CATEGORY BUYER

General Area of responsibility.
(Global) Category Buyer / Regional Category Manager Reports to.
Regional Category Manager / Global Category Director Location.
Various Main objectives Main objective is to achieve significant cost reductions in line with budget targets, while maintaining/ improving product quality and supplier service levels.
Main duties and responsibilities are (but not limited to).
Category Buyer.
Map future needs and leverage KA spend to maximize benefit for KA Develop and propose Category Strategy for assigned (sub-)category and region Establish a base of preferred suppliers, and secure that suppliers from low cost regions are identified where possible.
Supplier relationship management Capture savings Implement sourcing strategies for the categories Establish good contracting and acceptance practices Prepare and submit RFQs (based on input from Project Buyers related to NPI projects) Lead supplier negotiations and select suppliers in accordance with defined process and strategy Monitor adherence to commercial agreements, performance and capacity of suppliers Manage tooling cost improvements, orders and registration processes Perform PPV-/ Non PPV reporting for area of responsibility Updating ERP system with monthly / quarterly price changes Manage Supplier Feasibility Evaluation Ensure Supplier data is maintained in ERP system and Vendor Portal Global Category Buyer Same as for Category Buyer, but with a global scope for one or several (sub-)categories.
Regional Category Manager Same as for Category Buyer with the additional tasks.
Lead the team of category buyers in the region Ensure personal objectives for the team that are in line with the overall targets defined for the Purchasing function and KA Develop the right competencies within the team to deliver overall objectives Main contacts Internal Project Buyers Category Buyers Category SQDs Engineering Operations Quality External Suppliers Requirements Bachelor’s Degree or master’s degree in Engineering and/or Business Management Successful, multi-year track record in Purchasing Strong negotiation skills Good problem-solving and analytical skills Production technology understanding, specifically in automotive  Strong communication skills Passion for reducing cost Excellent in technical English language, written and spoken.
Authority Act independently and according to KAs Delegation of Authority (DoA) and within other company procedures, policies, instructions and targets.