Senior Buyer, Category Management

Schaeffler

Buyer managing category strategies and implementing purchasing strategies at Schaeffler. Responsibilities include supplier negotiations, market analyses, and budget oversight.

Posted 7/7/2026full-timeTroy • Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Support the creation of market analyses and implement category strategies
Define, cross-divisionally or -functionally align, and implement profitable purchasing strategies and effective negotiation tactics in the assigned area
Monitor the supply market continuously and manage and optimize the supplier portfolio to ensure quality, cost efficiency, on-time-delivery, sustainability and compliance with terms of contracts as well as legal regulations
Negotiate prices and conditions in the context of SMA and manage contracts with suppliers
Coordinate and steer assigned category including purchase price planning and define saving projects
Understand and comply with all group directives
Expertise and guidance to the plant buyer / plant management for the category
Perform any other duties as assigned
Support travel within region with regional and global colleagues

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or related field
Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience
Responsible for staying up to date on market data/changes/trends to support controlling costs/benchmarking best in class terms
Liason between Schaeffler engine and transmission for the America’s and the respective global team
During Budget season – Monitor and validate the input from the GLB’s in the Budget Planning Tool
Look for outliers and flag said outliers
Research and define the risk
Reconcile any part where pricing variance percent if over global guidance
Inputs plan price to budget and obtains agreement with Global lead buyer
Update forecast using Global Planning Tool submittal upload each month
Ensures alignment and leads budgeting process for their respective category
Leads purchasing portions of regional and Global Sourcing Board activities and presentations
External applicants must be authorized to work in the US without employment visa or other sponsorship

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental and vision insurance
Life insurance
401k eligible with up to 6% company match

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Supply Chain ManagementCost ControlContract ManagementPrice PlanningData Analysis

Soft Skills

Cross-Functional CollaborationCommunicationProblem-Solving

Certifications

Bachelor's Degree in Business AdministrationBachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management