Head of Program Purchasing

ZF; Chennai District; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

ZF seeks a Head of Program Purchasing in Chennai to lead regional and global programs across Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology, driving cost, localization, and successful launches. You will partner with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, and Global Purchasing.

You will mentor teams, establish supplier risk frameworks, lead VA/VE, and steer digital procurement transformations while representing Purchasing in executive forums and customer discussions.

Qualifications

• 20+ years in Program Purchasing or automotive procurement with leadership experience.
• Proven cross-functional and multicultural team leadership.
• Experience in global matrix organizations and supplier management.

Responsibilities

• Lead Program Purchasing activities for regional customers and product programs across Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies aligned with regional and global business objectives.
• Drive purchasing performance related to cost, productivity, localization, profitability, and supplier competitiveness.
• Lead supplier selection, nomination, negotiation, and sourcing decisions for strategic programs.
• Ensure supplier readiness and execution of all purchasing deliverables to support successful product launches and industrialization activities.
• Lead VA/VE initiatives and cost optimization programs throughout the product lifecycle.
• Establish supplier risk management frameworks and mitigation actions to ensure business continuity.
• Drive supplier localization and regional sourcing strategies to strengthen resilience and competitiveness.
• Partner with regional and global stakeholders to achieve business and customer objectives.
• Lead organizational capability development and mentor purchasing teams to build future leadership pipelines.
• Represent Purchasing leadership in executive reviews, customer discussions, and strategic decision-making forums.
• Drive transformation initiatives, process excellence, and procurement digitalization across the region.

Skills

Supplier negotiations

Cost management

Program delivery

Cross-functional leadership

Global matrix experience

Commercial acumen

Procurement analytics

Education

Engineering / Business Administration / Supply Chain degree

Tools

SAP

eSourcing platforms

Procurement analytics tools

Job description

Job Summary

The Head of Program Purchasing is responsible for leading Program Purchasing activities within the Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology businesses throughout the product lifecycle. The role drives achievement of purchasing, cost, profitability, localization, and launch targets while ensuring supplier readiness and successful execution of customer programs. Acting as the key purchasing interface for regional management, the position collaborates closely with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, and Global Purchasing teams to support business growth, operational excellence, and purchasing transformation.

Responsibilities

• Lead Program Purchasing activities for regional customers and product programs across Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies aligned with regional and global business objectives.
• Drive purchasing performance related to cost, productivity, localization, profitability, and supplier competitiveness.
• Lead supplier selection, nomination, negotiation, and sourcing decisions for strategic programs.
• Ensure supplier readiness and execution of all purchasing deliverables to support successful product launches and industrialization activities.
• Lead Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE) initiatives and cost optimization programs throughout the product lifecycle.
• Establish supplier risk management frameworks and mitigation actions to ensure business continuity.
• Drive supplier localization and regional sourcing strategies to strengthen resilience and competitiveness.
• Partner with regional and global stakeholders to achieve business and customer objectives.
• Lead organizational capability development and mentor purchasing teams to build future leadership pipelines.
• Represent Purchasing leadership in executive reviews, customer discussions, and strategic decision-making forums.
• Drive transformation initiatives, process excellence, and procurement digitalization across the region.

Your profile as Head of Program Purchasing (m/f/d)

• Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or equivalent.
• Minimum 20+ years of relevant experience in Program Purchasing, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Management, or Automotive Procurement, including leadership responsibilities.
• Strong experience in supplier negotiations, cost management, and program delivery.
• Proven success in leading cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• Experience working in global matrix organizations with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong commercial acumen and customer-oriented mindset.
• Knowledge of SAP, eSourcing platforms, procurement analytics, and digital procurement solutions preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead transformation initiatives and drive organizational changes.