What are the responsibilities and job description for the Global Commodity Buyer position at KSR?
Founded in 1948, KSR is an industry leader in designing, engineering, and manufacturing driver interface systems of the future for Tier 1 OEMs.
KSR has an immediate opening for a
Global Commodity Buyer
Southfield, Michigan, USA or Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada
The Global Commodity Buyer is responsible for developing and executing global sourcing strategies and managing day-to-day purchasing activities for electronic components used in automotive manufacturing, including microchips, semiconductors, sensors, electronic assemblies, connectors, and related technologies. Operating within a Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment, this role ensures continuity of supply, cost competitiveness, quality, and compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.
This position manages supplier relationships across multiple regions, negotiates commercial agreements, and collaborates cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, Operations, Program Management, and Finance to support current production requirements and new product launches. The successful candidate will play a critical role in securing supply for electronic components that are essential to KSR products and customer programs.
Job ID: 2026.4
Reporting To
Global Director of Purchasing
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in one of the following: Supply Chain Management, Business Administration / Commerce, Purchasing or Procurement Management or other related field, or equivalent experience
- 5-10 years of progressive purchasing, commodity management, or strategic sourcing experience in automotive manufacturing
- Experience sourcing and procuring automotive electronic components, including semiconductors, microchips, sensors, PCBs, connectors, or related electronic systems preferred
- Experience managing supplier relationships within global electronics supply chains preferred
Salary Range
- Ontario - $70,000 - $100,000 CAD
- Compensation for U.S. based hires will be determined in accordance with local market conditions and applicable state and federal requirements.
Job Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Commodity Management
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Develop and execute global sourcing strategies for automotive electronic components, including semiconductors, microchips, sensors, electronic assemblies, connectors, and related technologies.
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Define supplier footprint, sourcing models, dual-source strategies, and localization opportunities.
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Monitor global electronics market trends, semiconductor capacity constraints, lead times, allocation risks, and cost drivers.
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Lead RFQs/RFPs, supplier evaluations, benchmarking activities, and sourcing decisions.
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Negotiate pricing, long-term agreements, tooling, payment terms, and commercial conditions.
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Award business in accordance with internal approval and governance processes.
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Drive year-over-year cost reductions and total cost of ownership improvements.
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Perform cost analysis and should-cost modeling; track and validate savings in partnership with Finance.
Purchasing & Supply Continuity
- Manage day-to-day purchasing activities required to support customer demand and production schedules.
- Monitor supplier deliveries, purchase order fulfillment, and inventory levels for critical electronic components.
- Coordinate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to address shortages, expedite shipments, and resolve supply disruptions.
- Support inventory optimization and material planning initiatives to ensure continuity of supply.
- Lead supplier-related escalation management during supply interruptions and allocation situations.
- Develop contingency plans to mitigate supply chain risks for critical electronic components.
Supplier Relationship Management
- Manage global supplier relationships across quality, cost, delivery, technology, and responsiveness.
- Conduct supplier business reviews and support supplier development initiatives.
- Support supplier performance reviews and corrective action follow-up.
- Foster strategic partnerships with electronics manufacturers, distributors, and technology suppliers.
New Program Launch & Engineering Support
- Support new product launches by ensuring suppliers meet APQP, PPAP, and SOP requirements.
- Collaborate with Engineering teams on sourcing and qualification of new electronic components and technologies.
- Coordinate sourcing timelines with Program Management and Operations teams.
- Ensure tooling, capacity, technical readiness, and commercial readiness support launch milestones.
- Support engineering change management activities related to electronic components.
Compliance & Operational Excellence
- Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies, ethical sourcing standards, and applicable trade requirements.
- Support sustainability, regulatory, cybersecurity, and customer-specific requirements related to electronic components.
- Maintain audit-ready documentation and sourcing approvals.
- Identify opportunities to improve purchasing processes, supplier performance, and overall supply chain efficiency.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Salary : $70 - $100