Senior Buyer

StaffBright; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

StaffBright is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer for a confidential automotive manufacturing client in the Metro Detroit area. This is a hands-on purchasing opportunity for someone who can independently manage suppliers, purchasing activities, and multiple priorities within a fast-paced Tier 1 or Tier 2 automotive environment.

The ideal candidate will bring 5+ years of automotive purchasing experience and have hands-on experience in either commodity/direct material purchasing or

Qualifications

• 5+ years of automotive purchasing experience in Tier 1 or Tier 2.
• Hands-on experience in direct materials or project/program buying.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage purchasing activities across direct materials, components, suppliers, and automotive programs.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies based on cost, quality, timing and supply needs.
• Manage supplier relationships and hold suppliers accountable for cost, quality and delivery.
• Lead RFQs, bid analysis, pricing discussions, and supplier negotiations.
• Support new program sourcing, supplier selection, and launch activities as applicable.
• Drive cost-reduction initiatives and identify opportunities to improve purchasing performance.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and Planning to resolve material and supplier issues.
• Identify and mitigate supply risks including capacity, single-source exposure, and supplier performance.
• Monitor supplier and purchasing data to support informed business decisions.
• Manage multiple priorities and projects while meeting deadlines and production requirements.
• Support automotive program launch activities, including APQP, PPAP, and material compliance.

Skills

Purchasing experience

Automotive industry

Negotiation

Supplier management

RFQ process

Cross-functional teams

Project management

Data analysis

Tools

SAP

Job description

StaffBright is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer for a confidential automotive manufacturing client in the Metro Detroit area. This is a hands-on purchasing opportunity for someone who can independently manage suppliers, purchasing activities, and multiple priorities within a fast-paced Tier 1 or Tier 2 automotive environment.

The ideal candidate will bring 5+ years of automotive purchasing experienceand have hands-on experience in either commodity/direct material purchasing or project/program buying. This is a great opportunity for someone who is tactical, decisive, adaptable, and ready to take ownership without a lot of hand-holding.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Manage purchasing activities across direct materials, components, suppliers, and/or automotive programs.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies based on business needs, cost, quality, timing, and supply requirements.
• Manage supplier relationships and hold suppliers accountable for cost, quality, and delivery.
• Lead RFQs, bid analysis, pricing discussions, and supplier negotiations.
• Support new program sourcing, supplier selection, and launch activities as applicable.
• Drive cost-reduction initiatives and identify opportunities to improve purchasing performance.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and Planning to resolve material and supplier issues.
• Identify and mitigate supply risks, including capacity, single-source exposure, and supplier performance.
• Monitor supplier and purchasing data to support informed business decisions.
• Manage multiple priorities and projects while maintaining deadlines and production requirements.
• Support automotive program launch activities, including APQP, PPAP, and material compliance requirements as applicable.

What You’ll Need:

• 5+ years of purchasing experience within the automotive industry – Tier 1 or Tier 2 required.
• Hands-on Buyer experience in either commodity/direct material purchasing OR project/program buying.
• Experience managing suppliers and working directly with internal cross-functional teams.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong tactical and problem-solving abilities with a willingness to take ownership and make decisions.
• Adaptable and comfortable moving between strategic priorities and day-to-day purchasing needs.
• SAP or similar ERP/procurement systems
• Experience with injection molding and plastics manufacturing
• Familiarity with plastic resins and related purchasing requirements
• Commodity purchasing experience with fasteners, stamped parts, painting, and molded components
• Exposure to tooling and assembly purchasing

StaffBright – Who We Are

StaffBright connects exceptional professionals with fulfilling opportunities in Finance, IT, Engineering, and Sales and Marketing. By partnering with industry-leading organizations, we help accelerate careers while delivering outstanding results for our clients. At StaffBright, we go beyond traditional staffing by fostering close collaboration with our clients, recruiters, and candidates to ensure talent needs are met efficiently. Our commitment to building long-term relationships and driving success sets us apart as a trusted partner in the staffing industry.