Localization Program Manager Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

CSP is the industry leader in the formulation and molding of lightweight, advanced composite components for the transportation industries. As an innovative, full-service Tier One supplier, we offer an entrepreneurial environment where you're only limited by your own imagination. In addition to our team-focused environment, we provide industry-leading benefits, called BENEfits4U. Our comprehensive offering includes: affordable medical, dental, and vision care; flexible spending accounts; life insurance; 401k with company match and much, much more.
Job Description
POSITION AND CROSS-FUNCTIONAL INTERFACES
• Engineering & R&D: material specifications, second-source validation, qualification plans, formulation governance, and VAVE initiatives.
• Operations & Plant Leadership: production alignment, supply assurance, inventory parameters, and change management.
• Quality / SQD: PPAP compliance, supplier quality gates, audit management, performance escalation, and corrective action plans.
• Finance: TCO modeling, savings validation, index-linkage mechanisms, program budgeting, and variance-to-plan reporting.
• Program Management: sourcing alignment to program timelines, launch support, and customer change management.
• Direct Materials Team: direct leadership of Senior Commodity Manager SMC and the broader team to be recruited and developed under this role.
KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A. People Leadership and Team Development
• Build, structure, and lead the Direct Materials procurement team: define roles and headcount requirements, recruit talent, set performance objectives, and develop individual capabilities across the team.
• Lead, mentor, and coach direct reports - including the Senior Commodity Manager SMC - fostering a high-performance, ownership-driven culture with clear accountability for category results, program delivery, and supplier management.
• Establish team operating rhythms, governance cadences, and a shared culture of commercial excellence, cross-functional partnership, and continuous improvement aligned to CSP's values.
B. Category Strategy and Governance
• Own and execute comprehensive category strategies across the full direct materials portfolio: SMC & DLFT raw materials (resins, fiberglass, pigments/thickeners, fillers, SMC chemicals), production parts (stampings, castings, extrusions, fasteners, seals/gaskets, latches/hinges), and paint & external paint (primers, paints, external paint services).
• Establish structured sourcing cycles (RFx/e-auctions), index-based pricing, market baskets, and dual-/multi-sourcing roadmaps; implement governance, decision frameworks, and KPIs for cost, quality, delivery, and risk across all categories.
C. Technical Sourcing and Cost Engineering
• Translate formulation, process, and engineering constraints into commercial sourcing strategies; lead value engineering (VAVE) and target costing programs with R&D and Engineering across raw materials and production parts.
• Run sub-category RFPs with aligned scoring, TCO evaluation, and should-cost analysis; build validated supplier panels with award strategies and dual-source readiness across all three category pillars.
D. Production Parts - Strategic Sourcing
• Lead global RFPs for stampings, castings, extrusions, fasteners, seals, and latches; benchmark across OEM programs and leverage cross-portfolio opportunities where applicable.
• Drive supplier localization, co-location, and domestic sourcing strategies; identify opportunities to reduce tariff exposure, logistics cost, and lead times in alignment with Operations.
E. Paint and External Paint - Category Ownership
• Own sourcing strategy and supplier governance for paint raw materials (primers, paints) and external paint services (~$70M); drive consolidation, benchmarking, and contract coverage in a category currently managed with limited enterprise leverage.
• Collaborate with Operations and Engineering on specification standardization and demand management; identify opportunities for insourcing, GPO leverage, or supplier rationalization to reduce total cost.
F. Supplier Relations and Performance Management
• Develop executive-level relationships with strategic suppliers across all categories; negotiate MSAs and pricing agreements with escalator/de-escalator mechanisms and SLA-based performance frameworks.
• Ensure full contract coverage across the direct materials portfolio; implement robust performance monitoring (PPM, OTIF, audit scores), corrective action tracking, and SQD coordination for qualification and PPAP readiness.
G. Risk, Resilience, and Compliance
• Build resilience through second sourcing, geographic diversification, and inventory risk buffers; maintain a living risk register across all direct material categories.
• Orchestrate customer approval timelines, PPAP, and lab validation plans; manage change controls, communications to plants and customers, and IATF 16949 / OEM compliance requirements.
KEY OUTCOMES AND METRICS
• People and Team: team structure defined and staffed; individual development plans in place; team performance and engagement metrics; retention.
• Cost and Value Creation:
- Annual savings and TCO reduction across all subcategories; index adherence and variance-to-plan; contract coverage ratio; VAVE contribution.
• Supplier Excellence:
- Quality PPM, OTIF, audit scores, innovation engagement; dual-source readiness per product family.
• Organizational Efficiency:
- RFx cadence adherence; cycle time reduction; sourcing pipeline coverage; team capability development.
• Compliance and Governance:
- PPAP/on-time approvals; change control compliance; IATF 16949 audit conformity; OEM customer requirement adherence.
• Sustainability and ESG:
- VOC reductions via low-bake SMC solutions and paint optimization; supplier ESG audit compliance.
THE PERSON
Core Competencies and Professional Attributes
• People Leadership and Team Building: demonstrated ability to build, structure, and develop a procurement team from the ground up; strong coaching mindset with experience recruiting and developing commercial talent in an automotive environment.
• Direct Materials Category Leadership: proven mastery across production parts, paint/external paint, and/or raw materials in an automotive Tier-1 context, including PPAP, APQP, and OEM customer-specific requirements.
• Advanced Sourcing and Negotiation: contract architecture (MSA, pricing agreements, indexation), e-sourcing/RFx, TCO and should-cost modeling, market intelligence across multiple categories.
• Technical Credibility: strong understanding of metallic components, paint/coatings, and/or composite materials; ability to engage Engineering, R&D, and Operations with credibility.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: disciplined matrix execution with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Program Management; executive presence and clarity of communication.
• Digital Fluency: ERP (QAD preferred), eProcurement, contract lifecycle management, performance dashboards, and master data governance.
Education
• Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field; advanced credentials (MBA, M.S. in Engineering or Materials Science) are advantageous.
Industry Experience
• 10+ years in direct materials procurement or category management within automotive Tier-1 or advanced manufacturing, with demonstrated people leadership and team development experience.
• Proven track record of building and leading procurement teams; experience defining team structures, recruiting, and developing category management capability in a multi-site automotive environment.
• Demonstrable success delivering cost savings and supply resilience across production parts, paint/coatings, and/or composite raw materials; experience with dual-sourcing under PPAP qualification constraints.
• Demonstrated success running multi-site RFP/e-auction programs and negotiating MSAs with major direct material suppliers.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS
• Short-Term [0-6 months]:
- Assess team structure and headcount needs; initiate key hires; establish category baselines and contract inventories across production parts, paint, and SMC/DLFT; launch priority RFx waves; lock in pricing agreements for near-term expirations.
• Mid-Term [6-24 months]:
- Build a fully staffed and high-performing Direct Materials team; execute dual-source roadmaps and MSA/indexation frameworks; deliver savings ramp across all three category pillars; standardize TCO models and performance dashboards.
• Long-Term [24+ months]:
- Institutionalize world-class direct materials category management with a sustained savings pipeline, robust supplier panels, qualification discipline, and a capable, autonomous team - aligned to IATF 16949 and OEM standards.
ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK AND RESOURCES
• Direct spend responsibility: ~$465M+ across production parts (~$129M), SMC & DLFT raw materials (~$266M), and paint & external paint (~$70M) across 14 facilities in the U.S. and Mexico.
• Current direct report: Senior Commodity Manager SMC; additional team roles to be defined, recruited, and developed by this position.
• Mobility: frequent presence at SMC plants, production and paint sites, and supplier locations; periodic travel across the North American plant network.
• Location: Auburn Hills, Michigan (CSP HQ) preferred.
• Systems: QAD ERP operational; eProcurement, contract lifecycle management, and master data systems in deployment.
• Ethics: transparency, compliance, IATF 16949 adherence, and sustainability orientation.
If you enjoy innovation, and an opportunity to learn and contribute to a growing organization, CSP is the place for you!