Direct Material Buyer (Injection Molded Plastics)

Volvo Car Germany GmbH; Ridgeville (SC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Volvo Cars in Ridgeville, SC seeks a Direct Material Buyer (Plastics, Injection Molding) to procure materials for advanced vehicle projects and ongoing production. The role owns localization of parts and drives cost efficiency, supplier performance, and alignment with global sourcing strategies.

You will build the US supplier base, negotiate terms, manage RFQs/POs, and support design changes, collaborating with global teams to optimize procurement across the program lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years in manufacturing procurement.
• Experience with Plastics, Injection Molding and Painted Plastics preferred.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong understanding of cost drivers and market dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Build US supplier base for plastics and related components, collaborating with European/China organizations.
• Lead supplier negotiations to achieve optimal cost, quality and terms.
• Issue RFQs, purchase orders, and manage ongoing commercial changes.
• Support engineering/design changes within active projects.
• Collaborate with global Purchasing, Engineering and Manufacturing to align sourcing strategies.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Negotiation skills

Analytical thinking

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

ERP systems

MS Office

Job description

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Direct Material Buyer (Injection Molded Plastics)

Take the lead in driving innovation
At Volvo Cars, we are committed to advancing safety, sustainability and electrification. To achieve our ambitious goals, we are looking for forward-thinking individuals who can identify challenges before they arise and deliver cutting‑edge solutions that set new industry standards.
When you choose a career with Volvo Cars, you're not just joining a company - you're helping shape the future of mobility.

Let's introduce ourselves

Job Summary

• The Direct Material Buyer (Commodity Buyer - Plastics, Injection Molding, Painted Plastics) is responsible for purchasing materials for advanced and new vehicle projects, as well as ongoing production, for Volvo Cars' manufacturing facility in Ridgeville, SC. This role owns the procurement of all localized parts and is also expected to challenge and optimize existing part and tooling setups for imported materials.
• Key responsibilities include ensuring supplier quality, cost, and delivery performance for new vehicle programs, driving cost efficiency, managing the supply base, mitigating supply risk, and supporting commodity strategies. The Buyer works closely with global stakeholders across Purchasing, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and other functions, including close collaboration with Purchasing teams in Europe and China. All purchasing activities are executed within a globally aligned process and governance structure.

What you'll do

• Map, evaluate and establish a U.S. supply base for relevant commodities supporting localization, in close collaboration with European and China organizations through global councils.
• Establish supplier agreements and source both local and global content.
• Drive localization business case development, evaluation, and execution.
• Lead supplier negotiations to achieve optimal cost, quality, and commercial terms.
• Serve as the primary commercial point of contact for assigned suppliers.
• Issue RFQs, purchase orders, and manage ongoing commercial changes.
• Support and act on engineering and design changes within active projects.
• Participate in global category meetings to align sourcing strategies and project execution with the Global Purchasing team.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of VCC sourcing processes and related IT systems.
• Lead cost savings initiatives from idea generation through implementation.
• Working knowledge with managing BOMs (Build of Material) down to raw material

What you'll bring

Job Specifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field or equivalent professional experience.
• Profeciency in Microsoft Office applications, with strong emphasis on Excel.
• In-depth knowledge of the Automotive Industry, including Tier 1 & Tier 2 suppliers, systems and processes.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing procurement.
• Experience with interior or platform automotive components is preferred.
• Purchasing / procurement experience with Plastics, Injection Molding and Painted Plastics highly preferred.
• Strong negotiation skills with proactive focus on identifying and driving commercial opportunities.
• Solid understanding of purchasing fundamentals and the ability to optimize business outcomes in the best interest of the company.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to respectfully challenge and influence both internal and external stakeholders.
• Structured, analytical thinker with the ability to manage multiple issues and projects in parallel.
• Positive, solution-oriented mindset.
• Ability to independently drive initiatives and see tasks through to completion.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to understand long-term impacts and broader business objectives.
• Results-oriented with strong analytical skills.
• High level of integrity, honesty, and professionalism.
• Strong understanding of cost drivers for assigned products and categories.
• Solid knowledge or regional market dynamics for assigned products and categories.

Volvo Cars. For Life.
For nearly a century, Volvo Cars has empowered people to move freely in a personal, sustainable and safe way. Today, we are driving bold advancements in electrification, sustainability and automotive safety. To realise our ambitious vision, we are seeking innovative minds who are ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow - today.
In our company, we believe extraordinary things are achieved by ordinary people with the drive to make a difference.
We welcome your application!