What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cost Estimating Manager position at International Automotive Components?
A Cost Estimating Manager at a Tier 1 automotive supplier oversees the financial forecasting, "should-cost" modeling, and quoting processes for new and existing programs. This role bridges purchasing, engineering, and sales to ensure competitive, profitable bids on products while leading cost-targeting and benchmarking activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Cost Estimation & "Should-Cost" Modeling: Lead the development of detailed "should-cost" models to provide a baseline for supplier negotiations and customer negotiations, including materials, labor, tooling, packaging, and freight.
- RFQ Management: Manage the end-to-end RFQ (Request for Quotation) process, ensuring accurate, timely submissions for new business opportunities and engineering changes (ECI).
- Strategic Sourcing & Benchmarking: Collaborate with Purchasing to target cost reduction opportunities, benchmarking current costs against industry standards to achieve the lowest product costs.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Engineering, Sales, Purchasing, and Finance to analyze blueprints, manufacturing processes, and technical data to ensure estimates are realistic and technically sound.
- Team Leadership & Management: Manage, mentor, and develop a team of cost estimators/engineers, setting departmental KPIs and ensuring high-performance standards.
- Supplier Negotiations: Provide data-driven support to purchasing teams to challenge supplier quotation prices and drive cost reductions.
- Profitability Analysis: Evaluate the financial impact of design changes, volume fluctuations, and macroeconomic factors (e.g., raw material fluctuations) on product profitability.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Finance, Business, or a related field; a technical degree is preferred.
- Experience: 5 years of experience in cost estimating, manufacturing, or finance, ideally within a Tier 1 automotive environment.
- Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of manufacturing processes (e.g., die-casting, injection molding, stamping), tooling requirements, and raw material markets.
- Software Proficiency: Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel (complex modeling) and ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Hyperion).
- Analytical Skills: Strong numerical aptitude to research, assemble, manage, and manipulate large data sets.
- Communication & Negotiation: Excellent interpersonal skills to negotiate with suppliers and present findings to senior management.
- People Management: Ability to manage a group of people and develop them at the same time as being task oriented.