, supply chain, business, or a related technical discipline is preferred. Equivalent technical manufacturing experience will be valued.
• Experience: 2+ years of procurement, buying, or supply chain engineering experience within an industrial, automotive, or heavy manufacturing environment.
• Technical Literacy: Strong capability to interpret basic technical specifications, engineering drawings, or manufacturing requirements.
• Commercial Skills: Proven track record in supplier evaluation, structured price negotiation, and contract management.
• Category Knowledge: Demonstrated familiarity with both production sourcing and indirect categories like MRO, capital equipment, and spare parts.
• Systems Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Office (specifically Excel) and hands-on experience utilizing an ERP system (such as SAP) within an MRP/MPS environment.
• Communication: Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively between plant technicians, corporate stakeholders, and external vendors.

Preferred Skills

• Direct experience working in an automotive manufacturing or highly automated production environment.
• Background in value engineering, supplier quality assurance, or localized sourcing initiatives.
• Strong familiarity with regional industrial supplier networks and modern sourcing tools.