Purchasing Professional

Knorr Brake Company; Avon (OH); On-site; USD 76,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plans

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Holidays

Floating holidays

Parental leave

Stock purchase plan

Job summary

Zelisko in Springfield, MO seeks a Technical Purchasing Professional to source components, manage supplier relationships, and optimize total cost of ownership. You will collaborate with Engineering, Operations, and Central Purchasing to ensure material availability and cost-effective supply strategies.

The role requires a background in engineering or supply chain and several years in technical purchasing, with strong negotiation and analytical skills. Travel as needed is expected.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field.
• Alternatively, extensive technical and purchasing experience in a relevant industrial environment.

Responsibilities

• Source new and existing components for a defined supplier portfolio with quality, cost, delivery targets.
• Ensure seamless material availability and on-time delivery for production; evaluate suppliers for competitiveness and fit.
• Lead contract, pricing and logistics negotiations to achieve best total cost of ownership.
• Track supplier KPIs and drive continuous improvement in performance.
• Develop local commodity strategies with Commodity Management and Central Purchasing.
• Provide technical purchasing support during component selection and make-or-buy decisions.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and lead value engineering with internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Production, Logistics and Finance to align supply chain.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier evaluation

Contract management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Cost optimization

Data-driven decisions

Analytical mindset

SAP MM/PP

SAP S/4HANA

Education

Engineering degree

Supply Chain / Business Administration

Industrial experience

Tools

SAP MM/PP

SAP S/4HANA

ERP systems

Job description

Position Summary

The Technical Purchasing Professional is responsible for sourcing and managing a defined supplier and product portfolio, ensuring the availability of cost-effective, high-quality components that support business objectives. This role drives supplier selection, contract negotiations, commodity strategy implementation, and cost optimization initiatives while working closely with Engineering, Operations, Commodity Management, and Central Purchasing. As this position is crucial to our daily operations, ensuring seamless material availability is key to our success.

Key Responsibilities

• Source new and existing components for a defined supplier and product portfolio, ensuring quality, cost, delivery, and performance requirements are met.
• Ensuring seamless material availability and on-time delivery for production.Evaluate and select suppliers based on competitiveness, technical capabilities, quality standards, capacity, and long-term strategic fit.
• Lead contract, pricing, and logistics negotiations with suppliers, focusing on achieving the best Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Track and analyze supplier KPIs, driving continuous improvement initiatives and ensuring sustainable supplier performance.
• Develop and implement local commodity strategies in close cooperation with Commodity Management and Central Purchasing.
• Provide technical purchasing support during component selection processes and make-or-buy decisions.
• Identify, plan, and realize cost-saving opportunities and value engineering initiatives in collaboration with Commodity Management and internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Quality, Production, Logistics, and Finance to ensure alignment across the supply chain.

Education

• Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field from a University of Applied Sciences, Technical University, or equivalent practical experience.
• Alternatively, extensive technical and purchasing experience in a relevant industrial environment.

Experience

• Several years of professional experience in technical purchasing, strategic sourcing, or supplier management within an industrial or manufacturing environment is considered a strong advantage.
• Strong background in operative work (ordering, manage supplier escalations, missing parts management)
• Experience managing complex supplier negotiations and sourcing projects.
• Proven track record in cost optimization and supplier development initiatives.

Knowledge And Skills

• Strong understanding of operative procurement, technical products, manufacturing processes, and supply chain management principles.
• Experience in strategic sourcing, supplier evaluation, contract management, and purchasing strategy development.
• Knowledge of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methodologies and cost analysis techniques.
• SAP MM / PP and/or SAP S/4HANA knowledge is considered an advantage.
• Strong analytical and commercial mindset with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Have a good understanding of BaBa (Build America, Buy America Act), experience in standardization (i.e. UL / IEEE).

Personal Attributes

• Results-oriented and proactive working style.
• Adept at prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced daily business environment.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
• High level of assertiveness and negotiation confidence.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Team-oriented, collaborative, and capable of working in an international environment.
• Hands-on, with the ability to work according to procedures

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to travel as required.

Training in Austria

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in Springfield, MO is $75,900–$113,900 per year. The final pay offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and years of experience within the job, the type of years and experience within the industry and education. Zelisko is a multi-state employer, and this pay scale may not reflect positions that work in other states or locations. Provided they meet all eligibility requirements under the applicable plan documents, employees (and their eligible dependents) will be eligible to enroll in group healthcare plans that offer medical, dental, vision, and basic life and disability insurance. Employees also will be able to enroll in our company's 401k plan. Employees will also receive 120 hours of vacation leave and 40 hours of Personal Paid Absence every year. Employees will also enjoy 12 paid holidays, and 1 floating holiday throughout the calendar year, subject to relevant terms outlined in the employee handbook. 6 weeks of paid parental leave will also be available for use. Requirements for these benefits will be controlled by applicable plan documents and policies. Employees working on federal contracts covered by the Federal Paid Sick Leave requirements will be notified and will receive benefits consistent and compliant with the FPSL requirements. Hired applicant will be able to purchase company stock, subject to the relevant plan documents and annual bonuses based on achievement of certain metrics of up to 4% of annual salary. This is intended to provide a general description of benefits and other compensation and is not a substitute for applicable plan documents or company policies.

Please note: At this time, we are not able to offer immigration sponsorship for new hires. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for current or future employment-based visa sponsorship.