Sr Buyer

About the Role

Magna is an innovative leader in the development and manufacturing of high-quality complete seating systems. Our solutions include seating structures, mechanisms and hardware, as well as foam and trim products for global automotive, heavy truck, and bus industries. We offer an engaging and dynamic environment where you can help develop industry-leading automotive technologies and pursue a career path as unique as you are.

Responsibilities

• Independently purchase assigned materials, supplies, and equipment for a program team in accordance with company policies and procedures.
• Provide resource knowledge, recommendations, and direction to program teams.
• Develop and utilize knowledge of commodities and supplier cost structures to achieve cost reduction and price negotiation objectives, including market testing, resourcing, VA/VE activities, and target pricing.
• Present and implement strategies, with management approval, to achieve company and program cost reduction objectives through negotiations and VA/VE.
• Assist purchasing management with the development of presentations on negotiation strategies for executive management.
• Support Program Management with sourcing activities, completing bid recaps for key stakeholder approval based on program cost, quality, technology requirements, and milestones.
• Communicate business awards to suppliers.
• Ensure pricing for design revisions is equitable and competitive with the global market; challenge supplier responses and negotiate pricing for new business awards and engineering changes.
• Establish pricing in a timely manner, completing all necessary documentation and maintaining information on supplier piece cost, revision levels, and capacity.
• Manage the resolution of supplier performance problems such as quality and delivery with JIT Plants.
• Consult and collaborate with personnel in engineering, purchasing, and costing activities relative to program requirements.
• Conduct effective communications within the project team and with customers, suppliers, manufacturing, and quality communities.
• Maintain all appropriate documentation.
• Determine the appropriate course of action during the RFC process for assigning whether an RFC should be an estimate, directional, or firm quotation.
• Support Program Management via RFC/PCN process with program teams and suppliers; ensure all quote information is entered into Agile/PLM+ for processing.
• Actively pursue cost reductions from the supply base in support of department business plan goals.
• Conduct supplier capacity studies and validate all supplier commercial impacts.
• Manage the coordination of supplier resource activity between the JIT plant and supplier.
• Support internal and external audit efforts regarding ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949 Certification.
• Support requirements as detailed in Standard Operating Procedure 8000 (Quality Management System).
• Ensure employees work in a manner consistent with organizational objectives and targets, utilizing protective equipment and procedures as required by regulations.
• Establish clear goals for workplace health and safety; complete safety talks, meetings, and required training.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalency) in Business Administration or a related field, or a combination of equivalent education and work experience.
• Five (5) years of diversified purchasing, costing, or related experience preferred.
• Specialized knowledge in a particular commodity.
• Ability to apply quantitative analysis skills with a fundamental understanding of material, labor, burden structures, and cost drivers.
• Ability to develop and implement comprehensive commodity strategies to reduce costs and ensure effective supplier performance.
• Knowledge and experience in using cost reduction tools including global sourcing, VA/VE, and Kaizen.
• Working knowledge of statistical methods, such as APQP and DFSS.
• Product knowledge in automotive parts or material commodities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to successfully complete multiple tasks within established and changing deadlines.
• Demonstrated successful performance with independent problem-solving.
• Proficient with word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.