PURCHASING HEAD - NORTH AMERICA- AUTOMOTIVE

Richard Lombart Consulting & The Executive Way; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Richard Lombart Consulting & The Executive Way seeks a Procurement & Purchasing Head for North America in the Greater Detroit area. The role reports to the CEO North America and drives strategic sourcing across multiple sites, including the integration of new acquisitions.

The candidate has 15+ years in purchasing/procurement, an engineering degree (MBA a plus), and a proven track record in the automotive sector with major Tier 1 experience.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree required or equivalent technical background.
• MBA is a plus.
• 15+ years in purchasing/procurement with leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Define the regional procurement strategy for North America.
• Build governance, tools and price references for a modern function.
• Lead a team of ~12 and consolidate supplier base.
• Extend the model to new sites as the group grows.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Team leadership

Negotiation

Procurement strategy

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Engineering degree

MBA

Tools

SAP

ERP software

Job description

PROCUREMENT & PURCHASING HEAD - NORTH AMERICA

Greater Detroit, Michigan · Reporting to the CEO North America · New position

Our client is the global leader , Number one worldwide , in its segment of industrial technical services. The group is highly profitable and continues to grow at a steady pace, organically and through acquisitions, with North America ( $ 100 + M ) as one of its active fronts. Its customers are automotive, aerospace , High Tech , Medical , Life Science , companies, among many others, …where technical standards – manufacturing & engineering - leave little room for approximation.

In North America, the business operates a network of sites across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and that network keeps expanding. Purchasing has not kept pace. It is still handled locally and remains largely administrative. The group has decided to address this and is creating the position of Procurement Director for the region, reporting directly to the CEO North America.

TO BUILD A MODERN & PROFESSIONAL PURCHASING / PROCUREMENT FUNCTION

You will define the regional procurement strategy, put in place the governance, tools and price references that do not yet exist, and move a team of about twelve people from transactional purchasing to strategic sourcing and more . As the group acquires new sites, you will also bring them into the model.

The bulk of the spend, over $10M a year, goes to technical and expert subcontracting.

Purchase prices here feed straight into gross margin, which makes this category the heart of the job. The supplier base is wide and fragmented, around 800 suppliers ( to serve more than 1000 customers ) ranging from equipment manufacturers to small local specialists, some of whom are also competitors.

A further $5M+ covers production-related purchasing, mainly packaging and logistics, while indirect categories are still managed site by site.

Plus other indirect categories

The mandate is to bring all direct and indirect purchasing into a structured, effective organization: consolidating the supplier base, driving measurable performance, and building long-term supplier development.

In both cases, the gains will come from consolidation, intelligent negotiation strategies and practices / execution shared across the three countries.

The position is Key for the organisation ; If the model succeeds in North America, it may be extended to other regions. The role therefore carries real visibility with group leadership and a natural path to wider responsibilities.

YOU

We are looking for a high-potential purchasing leader with an engineering degree (an MBA is a plus) and around +_15 years in purchasing / procurement, including team management.

A track record in the automotive industry is expected, ideally with a major Tier 1 supplier reference in modern Purchasing / Procurement approach

You have already structured or transformed a purchasing organization, preferably across several sites or countries, and you can show the results: savings delivered, supplier panels consolidated, processes put in place. You know how to buy technical services and negotiate them with credibility.

You are as effective in front of an executive committee as at a tough negotiating table. You are hands‑on, driven by results, and you want a function to build, not one to maintain.

You are authorized to work in the United States. Spanish ( not mandatory ) is a strong asset.

The package is competitive and in line with the level of the position. This search is conducted in strict confidence.