Direct Cateory Buyer

**Description**

**Ready to contribute to the future of automotive industry?**

We are part of Hitachi Astemo focusing on world-leading advanced mobility solutions within the fields of electrification, autonomous driving, and connectivity to help reduce environmental damage, decrease traffic accidents, and improve comfort. Together, we contribute to a sustainable society and improved quality of life by providing mobility solutions that satisfy our customers and form the future core of automotive and motorcycle systems. Our people are at the heart of achieving these goals, and we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer.
- Let's make th eworld a brighter place, become a part of the team and join our Rüsselsheim office (near Frankfurt) as:_

**Direct Category Buyer (M/F/d)**
- Manages or performs strategic sourcing work to manage risk and optimize the value/resilience of materials/services sourcing including: Establishing supplier relationship management processes and continuous improvement goals/programs. Negotiating contracts and coordinating supplier integration plans with internal clients. Monitoring market dynamics that impact materials/services availability and/or pricing. Partnering with internal clients to identify sourcing needs, develop buyer/market profiles, identify marketplace trends, and define acceptable service levels A Senior Professional (P3) applies advanced knowledge of job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience. Responsibilities may include: Managing projects / processes, working independently with limited supervision. Coaching and reviewing the work of lower level professionals. Problems faced are difficult and sometimes complex._

**Key Accountabilities and Activities**

**Direct Category Buyer for aluminium castings or rubber and shock absorber oil or electromechanical components**
- ** Market intelligence, category, supplier specific information**
- Collect regional, category, supplier specific information
- Propose strategic path to Global Category Manager based on the information gathered
- Propose ideas for cost reduction/avoidance, Continuous Improvement
- Participate actively in annual budget preparation
- ** Perform sourcing and ensure commercial supplier performance**
- Negotiate annually or on spot with suppliers (prices, payment terms, tooling, commercial clauses, capacity issues, EOL )
- Negotiate and formalize contracts
- Lead the sourcing decisions in her/his area of responsibility based on the category strategy and Business Units expectations / timing
- Prepare cost estimation (for BU during acquisition phase), including request of “should cost” to Cost Engineering team
- Ensure category strategy implementation
- Support BU for VEC initiatives and corresponding negotiations with suppliers
- Report KPI by part number and supplier
- ** Manage supplier base**
- Develop regional supply base and manage relationship with local suppliers
- Track local supplier performance and compliance
- Update negotiation strategy based on the situation
- Support BU and Regions in case of supplier issues / escalation

**Possible role : Assistant Global Category Manager**

Support Global Category Manager for Worldwide/Overseas business, with priority on North America : communicate with buyers in overseas regions, acting as deputy for Global Category Manager. Participate in Global negotiations with overseas suppliers. Support escalation topics at middle management level when Global Category Manager indicates to do.

These tasks may involve overseas business trips (Japan, USA...)

**Your profile**
- Good knowledge in Procurement / Purchasing / Sourcing / Supply Chain
- Experience in Procurement (min. 4-5 years).
- Experience in automotive area, raw material or components are a real asset
- Customer focused, Team-Player, Global Player
- English (spoken / written) is required, as it is the main working language. German is an asset but not expected.
- Degree in Business Administration, Logistics or similar wished.
- Ability to work independently - search and get information by yourself
- Self-motivated

Location: Rüsselsheim, Germany

**Benefits**
- 30 days of annual leave
- Corporate company benefits (pension scheme, accident insurance )
- Flat hierarchy
- Hybrid working options.
- Company business bike leasing
- Working in an international team

**Why Hitachi Astemo?**

At Hitachi Astemo, we respect each other, never pass the buck and work creatively to accomplish our mission. Our people are given exciting opportunities to develop and grow in a truly international business, where they are proud to be part of a collaborative and innovative team. Diversity & Inclusion is valued to build and leverage an inclusive work environment and embrace diversity to unlock our full potential. We believe that this will give us the strength to drive great innovations to create new values for people, vehicles and the society, and to unlock our full potential to become a