Senior Buyer

Venteon is currently seeking an experienced Senior Buyer – Aluminum Castings to fill an opening with a leading automotive manufacturer located near Maumee, OH
. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in direct material purchasing, strategic sourcing, global supplier management, and cost reduction initiatives within the automotive industry. Experience purchasing aluminum castings or other engineered metal components is preferred.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Purchasing, Business, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field
• Minimum 5 years of procurement or purchasing experience, ideally 5–7 years, within the automotive manufacturing industry
• Direct material purchasing experience within automotive manufacturing required
• Experience sourcing aluminum castings, metal components, or related engineered manufacturing commodities preferred
• Experience managing global suppliers, international sourcing activities, and supplier relationships
• Experience managing large commodity portfolios and significant annual purchasing spend preferred
• Strong experience leading RFQ/RFI processes, supplier negotiations, and contract management activities
• Experience developing and executing commodity sourcing strategies to achieve cost reduction and supplier performance objectives
• Strong understanding of total cost of ownership, landed cost analysis, and global sourcing strategies
• Knowledge of automotive manufacturing processes, PPAP requirements, and new product launch activities
• Experience working with SAP, Oracle, or similar ERP systems preferred
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, blueprints, technical specifications, and manufacturing requirements
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, VA/VE, benchmarking, and cost reduction methodologies preferred
• Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Professional supply chain certification preferred
• Ability to travel approximately 10%

• Full-time
• Paid time off
• Medical / Dental / Vision
• 401(k)

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing and commodity management initiatives for aluminum castings and related direct material commodities
• Manage a significant annual commodity spend portfolio, approximately $80M, while driving cost reduction, supplier performance, and supply continuity
• Formulate annual business plans focused on year-over-year cost savings, sourcing improvements, and operational efficiency
• Lead RFI/RFQ processes, supplier evaluations, competitive sourcing activities, and sourcing recommendations
• Analyze supplier quotations, total landed costs, and total cost of ownership to identify competitive global sourcing solutions
• Develop and implement commodity sourcing strategies utilizing supplier capability assessments, market analysis, and global spend evaluations
• Negotiate supplier pricing, commercial terms, contracts, and supply agreements to optimize overall business value
• Prepare sourcing recommendations and supporting financial documentation for sourcing reviews and approvals
• Manage multiple sourcing projects while coordinating supplier readiness, technical reviews, PPAP requirements, and new product launch milestones
• Monitor global supplier performance in quality, delivery, cost, and service while leading performance reviews and corrective action initiatives
• Identify and mitigate supplier risks related to financial stability, production capacity, quality, and continuity of supply
• Track sourcing project savings, supplier performance metrics, cost reduction forecasts, and actual results
• Lead cost reduction initiatives through benchmarking, value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE), Lean Manufacturing, resourcing, and value stream mapping
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Sales, Quality, Operations, Finance, and Program Management teams to support sourcing decisions, resolve supplier issues, and achieve business objectives
• Identify opportunities to reduce inventory requirements, eliminate non-value-added activities, and improve overall supply chain efficiency
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on procurement processes, global supplier relationships, and commodity management strategies