Senior Buyer - Brake Controls

At Ford, we made history, and now we work to transform the future of mobility for our customers, our communities, and our families.

The Ford Purchasing team adds critical value to the entire organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement category strategies for Brake Controls commodity to optimise cost, quality, resiliency, and supplier performance.
• Conduct supplier evaluations and negotiations to secure competitive pricing, quality, and mitigate risk.
• Lead the commercial evaluation of new vehicle programs, presenting data-driven sourcing recommendations to executive leadership.
• Manage supplier relationships to ensure timely delivery of products and resolve any issues that may arise.
• Monitor global market trends, capacity constraints, and geopolitical risks to proactively adjust the sourcing footprint.
• Accountable to work closely with others to meet deadlines with excellence; drive others to deliver required materials on time and with quality.

Responsibilities

• Develop and Execute Category Strategies: Lead the strategic sourcing and category management for brake control and automotive underbody systems to optimise cost, quality, resiliency, and overall supplier performance.
• Drive Commercial Sourcing and Negotiations: Lead supplier evaluations, RFQs, and complex contract negotiations to secure competitive pricing, protect intellectual property, and mitigate procurement risks.
• Guide New Vehicle Program Sourcing: Orchestrate the commercial evaluation of upcoming vehicle lines, utilising data-driven analysis to present robust, strategic sourcing recommendations to leadership.
• Proactively Manage Supply Resiliency: Monitor global market trends, raw material indices, and geopolitical risks to proactively optimise our sourcing footprint and prevent supply chain disruptions.
• Manage Strategic Supplier Relations: Nurture high-impact relationships with key global suppliers, resolving commercial, quality, or delivery issues collaboratively to ensure uninterrupted vehicle production.
• Collaborate Across Functions: Partner closely with engineering, quality, and program management teams to align business goals with technical requirements, driving continuous improvement and process efficiency.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain management, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience: Typically, 3 or more years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain management, preferably with experience managing technical automotive commodities (such as braking systems, chassis, or electronic controls).
• Negotiation & Contract Management: Proven success navigating complex commercial negotiations and managing supplier contracts.
• Technical & Tool Proficiency: Strong capabilities in data-driven decision-making, with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel) and industry-standard procurement software (such as SAP, Ariba, or similar e-sourcing tools).
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex commodity details into clear, strategic updates for cross-functional stakeholders and leadership.
• English: Be proficient in English when working with global teams