General Summary

The Procurement Manager leads assistant managers, program managers, and specialists in the development and execution of sourcing strategies for critical vehicle commodities, driving cost competitiveness, supply resilience, and innovation. This role supports the broader Procurement organization through the establishment and execution of policies and procedures that promote operational excellence in alignment with corporate objectives. As a leader, the Procurement Manager provides technical and strategic guidance to ensure effective commodity strategy execution across new product development, processes, standards, and operational plans that support Kia Georgia’s long-term business goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategically allocated work to ensure on-time completion of key responsibilities and deliverables.
Lead and coach the team to effectively balance priorities, negotiate with suppliers, analyze cost trends and quotations, evaluate supplier competitiveness, and deliver against business plan objectives.
Lead the execution of business plans and tactical initiatives to achieve global targets on a day-to-day basis.
Drive a competitive sourcing environment to continuously improve quality, cost performance, delivery service levels, and overall strategic capability across the supply chain.
Partner with other Procurement Managers to lead cross-functional teams, collaborating with Quality and Engineering to influence technical design decisions aligned with performance requirements, technical feasibility, and project financial targets.
Lead and oversee direct supplier price management, ensuring alignment with vehicle cost targets while supporting overall profitability goals.
Contribute to summary‑level budget rollups by analyzing piece costs, capital investments, raw material adjustments, supplier pricing requests, and other key cost drivers.
Lead supplier relationships and manage operational issues to ensure performance, continuity, and alignment with business objectives.

The above typical duties are characteristic of this job and demonstrate a level of difficulty and are not intended to list or limit the duties that may be required or assigned to a team member in this classification.

Qualifications & Job Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering or related field along with more than eight (8) years of progressive experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably the automotive industry, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in a related area in a leadership or supervisory role.
OEM or parts components supplier experience in desired commodity.
Experience with the procurement and development of automotive parts and systems.
Ability to manage cross-functional teams across all disciplines within the organization.
Experience in long-term planning and strategy development.
Periodically travel to supplier manufacturing sites to support performance reviews, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided for those who are able to perform the essential duties of the job.

Specialized Skills and Knowledge Required

Project or program management skills preferred.
Demonstrated success leading teams of at least 4–5 people, driving measurable results while fostering a culture of accountability and ownership.
Knowledge of raw materials, related manufacturing processes, and associated cost drivers.
Knowledge of supply chain and accounting processes and practices.
Experience using Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Access.
Experience with SAP system preferred.

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