Head Of Program Purchasing

ZF Group; Sriperumbudur; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

ZF Group is seeking a seasoned Head of Program Purchasing in Chennai, India to lead purchasing activities across Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology. You will drive supplier readiness, cost strategies, and program delivery while coordinating with global teams.

You will manage cross-functional, multicultural teams in a global matrix, champion procurement digitalization, and mentor future leaders within the organization.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of relevant Program Purchasing experience with leadership.
• Proven track record in strategic sourcing and supplier management.
• Experience in global automotive procurement in a matrix organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional program purchasing for Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology.
• Develop sourcing strategies aligned with regional and global objectives.
• Drive cost, localization, profitability, and supplier competitiveness.
• Lead supplier selection, negotiation, and sourcing decisions for strategic programs.
• Ensure supplier readiness and execution of all purchasing deliverables for launches and industrialization.

Skills

Supplier negotiations

Cost management

Program delivery

Cross-functional leadership

Multicultural teams

Global matrix organizations

Commercial acumen

Customer-oriented mindset

Education

Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management or equivalent

Tools

SAP

eSourcing platforms

Procurement analytics

Digital procurement solutions

Job description

Job Description:

Req ID 90284|Chennai, India,ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India Limited

Job Description

About the Role

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.

What you can look forward to as Head of Program Purchasing (m/f/d)

• 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.

Be part of our ZF team as Head of Program Purchasing and apply now!

Contact

Prabanand M K

Requirements: