What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Procurement position at Walker Lovell?
Director of Procurement - Americas
Location: Taylor, Michigan (90% onsite)
Travel: Approx. 10% across the Americas region
Lead Procurement Across the Americas for a Global Automotive Brand
Are you ready to own procurement for the Americas region and be the key decision maker across the US, Mexico and Brazil? This is a high impact leadership role where you will shape category strategy, elevate supplier performance and drive cost optimisation across a complex, growing supply chain.
The Opportunity
You will be responsible for all procurement activities across the Americas region, ensuring 100% material availability at the lowest total cost of ownership while maintaining demanding standards for quality and sustainability.
This includes full accountability for supplier negotiation, sourcing strategy, cost reduction, supplier development and compliance.
The Company
A global leader in automotive adhesives, sealants, coatings and application technologies, supplying Tier 1 and OEM customers in more than 40 countries.
The business is recognised for quality, innovation and sustainability and is now investing in its Americas procurement structure to deliver greater value, resilience and competitiveness across the regional supply base.
What You Will Do
- Lead procurement operations across the Americas, managing key categories including plasticizers, fillers, solvents, packaging and tools
- Coordinate closely with manufacturing and commercial teams across sites in the US, Mexico and Brazil
- Negotiate strategic agreements with regional and local suppliers to optimise cost, availability, quality and risk
- Strengthen and develop the supplier base through market analysis, risk assessment, TPC tracking and identification of new competitive partners
- Work closely with senior leaders in Global Procurement and the Americas region on Sourcing strategy and supplier selection, Continuous improvement of procurement processes and Strategic projects such as cost recovery, make-or-buy analysis and value engineering initiatives
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Purchasing, Supply Chain, Inventory Control or a related field
- At least 10 years of professional experience in purchasing or logistics
- Strong automotive industry experience is essential, ideally with a focus on chemicals, raw materials or similar technical products
- Proven track record of achieving measurable cost savings and improving supplier performance
- Excellent stakeholder management skills and the credibility to influence senior internal and external partners
- Strong commercial and negotiation abilities
- Fluency in English (Spanish or German is an advantage)
- Confident with systems and data: strong Excel skills, with ERP or QAD experience preferred
- Well developed analytical, communication and organisational skills, with the ability to perform under pressure and manage competing priorities
Who This Role Suits
- You enjoy operating at regional level, taking ownership across multiple countries and cultures
- You like balancing strategy and execution, moving comfortably between boardroom discussions and supplier negotiations
- You want your work to have clear, measurable impact on cost, risk, availability and supplier performance across a high profile region
Package & Progression
- Competitive base salary plus performance related bonus
- Global exposure across operations in the US, Mexico and Brazil
- High autonomy within a collaborative international procurement team
- Clear progression pathway within a stable, growth focused global business
Interested in finding out more?
Please send your resume to natalie@walkerlovell.com and we will be in touch to discuss this opportunity in confidence.
