Sr. Commodity Buyer Metals

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Commodity Buyer for Direct Materials will plan direct and coordinate all corporate procurement functions related to specific commodity groups. This role will engage cross functionally to develop category strategies plus plan and lead the sourcing process. This includes negotiation of purchase price quality availability delivery and other factors necessary to ensure the overall conformance of materials purchased. This role is a key contributor to the Purchasing Continuous Improvement (PCI) initiative to improve RealTruck (RT) productivity and margins. Annual commitment and delivery of P&L cost savings is a core function of the position.

CORE FUNCTIONS

• Must have experience with metals specifically aluminum extrusions and aluminum sheet metal.
• Evaluate and analyze category market trends; manage supply risk and minimize total costs. This includes optimizing commodity strategies forward buying tariffs currencies and landed cost.
• Collaborate cross functionally to understand and determine supply needs and product development / engineering and evaluation requirements in order to develop strategy and select the best suppliers.
• Strong understanding of the PPAP process.
• Drive the RFQ process and effectively manage supplier performance for quality price delivery and service.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers including the development of new product concepts / optimized services. Participate in supplier business reviews.
• Use data gathering and analysis to develop short and long-term action plans for continuous improvement opportunities initiatives and significant cost savings.
• Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Collaborate with internal teams (Procurement IT Finance Legal) to gather requirements understand pain points and design solutions that align with business needs.
  • Maintain close relationships with external suppliers to ensure process integration and performance improvements.
  • Act as a liaison between procurement and other business units to drive initiatives and projects forward
• Data & Performance Analysis:
  • Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for procurement processes including cost savings process efficiency and supplier performance.
  • Leverage data analytics to generate insights and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement.
  • Develop dashboards and reporting tools to provide visibility into procurement operations.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience

• Bachelors degree required.
• 6 years of related automotive experience and/or training is required.

Required Licenses

• Purchasing Certification (CPM / SPSM) is a plus.

Skills and Abilities

• Direct Metal Commodity Buyer experience is a MUST.
• Auto industry ideally.
• Commodity Hedging is a PLUS.
• Strong interest in Procurement technology and productivity tools (e.g. AI Power BI etc.)
• ERP system experience is required.
• Strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint for competitive analysis commodity market indexes and sourcing requirements.
• Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers regulatory agencies or members of the business community.
• Ability to understand contracts and negotiations to pricing strategies.
• Ability to effectively present information to top management and public groups. Write speak and comprehend English.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written oral diagram or schedule form.

Travel

• Occasional travel may be required roughly 25%.

COMPETENCIES

• Cost Consciousness Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Contributes to profits and revenue; Conserves organizational resources.
• Dependability Follows instructions responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals. Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
• Judgement Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
• Verbal and Written Communication Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
• Problem Solving Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even dealing with emotional topics.
• Professionalism Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to other views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Supports everyones efforts to succeed.
• Technical Proficiency Familiarity with procurement software and tools. Knowledge of ERP systems and their integration with procurement processes.

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Individual Contributor: working team member with no oversight of others and no management responsibilities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This position is subject to sedentary work; exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift carry push pull or otherwise move objects including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Walking and standing are required only occasionally.

About Real Truck

RealTruck is the premier manufacturer and digital destination of accessories for truck Jeep Bronco and off-road enthusiasts around the world. Globally headquartered in Ann Arbor Michigan Real Trucks 5000 associates operate from 78 facilities across four continents. RealTrucks industry leading product portfolio which includes the Husky Liners total vehicle protection brand boasts over 850 patents and pending applications. The companys omni-channel retail approach delivers a seamless consumer experience online at as well as through its 12000 dealer network and automotive (OEM) partnerships. For more information visit .

Required Experience:

Senior IC