Buyer Direct Materials – Battery Cell

Main Activities:

• Develop and execute a strategic vision for sourcing battery cell materials to support battery cell engineering team• Support to develop New Suppliers to support new initiatives and continuous improvement• Build strategic supplier relationships and negotiate key contracts. Lead all aspects of supplier negotiation, including part price, tooling cost, engineering & development expenses, and creation of long-term agreements• Manage RFI/RFQ/RFP and strategic sourcing process and develop commodity strategies• Lead or support cost reduction & VA/VE initiatives• Monitor and manage the risks of supply base, e.g. supplier M&A, financial difficulties, lawsuits, capacity, people instability• New facility launch support, including, but not limited to, supplier sourcing, contract negotiation, payment management, and engineering changes negotiations/management as needed• Serve as initial point of commercial issues; efficiently solve problems and make decisions for tactical issues within the relevant portfolio of projects and or processes• Engage and support other functional groups such as business development, engineering, finance teams on scope development, product cost, manufacturing technology, delivery and quality• Provide in-depth analysis of total direct material spend to identify opportunities for improvements and strategic initiatives• Recommend solutions to business problems and/or identify opportunities for improvement, and present ideas to senior leadership• Drive success through empowering team and removing roadblocksRequirements:• BA / BS degree in business administration, electrochemistry, engineering or equivalent (required)• 3+ years of experience in Purchasing/ Supply Chain management, including strategic sourcing, contract negotiation and supplier management in battery, automotive or related industry• Strong knowledge of pricing models and industry trends, industry regulations, and best practices• Demonstrated ability to identify process issues and drive improvements; good knowledge and experience with SAP or other ERP systems• Strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills• Highly organized and demonstrated ability as a strategic thinker• Ability to prioritize multiple projects, develop effective plans, coordinate change management, and see projects through to conclusion• Fluency in English is a must, Chinese, French or Slovak a plus• You should be willing to travel >50% of the time within the EU region