Indirect Commodity Buyer

About the role

Tenneco is one of the world’s leading designer, manufacturers, and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers, with approximately 65,000 team members working at more than 200 sites worldwide. Through our four business groups, DRiV, Performance Solutions, Clean Air and Powertrain, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for diversified global markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket. This position will report within the DRiV business group. DRiV is Tenneco’s aftermarket product solutions group, with a mission to deliver advancements that help people get the most out of every vehicle, every ride, every race, and every journey. We strive to consistently deliver top tier results behind branded product solutions for our community and shareholders. The Indirect Procurement Commodity Buyer is responsible for the strategic sourcing, cost management, and supplier performance oversight of assigned indirect categories supporting manufacturing, engineering, and corporate operations. This role drives total cost optimization, supplier innovation, risk mitigation, and compliance with corporate procurement standards across North American operations, while collaborating with global commodity teams and customer engagement.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Sourcing and Commodity Management: Develop and execute sourcing strategies for assigned indirect commodities (e.g., MRO, capital equipment, facilities services, tooling, logistics, utilities, professional services).
• Strategic Sourcing and Commodity Management: Conduct RFQs, RFPs, and reverse auctions aligned with Tenneco’s global sourcing framework.
• Strategic Sourcing and Commodity Management: Lead competitive bidding processes and negotiate pricing, terms, and long-term agreements.
• Strategic Sourcing and Commodity Management: Identify dual-source strategies to mitigate supply and geopolitical risk.
• Strategic Sourcing and Commodity Management: Support capital investment procurement initiatives in alignment with plant expansion and modernization programs.
• Cost Optimization and Value Engineering: Deliver annual cost reduction targets through supplier consolidation, volume leverage, contract renegotiation, and total cost of ownership modeling.
• Cost Optimization and Value Engineering: Partner with engineering and plant leadership on CapEx procurement optimization.
• Cost Optimization and Value Engineering: Track savings through validated financial reporting processes.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Evaluate supplier performance using KPIs (OTD, quality, cost competitiveness, service levels).
• Supplier Relationship Management: Lead quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with strategic suppliers.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Ensure compliance with corporate ESG, safety, and quality standards.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Drive supplier innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Cross Functional Collaboration: Partner with plant operations including Engineering, Finance, Maintenance, and Corporate stakeholders.
• Cross Functional Collaboration: Ensure procurement governance and spend compliance.
• Cross Functional Collaboration: Support ERP procurement processes (SAP / Oracle / etc.).
• Risk & Compliance: Assess supplier financial stability and risk exposure.
• Risk & Compliance: Mitigate tariff, inflation, and supply chain disruptions.
• Risk & Compliance: Ensure contractual protection and regulatory compliance.
• Risk & Compliance: Support internal audit and SOX controls.
• Performance Metrics: Monitor cost savings attainment.
• Performance Metrics: Track supplier performance scorecard improvement.
• Performance Metrics: Monitor contract coverage ratio.
• Performance Metrics: Assess working capital impact.
• Performance Metrics: Measure on-time project delivery (CapEx support).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years automotive procurement experience (indirect preferred).
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing operations.
• Proficiency in ERP systems and sourcing tools.
• Knowledge of CapEx procurement highly preferred.
• Demonstrated background and proven experience with managing large amounts of data in systems and manipulation with pivot tables, VLOOKUP or BOT programming.
• Demonstrated background and proven experience with negotiations and analytical skills.
• Working with and/or leading team to drive resolution to supplier invoice disputes.
• Ability to utilize Microsoft Office and navigate ERP systems (i.e., SAP and other).
• Excellent interpersonal, detail‑oriented, and English communication skills.