POJECT BUYER – METALS, NOVI, MICHIGAN, USA – #5887

THE OPPORTUNITY

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc. is currently assisting our client in their search for an experienced Project Buyer to support purchasing activities for new and ongoing manufacturing programs.

Reporting to the Regional Purchasing Director, the Project Buyer will serve as the primary Purchasing representative within assigned Project Teams, taking responsibility for supplier sourcing, RFQs, commercial negotiations, project purchasing performance, and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the Bill of Materials (BOM).

This is an excellent opportunity for a purchasing professional who enjoys working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and wants direct involvement in projects from initial sourcing and supplier selection through SOP and production ramp-up.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

As Project Buyer, you will manage purchasing activities for assigned projects while ensuring Quality, Cost and Delivery (QCD) objectives are achieved.

You will:

• Serve as the primary Purchasing representative within assigned Project Teams.
• Take responsibility for the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the BOM while achieving established QCD objectives.
• Launch and manage RFQ processes with approved suppliers based on purchasing and commodity strategies.
• Source and negotiate requirements related to production components, prototypes, tooling and equipment.
• Evaluate supplier proposals and support supplier selection through established Sourcing Committee processes.
• Negotiate commercial terms, pricing, contracts and supplier agreements within established corporate guidelines.
• Partner with the Commodity Lead Buyer to execute commodity purchasing strategies aligned with broader Group Purchasing objectives.
• Manage supplier relationships and support ongoing supply-base management activities.
• Work closely with Project Management, Engineering, Quality, Industrialization and other cross-functional stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Collaborate with mass-production buyers to ensure successful transition through SOP and production ramp-up.
• Partner with Product Quality Engineering (PQE) and Industrialization Engineering to ensure purchasing activities comply with established processes and requirements.
• Monitor purchasing performance against project objectives and provide regular reporting to leadership.
• Identify deviations from Quality, Cost and Delivery targets, escalate concerns appropriately, and implement corrective action plans.
• Support purchasing methodologies including design-to-manufacturing, cost-to-design, sourcing, negotiation and ongoing commercial management.
• Ensure purchasing activities comply with established Group policies, procedures and authorization requirements.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a commercially minded purchasing professional who understands how Purchasing contributes to the successful execution of manufacturing projects.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 1–3 years of Purchasing experience, or significant relevant experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting project purchasing, sourcing, procurement or supplier management within manufacturing.
• Knowledge of purchasing processes including RFQs, supplier sourcing, negotiation, contract management and commercial follow-up.
• Experience with supply-base management and supplier selection.
• Understanding of Total Cost of Ownership, BOM costing and QCD/QCDP principles.
• Knowledge of project management principles and experience working within cross-functional project teams.
• Financial and cash-management knowledge.
• Proficiency with SAP and Microsoft Office.
• Fluent English required; additional languages relevant to the geographic scope of the position are considered an asset.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally as required.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a hands-on Project Buyer who understands both the commercial and operational sides of manufacturing purchasing.

You are comfortable launching an RFQ, analyzing supplier proposals, negotiating commercial terms, managing supplier relationships and working alongside Engineering, Quality, Industrialization and Project Management to keep a program on track.

You are organized, autonomous and capable of managing multiple priorities while maintaining a strong QCDP – Quality, Cost, Delivery and Performance mindset. You communicate effectively, build strong internal and external relationships, and have the perseverance to resolve supplier and project challenges when they arise.

WHY CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY?

This position offers the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of purchasing activities throughout the complete project lifecycle, from initial sourcing and supplier selection through prototype development, tooling, SOP and production ramp-up.

You will work closely with Purchasing leadership, Engineering, Quality, Project Management and suppliers while developing valuable experience in strategic sourcing, commercial negotiations, project management and manufacturing procurement.

For a purchasing professional looking to continue developing their career within a global manufacturing environment, this is an excellent opportunity to gain broader responsibility and make a measurable contribution to project performance.

Qualified and interested applicants are encouraged to apply today in confidence by submitting their résumé as an MS Word document to info@indemand.ca.

ONLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.

Disclosure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc. may use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools to support certain aspects of our recruitment process, including the screening and assessment of applications. These tools are used to assist with organizing, reviewing, and evaluating candidate information and do not replace human judgment or decision-making.