Category Buyer

Astemo Indiana•Farmington Hills, MI

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Summary : The Direct Category Buyer at Astemo plays a key role in managing supplier relationships and overseeing procurement strategies within assigned commodities. This role requires deep product knowledge and strong sourcing acumen to ensure suppliers meet company standards for quality, cost, and delivery, while also promoting continuous improvement and innovation. The ideal candidate will be proactive, analytical, and capable of influencing strategic decisions across a global supply base.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field
Minimum 3 years of experience in purchasing or a closely related field
Willingness and ability to travel to suppliers and Astemo facilities as needed (domestic and international)
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proven negotiation and contract management skills
Results-oriented with a demonstrated ability to implement strategic initiatives
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build relationships across teams
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
Effective time management, organization, and problem-solving abilities

Nice To Haves

Procurement experience in the automotive industry
Strong background in Chemicals and Rubber parts sourcing and strategy
Working with SAP
Bilingual fluency in English and Japanese is a plus

Responsibilities

Collect and analyze category, regional, and supplier-specific data
Recommend strategic direction to the Global Category Manager based on market intelligence
Propose and implement cost reduction, avoidance, and continuous improvement initiatives
Contribute to annual budget planning and forecasting activities
Lead negotiations with suppliers (pricing, payment terms, tooling, commercial terms, capacity, EOL, etc.)
Formalize and manage supplier contracts
Own sourcing decisions within assigned categories, aligning with global strategy and BU timelines
Support Business Units during acquisition phases with cost estimates and “should-cost” analysis via the Cost Engineering team
Ensure implementation of global/regional category strategies
Assist in Value Engineering/Cost (VEC) initiatives and supplier negotiations
Report KPIs by supplier and part number
Develop and manage relationships with regional and local suppliers
Monitor and track supplier performance and ensure compliance
Adjust negotiation strategies based on supplier conditions and market dynamics
Support issue resolution and supplier escalations in collaboration with Business Units and regional teams