Buyer, Electronic Lower Steering

Lincoln Motor Company; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental and vision coverage

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a seasoned buyer to develop and execute sourcing strategies for automotive components in a hybrid working arrangement in the United States. This role balances cost, quality, capacity, timing, and supply-chain needs across programs.

You will partner with Engineering and Product Development to identify cost reductions and manufacturability improvements, build supplier relationships, and drive continuous improvement through data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of strategic purchasing/buying experience in automotive or manufacturing.
• 1+ years of experience purchasing production components (e.g., suspension parts).
• Experience with sourcing, supplier negotiations, commercial analysis, or commodity management.

Responsibilities

• Manage cost, quality, and material efficiency through TVM and establish annual cost-saving targets across commercial, design, manufacturing, and supply-chain opportunities.
• Execute the buying and sourcing strategy for assigned commodities, including supplier selection, negotiations, RFx events, tactical sourcing, spot buys, and contract administration.
• Develop material cost roadmaps and sourcing strategies balancing cost, capacity, quality, timing, and business requirements.
• Analyze market conditions, supply/demand, supplier capacity, financial health, and industry trends to identify risks, opportunities, and sourcing actions.
• Own program-specific sourcing POV and provide data-driven recommendations to support business decisions.
• Partner with Engineering and Product Development to identify cost reduction and manufacturability opportunities.

Skills

Strategic purchasing

Supplier negotiations

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Influencing senior leaders

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

In this position...You'll be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for assigned commodities and programs. This role manages Total Value Management throughout the program lifecycle, balancing cost, quality, capacity, timing, and supply-chain requirements. The buyer works cross-functionally with Engineering, Product Development, Category Management, Finance, Manufacturing, Quality, and suppliers to deliver competitive sourcing solutions and measurable commercial value.

In this position...You'll be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for assigned commodities and programs. This role manages Total Value Management throughout the program lifecycle, balancing cost, quality, capacity, timing, and supply-chain requirements. The buyer works cross-functionally with Engineering, Product Development, Category Management, Finance, Manufacturing, Quality, and suppliers to deliver competitive sourcing solutions and measurable commercial value.

What You'll Do

• Manage cost, quality, and material efficiency through TVM and establish annual cost-saving targets across commercial, design, manufacturing, and supply-chain opportunities.
• Execute the buying and sourcing strategy for assigned commodities, including supplier selection, negotiations, RFx events, tactical sourcing, spot buys, and contract administration.
• Develop material cost roadmaps and sourcing strategies that balance cost, capacity, quality, timing, and business requirements.
• Analyze market conditions, supply/demand, supplier capacity, financial health, and industry trends to identify risks, opportunities, and sourcing actions.
• Own program-specific sourcing Point of View (POV) and provide data-driven recommendations to support business decisions.
• Partner with Engineering and Product Development to identify cost reduction, design efficiency, manufacturability, and commercial opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while developing negotiation strategies that create leverage and deliver measurable value.
• Challenge existing processes and sourcing assumptions to drive continuous improvement, supplier performance, and end-to-end supply-chain efficiencies.

You'll have

• 3+ years of strategic purchasing/buying experience, preferably in automotive or a manufacturing environment.
• 1+ years of experience purchasing production components, including exposure to suspension parts such as bushings or ball joints.
• Experience with sourcing, supplier negotiations, commercial analysis, or commodity management.
• Proficiency in purchasing systems, processes, and procedures with strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and drive business decisions.
• Strategic, big-picture mindset with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and business plans.
• Self-starter with strong communication skills, high energy, and a demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and developing commodity expertise.

Even better, you may have

• 5+ years of strategic purchasing/buying experience, preferably in automotive or a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of experience purchasing production components, including exposure to suspension parts such as bushings or ball joints.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes, supplier operations, cost structures, and value engineering.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $86,600-$144,900., This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-$166,200.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.