Procurement Operations Lead — Automotive Manufacturing

Location: Bowling Green, KY

A day in the life

You kick off the morning with a quick stand-up alongside a tight-knit team of 3–4 buyers. You align on open purchase orders, supplier recovery plans, and the day’s cost-saving targets. Before lunch, you’re in SAP reviewing procurement dashboards, checking inventory alignment, and unblocking any material constraints. The afternoon is about influence and execution—driving supplier negotiations, finalizing sourcing decisions, and jumping in hands-on wherever the team needs you to keep production running smoothly. You end the day with a look at supplier scorecards to ensure quality, delivery, and pricing are trending in the right direction.

Core accountabilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of 3–4 buyers to deliver daily procurement objectives.
• Roll up your sleeves to support buying activities, supplier development, and rapid issue resolution.
• Own supplier negotiations, contract sourcing, and value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE) cost-down initiatives.
• Use SAP ERP to manage purchase orders, analyze procurement KPIs, and maintain inventory alignment with production needs.
• Continuously evaluate supplier quality, delivery performance, and commercial competitiveness.

Must-have qualifications

• 5+ years of purchasing/procurement experience within manufacturing.
• 3+ years leading, supervising, or managing purchasing personnel.
• Hands-on functional buying experience in the automotive manufacturing sector.
• Proficiency with SAP purchasing modules.
• Demonstrated success in supplier negotiation and cost reduction.

Preferred qualifications

• Background in raw material or metal stamping procurement.
• Advanced degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related technical discipline.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CSCP, CPIM).

Tools and strengths

You should be proficient in:

• Leadership / People Management
• ERP & MRP Systems
• Sourcing and Procurement Experience
• SAP
• Strategic purchasing

Machines & technologies you'll use:

• ERP Software
• SAP

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