Buyer - Exterior Grilles

Ford, Inc; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, and Rx

Parental leave & family benefits

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Ford is seeking a Buyer for Exterior Grilles and Plastic Liftgates in Dearborn, MI. You will own commercial strategy, supplier relationships, and cost targets across NA sourcing for exterior components, influencing Ford/Lincoln programs.

You’ll lead negotiations, manage supplier partnerships, and develop detailed sourcing plans while collaborating with PD, Design, Quality, Finance, and Vehicle Operations to optimize quality, cost, and delivery.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to analyze large datasets, synthesize financial data, and present clear recommendations.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills across cross-functional teams.
• Ability to collaborate with Product Development, Design, Quality, Finance, and Vehicle Operations to achieve QCD objectives.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute North America sourcing strategies for Exterior Grille and Plastic Liftgate components.
• Manage the Commodity Business Plan to support long-term sourcing stability.
• Lead end-to-end commercial negotiations with suppliers and drive cost optimizations.
• Develop and manage detailed commercial timing plans for upcoming vehicle programs.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management or related field

Tools

Excel modeling

Power BI

SAP experience

Job description

Buyer - Exterior Grilles

We made history and now we work to transform the future - for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

In this position...

The Ford Supply Chain team is at the heart of our global transformation. We don’t just buy parts; we build resilient, competitive, and technologically advanced supply strategies and networks. As the Buyer for Exterior Grilles and Plastic Liftgates, you will own the commercial strategy and supplier relationships for these key components within the vehicle. You will join a collaborative team of experienced exterior buyers, taking full ownership of your unique assemblies and supplier relationships sourcing the highest quality parts from around the globe while ensuring the best total cost and on-time delivery. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge automated assembly, bill of process design, and commercial execution, you will directly influence the bottom line of our Ford/Lincoln portfolio by:

• Leading supplier commercial negotiations.
• Developing and maintaining strong supplier partnerships.
• Quoting and negotiating pricing of future parts with suppliers including the purchase of production parts, tooling, and services.
• Ensuring constant review and adherence to the Commodity Business Plan

What you'll do...

Strategic Sourcing & Commodity Leadership

• Design & Execute Sourcing Strategies: Develop, implement, and champion the North American sourcing strategy for all Exterior Grille and Plastic Liftgate components.
• Manage the Commodity Business Plan: Ensure continuous alignment, review, and adherence to the North American Grille and Plastic Liftgate Commodity Business Plans to support long-term sourcing stability.
• Launch Management: Develop and manage detailed commercial timing plans for upcoming vehicle programs, ensuring supplier onboarding and cost targets align with critical program milestones.
• Drive High-Value Negotiations: Lead end-to-end commercial negotiations with suppliers, covering production parts and lifecycle services.
• Deliver Cost Optimizations: Proactively identify and execute commercial cost-saving initiatives. Evaluate supplier cost-increase requests, utilizing fact-based negotiation and market data to mitigate avoidances.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Conduct comprehensive business case studies, including landed cost studies, total cost of ownership (TCO) analyses, directed sourcing analysis, and quality cost evaluations to guide executive sourcing decisions.
• Partner with Key Stakeholders: Act as the commercial bridge between Product Development (PD), Design Studio, Quality (STA), Finance, and Vehicle Operations to deliver optimal quality, cost, and delivery (QCD) objectives.
• Cultivate Supplier Partnerships: Build, maintain, and leverage strong, professional relationships with key global suppliers to foster innovation and secure supply priority.
• Resolve Supply Bottlenecks: Actively work with cross-functional teams in resolving complex commercial, quality, or delivery issues that impact production.
• Executive Presentation: Prepare and confidently present sourcing strategies, business cases, and risk-mitigation plans to senior executive leadership.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Supplier Relations

• Partner with Key Stakeholders: Act as the commercial bridge between Product Development (PD), Design Studio, Quality (STA), Finance, and Vehicle Operations to deliver optimal quality, cost, and delivery (QCD) objectives.
• Cultivate Supplier Partnerships: Build, maintain, and leverage strong, professional relationships with key global suppliers to foster innovation and secure supply priority.
• Resolve Supply Bottlenecks: Actively work with cross-functional teams in resolving complex commercial, quality, or delivery issues that impact production.
• Executive Presentation: Prepare and confidently present sourcing strategies, business cases, and risk-mitigation plans to senior executive leadership.

You’ll have...

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, strategic sourcing, or commercial contract negotiation.
• Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to evaluate large datasets, synthesize complex financial data, and present clear, actionable recommendations.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills, with a track record of collaborating across diverse, cross-functional teams.
• Availability to work in our hybrid model (4 days on-site in Dearborn, MI, with 1 day optional remote).

Even better, you may have...

• 5-8+ years of strategic procurement or supply chain experience, preferably within the automotive or manufacturing sectors.
• Prior experience sourcing plastic injection molded parts and complex assemblies.
• Master’s Degree (MBA or Master’s in Supply Chain/Engineering).
• Proven project management skills with a strong discipline for process, timelines, and execution.
• Proficiency with advanced data tools (complex Excel modeling, Power BI, etc.) and enterprise sourcing systems (SAP experience is a plus).

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
• 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
• Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day

This position is a salary grade 5 and ranges from $65,100-$109,300.

This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $74,300-$124,500.

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.