Lead Commodity Manager - Castings

Wabtec; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 79,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Health and retirement benefits

Job summary

Wabtec Corporation is seeking a Lead Commodity Manager for Castings to drive regional and global strategy, supplier management, and cost efficiency. You will oversee budgets, forecasts, risk assessments, and supplier performance while coordinating with sourcing, engineering, operations, and quality teams.

You will build market intelligence, manage supplier onboarding, and lead negotiations to ensure a reliable, cost-effective supply base aligned with business goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Sourcing, Operations, Engineering, or related field.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the regional and global strategy for the castings commodity.
• Build supplier market intelligence to support sourcing decisions.
• Develop, qualify, manage, and rationalize the supplier base.
• Define and maintain supplier risk assessments, including sole-, single-, and dual-source strategies.
• Lead supplier performance reviews and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and execute raw material sourcing strategies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for regional castings suppliers.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to support business objectives.
• Lead and monitor supplier selection and onboarding activities.
• Develop and manage the commodity budget and forecast.
• Monitor PPI impacts and savings initiatives.
• Drive corrective actions and cost improvement plans as needed.
• Lead RFQ processes, including offer evaluation, supplier negotiations, and contract awards.
• Establish and manage frame agreements and off-cycle sourcing activities.
• Optimize PO payment terms and drive supplier payment automation.
• Manage contract amendments and renegotiations.
• Provide approved supplier lists to project sourcing teams.
• Support qualification and contracting of new suppliers.
• Participate in supplier selection decisions and sourcing committee reviews.
• Contribute to commercial negotiations leveraging enterprise spend.

Skills

3+ years experience

Travel up to 25%

Negotiation experience

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

The Lead Commodity Manager - Castings will partner closely with global sourcing, engineering, operations, quality, and project teams to develop and execute commodity strategies that support business objectives. This role will serve as the primary point of contact for regional castings suppliers and drive supplier performance, risk management, cost competitiveness, and sourcing excellence across the castings commodity.

How will you make a difference?

As a Lead Commodity Manager, you will be responsible for developing and executing the strategic sourcing roadmap for the castings commodity. You will drive supplier performance, manage commercial agreements, oversee commodity budgets and forecasts, and ensure a reliable, competitive, and resilient supply base that supports operational and business goals.

What do we want to know about you?

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Sourcing, Operations, Engineering, or a related field.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing and executing commodity strategies within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong supplier relationship management and negotiation experience.
• Knowledge of castings manufacturing processes and supplier markets.
• Experience with supplier risk assessment and mitigation planning.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, forecasts, and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Strong analytical, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

What will your typical day look like?

Commodity Strategy & Supplier Management

• Develop and execute the regional and global strategy for the castings commodity.
• Build technical and regional supplier market intelligence to support sourcing decisions.
• Develop, qualify, manage, and rationalize the supplier base.
• Define and maintain supplier risk assessments, including sole-source, single-source, and dual-source strategies.
• Lead supplier performance reviews and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and execute raw material sourcing strategies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for regional castings suppliers.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to support business objectives.
• Lead and monitor supplier selection and onboarding activities.

Budget & Forecast Management

• Develop and manage the commodity budget and forecast.
• Monitor Producer Price Index (PPI) impacts and savings initiatives.
• Drive corrective actions and cost improvement plans as needed.

Request for Quotation (RFQ) & Contract Management

• Lead RFQ processes, including offer evaluation, supplier negotiations, and contract awards.
• Establish and manage frame agreements, off-cycle sourcing activities, and serial-life contracts.
• Optimize purchase order payment terms and drive supplier payment process automation.
• Manage contract amendments and commercial renegotiations.

Project Sourcing Support

• Provide approved supplier lists to project sourcing teams.
• Support qualification and contracting of new suppliers.
• Participate in supplier selection decisions and sourcing committee reviews.
• Contribute to commercial negotiations by leveraging enterprise-wide spend and supplier relationships.

Operational Sourcing

• Drive sourcing competitiveness for existing and standard products.
• Support resolution of escalated supplier performance and delivery issues.
• Ensure continuity of supply while achieving cost, quality, and delivery objectives.

This position is not eligible for relocation assistance.

Additional Information

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $79100-112800 The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market demands and work location. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. More information on offered benefits, which include health, welfare, and retirement, are available at mywabtecbenefits.com. Other benefit offerings for this role may include annual bonus, if eligible.

What could you accomplish in a place that puts People First?

At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other.

If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place for you.

Who are we?

Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on more than 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Whether it’s freight, transit, ports, logistics, mining, industrial, or marine, our expertise, technologies, and people together – are accelerating the future of transportation. With roots that date back to George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison, and Louis Faiveley, Wabtec has always built technologies and implemented solutions for a variety of sectors that are critical to meeting the needs of customers and governments alike.

Our global team of about 30,000 employees worldwide delivers performance that moves the world forward. We’re lifelong learners, obsessed with better. Learn more at www.WabtecCorp.com.

Culture powers us and the possibilities.

We believe the best ideas come from a mix of experiences and backgrounds. At Wabtec, we strive every day to create a place where everyone belongs. We’re building a culture where leadership, inclusion and your unique perspective fuel progress.

We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome talent of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including race, gender, age, disability, veteran status and more.

Need accommodation? Just let us know - we’ve got you.