What are the responsibilities and job description for the Commodity Buyer – Salt Lake City, UT position at Stadler?
How You Can Make An Impact
As a Commodity Buyer (Indirect Materials), you will manage strategic sourcing and procurement activities for indirect materials, manufacturing consumables, MRO supplies, tooling, safety products, warehouse equipment, and production support materials. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and executing commodity strategies, negotiating with suppliers, and ensuring the timely, cost-effective, and quality compliant supply of operational materials required to support rail vehicle manufacturing, commissioning, and facility operations.
Key Activities
As a Commodity Buyer (Indirect Materials), you will manage strategic sourcing and procurement activities for indirect materials, manufacturing consumables, MRO supplies, tooling, safety products, warehouse equipment, and production support materials. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and executing commodity strategies, negotiating with suppliers, and ensuring the timely, cost-effective, and quality compliant supply of operational materials required to support rail vehicle manufacturing, commissioning, and facility operations.
Key Activities
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies for consumables, MRO materials, tooling, safety products, warehouse equipment, production support supplies, and operational services.
- Lead commercial negotiations for pricing, contracts, blanket orders, supplier agreements, and inventory stocking programs.
- Manage procurement activities for categories including:
- Adhesives, sealants, tapes, foams, insulation products, coatings, and chemical consumables.
- Production tooling, tool repair, calibration services, and replacement tooling components.
- Maintenance and repair materials, lubricants, coolants, oils, and shop supplies.
- Safety, fire protection, environmental, and regulatory compliance products.
- Warehouse shelving, storage systems, material handling equipment, and shop organization products.
- Collaborate closely with Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Facilities, Logistics, Warehouse, EHS, Quality, and Project Management teams to align procurement activities with operational requirements and project schedules.
- Manage supplier relationships and performance, driving continuous improvement in cost, quality, delivery, and responsiveness.
- Identify, qualify, and onboard suppliers capable of meeting Stadler's operational, quality, and service requirements.
- Conduct market research, benchmarking, and total cost of ownership (TCO) analyses to support sourcing decisions and cost reduction initiatives.
- Develop sourcing strategies that minimize supply interruption risks while supporting inventory optimization and production continuity.
- Participate in cross-site purchasing initiatives and leverage global purchasing agreements where applicable.
- Support claims management, warranty recovery, supplier corrective actions, and resolution of supplier performance issues.
- Manage supplier implementation of product changes, substitutions, and obsolescence issues while maintaining operational continuity.
- Support Kanban, replenishment, and inventory management programs for frequently consumed production materials.
- Coordinate with stakeholders to ensure availability of critical consumables required to maintain uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or similar field
- Minimum of 2 years' experience in Industrial or Manufacturing purchasing
- Fluent English required with German a plus
- Resilient and independent personality
- Strong organizational skills and efficient working methods
- Very experienced with Microsoft Office and ERP system (preferable Infor COM)