Project Buyer – Lifecycle Purchasing

About the role

LEONI is looking for a Project Buyer to manage purchasing activities throughout the product lifecycle, from customer RFQ through Start of Production (SOP) to End‑of‑Life (EOL). The role supports the development and production of complex wiring systems and cable harnesses for the automotive industry.

Key responsibilities

• Manage purchasing tasks from RFQ through SOP to EOL in line with purchasing standards, internal and external requirements.
• Conduct global sourcing of new components, technologies and suppliers for pre‑development projects.
• Analyze and edit Bills of Material (BOMs) to ensure cost competitiveness and alignment with project targets.
• Run global inquiries for new, serial and development parts, handling change management processes.
• Contribute to make‑or‑buy decisions, evaluating material costs and integrating purchasing strategies with Category Management.
• Negotiate costs and conditions with suppliers, considering Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Develop purchasing concepts for customer projects, including business plan deliverables, risk and opportunity assessments.
• Monitor material cost targets, report performance and drive cost‑reduction initiatives using levers such as negotiation, VAVE, localization, etc.
• Draft and manage project‑specific supplier agreements, ensuring legal and commercial robustness.
• Support supplier qualification and release processes, collaborating with Supplier Quality Management and Category Management.
• Lead supplier sourcing events for new business awards in close collaboration with Category Management.

Required profile

• Proven experience in project‑based purchasing within an industrial or automotive environment.
• Strong ability to manage end‑to‑end procurement processes across the product lifecycle.
• Experience with global sourcing, supplier qualification and negotiation.
• Capability to analyze BOMs and evaluate Total Cost of Ownership.
• Familiarity with cost‑reduction methodologies such as VAVE and localization.

Required skills

• Bill of Materials (BOM) analysis
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) evaluation
• Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VAVE)
• Supplier qualification and negotiation