Senior Buyer - Forgings

Job Purpose

Oversees strategic activities related to SCMG-managed global spend within the forgings commodity category. Responsible for identifying and evaluating cost-reduction opportunities across North America, with a focus on process consolidation, functional optimization, and ensuring continuity of supply. Manages Dana’s forging contracts and tracks associated performance metrics. Drives continuous improvement in cost, processes, and service delivery within the category. Leads the development and execution of Requests for Information (RFI) and Requests for Quotation (RFQ), providing data-driven recommendations based on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis. Monitors and reports on key initiatives and performance indicators tied to the forgings commodity. 
 

Required Skills

• Ability to work on tasks along with prioritizing work and managing deadlines. 
• Understands interactions that affect outcomes for problem solving.  Uses analytical abilities to distill complex issues into workable parts for themselves.  Anticipates consequences of alternative options. 
• Possesses and uses appropriate levels of intellectual ability to achieve objectives and maximize results.   Demonstrates determined, engaged, thoughtful approach to doing day-to-day work.  Applies knowledge of global organizational issues to his/her own work. 
• Can identify areas of deficiency in processes and employ resources to optimize. 
• Can support and personalize the needed change within the group/dept./organization. 
• Develops relationships across the corporation to facilitate inter-divisional cooperation and cross functional asset utilization. 
• Provides prompt, courteous, and attentive service to both internal and external customers. 
• Accomplishes tasks and makes effective decisions without guidance, even outside the framework of their direct work responsibility. 
• Recognizes the talents, skills, and behaviors that the organization needs.  Demonstrates self-awareness and takes action to improve individual performance/capabilities. 
• Inspires others in setting and achieving standards of excellence.  Can get others on board, engaged and committed to objectives; can overcome resistance.   Effectively get things done through others by delegating, motivating, focusing, and leveraging the appropriate resources to meet objectives. 
• Establishes open, candid and trusting relationships.  Treats others fairly and consistently.  Effectively handles conflicts and issues impacting working relationships. 
• Actively supports the implementation and maintenance of lean value and the related value stream. 
• Demonstrates a high level of cooperation and collaboration with internal and external relationships. 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work with people at all levels within and outside Dana in a professional manner.  
• Familiarity with Procurement and Quality Supplier Metrics with flow-down to supplier contracts and performance reviews.  
• Must have an understanding of blueprints and technical specifications.  
• Strong personal computer skills required, including experience with MS Office Software. 

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Formulate annual business plans for achievement of cost reductions and year over year performance improvement. 
• Obtains and analyzes quotes to determine best value, then recommends global sourcing solutions based on data and facts collected.  
• Can layout and explain a commodity strategy.  Follows and tracks to the strategy for basic commodities.  Understands all aspects of commodity strategy templates.  Can create a strategy but may be limited to current state (static) and not completely global.  May be limited to more basic commodities.  Utilizes capability matrices to develop strategy. 
• Provides proper documentation for review at sourcing councils including total landed cost analysis taking into account duty, freight, packaging, surcharge, payment terms and other financial factors.   Includes understanding of SSA status and any financial risk.  Consistently utilizes IPOs in quoting new business.   Considers global spend for all suppliers. 
• Ability to maintain control of multiple projects to meet timing and anticipates and resolves 'roadblocks’ for successful part PPAP and launch.   Monitors technical review progress with cross functional teams; ensures OISRs are updated and tracks to program milestones. 
• "Ability to clearly understand the financial and strategic impacts of agreed to 'gives' and 'gets' to optimize the value to Dana and negotiate complex supplier issues with little to no supervision.  Understands tactics to position Dana with the most leverage possible. 
• Consistently sends out and reviews complete RFQ packages and negotiates the basic terms of a contract to support an agreement.  Understand what type of contract is required.   Understands key points to leverage beyond price.   Understands Dana's standard Terms and Conditions.  
• Monitors supplier(s) performance, audits results and elevates issues within the supplier’s organization for resolution.  Understands and reviews the corrective actions for sustained results.  Holds regular performance review meetings with key stakeholders and measures compliance to agreements.   Tracks Savings projects and reports accurate forecasts and actuals in Savings Tracker.   Understands supplier surcharge mechanisms. 
• Works proactively with other departments to find ways of reducing the need for inventory. 
• Manages the supply chain to ensure optimum workflows and takes active steps to remove non-value-added work.  Challenges the status quo and engages help and support from other functional groups.  Makes specific and comprehensive recommendations for process improvements.  Understands DOS and can lead improvement activities with assistance. 
• Is able to lead Benchmarking, VA/VE, Lean, Resourcing, LPP analysis, Value Stream mapping events with no assistance.  Thinks creatively to use the learnings from the savings toolbox to generate a range of improvement options with the business.  Promotes cost reduction activities with key suppliers and shares best practices. 

Minimum Qualifications  

• Four-year degree in Business (Supply Chain Management or Purchasing is preferred) or four-year degree in Engineering (Product or Manufacturing) 
• Professional Supply chain certification preferred. 
• 5-7 years of experience in procurement, preferred. 
• Strong team player, able to work effectively on cross-functional teams. 
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written. 
• Maintains an organized and professional manner when representing Dana.  
• Willing to travel as required (estimate 10%).