Sr. Commodity Buyer - Direct Materials
RealTruck, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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 and lead the sourcing process. Responsibilities include negotiating purchase price, quality, availability, delivery, and other factors to ensure material conformance. The position is a key contributor to the Purchasing Continuous Improvement (PCI) initiative to improve RealTruck (RT) productivity and margins, with a core function of delivering annual P&L cost savings.
Core Functions
Experience with metals, specifically aluminum extrusions and aluminum sheet metal.
Evaluate and analyze category market trends; manage supply risk and minimize total costs, including optimizing commodity strategies, forward buying, tariffs, currencies, and landed cost.
Collaborate cross‑functionally to understand and determine supply needs, product development, engineering, and evaluation requirements for supplier selection.
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; participate in supplier business reviews and develop new product concepts/optimized services.
Use data gathering and analysis to develop short‑ and long‑term action plans for continuous improvement opportunities and significant cost savings.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Collaborate with internal teams (Procurement, IT, Finance, Legal) to gather requirements and design solutions aligned 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 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: Bachelor’s degree required.
Experience: 6+ years of related automotive experience and/or training required.
Required Licenses
Purchasing Certification (CPM / SPSM) is a plus.
Skills And Abilities
Direct Metal Commodity Buyer experience is a MUST.
Auto industry experience, ideally.
Commodity Hedging experience is a PLUS.
Strong interest in procurement technology and productivity tools (e.g., AI, Power BI).
ERP system experience required.
Strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint for competitive analysis, commodity market indexes, and sourcing requirements.
Ability to respond to inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or business community members.
Ability to understand contracts and negotiate pricing strategies.
Ability to effectively present information to top management and public groups. Write, speak, and comprehend English.
Ability to solve practical problems and handle a variety of concrete variables with limited standardization; interpret 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 actions; keeps commitments; works long hours when necessary to reach goals; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
Judgment – Makes sound and accurate decisions; explains reasoning; includes appropriate people in decision‑making; makes timely decisions.
Verbal and written communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively; listens and gains clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates presentation skills; participates in meetings.
Problem solving – Identifies and resolves problems promptly; gathers and analyses information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem‑solving; uses reason even with emotional topics.
Professionalism – Treats others with respect; reacts well under pressure; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.
Teamwork – Balances team and individual responsibilities; displays objectivity and openness to other views; gives and welcomes feedback; builds a positive team spirit; supports everyone’s success.
Technical proficiency – Familiarity with procurement software and tools; knowledge of ERP systems and 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; may require 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 or the human body. Walking and standing are required only occasionally.
Perks
Medical, dental, and vision coverage; company‑paid life insurance and disability; 401(k) with company match (eligible first month after start); wellbeing days and parental leave; educational reimbursement; referral bonuses; employee discounts on RealTruck products.
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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 and lead the sourcing process. Responsibilities include negotiating purchase price, quality, availability, delivery, and other factors to ensure material conformance. The position is a key contributor to the Purchasing Continuous Improvement (PCI) initiative to improve RealTruck (RT) productivity and margins, with a core function of delivering annual P&L cost savings.
Core Functions
Experience with metals, specifically aluminum extrusions and aluminum sheet metal.
Evaluate and analyze category market trends; manage supply risk and minimize total costs, including optimizing commodity strategies, forward buying, tariffs, currencies, and landed cost.
Collaborate cross‑functionally to understand and determine supply needs, product development, engineering, and evaluation requirements for supplier selection.
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; participate in supplier business reviews and develop new product concepts/optimized services.
Use data gathering and analysis to develop short‑ and long‑term action plans for continuous improvement opportunities and significant cost savings.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Collaborate with internal teams (Procurement, IT, Finance, Legal) to gather requirements and design solutions aligned 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 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: Bachelor’s degree required.
Experience: 6+ years of related automotive experience and/or training required.
Required Licenses
Purchasing Certification (CPM / SPSM) is a plus.
Skills And Abilities
Direct Metal Commodity Buyer experience is a MUST.
Auto industry experience, ideally.
Commodity Hedging experience is a PLUS.
Strong interest in procurement technology and productivity tools (e.g., AI, Power BI).
ERP system experience required.
Strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint for competitive analysis, commodity market indexes, and sourcing requirements.
Ability to respond to inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or business community members.
Ability to understand contracts and negotiate pricing strategies.
Ability to effectively present information to top management and public groups. Write, speak, and comprehend English.
Ability to solve practical problems and handle a variety of concrete variables with limited standardization; interpret 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 actions; keeps commitments; works long hours when necessary to reach goals; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
Judgment – Makes sound and accurate decisions; explains reasoning; includes appropriate people in decision‑making; makes timely decisions.
Verbal and written communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively; listens and gains clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates presentation skills; participates in meetings.
Problem solving – Identifies and resolves problems promptly; gathers and analyses information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem‑solving; uses reason even with emotional topics.
Professionalism – Treats others with respect; reacts well under pressure; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.
Teamwork – Balances team and individual responsibilities; displays objectivity and openness to other views; gives and welcomes feedback; builds a positive team spirit; supports everyone’s success.
Technical proficiency – Familiarity with procurement software and tools; knowledge of ERP systems and 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; may require 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 or the human body. Walking and standing are required only occasionally.
Perks
Medical, dental, and vision coverage; company‑paid life insurance and disability; 401(k) with company match (eligible first month after start); wellbeing days and parental leave; educational reimbursement; referral bonuses; employee discounts on RealTruck products.
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