Procurement Director - Direct Materials (Automotive) -bilingual Mandarin

CGP Search; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A global automotive systems company is seeking a US Procurement Director in the Detroit area to establish a regional procurement organization. This foundational leadership role offers a clear path to Regional Head of Procurement – North America. The ideal candidate will possess 15–20 years of experience in automotive procurement, particularly in OEM or Tier-1 environments, with skills in localization, supplier industrialization, and cross-border sourcing. Fluent English and Mandarin are required, along with a strong grasp of North American automotive ecosystems.

Qualifications

• 15–20 years of experience in automotive procurement, ideally within OEM or Tier-1 environments.
• Proven experience leading localization and cross-border sourcing projects.
• Deep understanding of North American automotive supplier ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute procurement and localization strategy for North American operations.
• Establish the regional procurement organization, processes, and governance.
• Lead supplier scouting, RFIs/RFQs, cost benchmarking, and sourcing decisions.
• Drive supplier industrialization, tooling awards, and contract negotiations.
• Support product localization from China into U.S. and Mexico supplier bases.
• Lead procurement activities through industrialization, launch, and post-launch cost optimization.

Skills

Automotive procurement

Powertrain and drivetrain sourcing

Localization project leadership

Cross-border sourcing

Understanding of North American automotive ecosystems

Fluent in English and Mandarin

Entrepreneurial mindset

Job description

US Procurement Director – Direct Materials

Our client is a global propulsion and automotive systems company expanding its footprint in North America. As part of this growth, they are establishing a regional procurement organization and are seeking a US Procurement Director to lead localization, supplier industrialization, and cost competitiveness across the region.

This is a foundational leadership role, with a clear path to Regional Head of Procurement – North America as the business scales.

The Role

The US Procurement Director will build and lead the North American direct‑materials procurement function from the ground up. The role serves as a critical interface between China‑based development and industrialization teams and U.S. manufacturing and supplier ecosystems.

The position is based in the Detroit area and requires frequent travel to China (including an initial extended assignment) and global supplier locations.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute procurement and localization strategy for North American operations
• Establish the regional procurement organization, processes, and governance
• Lead supplier scouting, RFIs/RFQs, cost benchmarking, and sourcing decisions
• Drive supplier industrialization, tooling awards, and contract negotiations
• Support product localization from China into U.S. and Mexico supplier bases
• Lead procurement activities through industrialization, launch, and post‑launch cost optimization
• Act as the regional procurement lead across cross‑functional programs (R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Logistics, Finance)

Candidate Profile

• 15–20 years’ experience in automotive procurement, ideally within OEM or Tier‑1 environments
• Strong background in powertrain, drivetrain, or complex automotive systems sourcing
• Proven experience leading localization and cross‑border sourcing projects
• Deep understanding of North American automotive supplier ecosystems
• Prior exposure to China‑based suppliers, manufacturing, or engineering teams strongly preferred
• Fluent in English and Mandarin (written and spoken)
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate hands‑on initially and scale a team over time

Why This Opportunity

• Build a regional procurement organization from inception
• High‑visibility role with direct influence on cost, supplier strategy, and localization success
• Clear progression to Regional Head of Procurement – North America
• Operate at the intersection of global engineering, sourcing, and industrialization

Location: Detroit area, United States

Travel: Extensive (China and global suppliers)

Level: Senior Professional / Director

Seniority level

Director

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Purchasing

Industries

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing