Project Buyer

Position: Project Buyer

Department: Strategic Purchasing

Location : Istanbul, Turkey

About the Role

As a Project Buyer, you will be responsible for managing all purchasing activities during the development and industrialization phases of customer-nominated projects. You will act as the key interface between project teams, suppliers, and the strategic purchasing organization — ensuring cost targets, timing, and quality requirements are achieved. The role includes tracking investment and tooling activities, monitoring cost evolution throughout the product lifecycle, and supporting profitability analysis of assigned projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage project purchasing activities from nomination to start of production (SOP), ensuring alignment with program milestones.
• Coordinate sourcing decisions in collaboration with strategic purchasing and project management teams.
• Follow up supplier tooling, investment, and pre-serial activities, ensuring timely readiness for project launches.
• Evaluate and report cost impacts of engineering changes, supplier quotations, and investment deviations.
• Track live cost of products during their lifecycle and support profitability improvement initiatives.
• Ensure supplier readiness and compliance with quality, cost, and delivery targets during development and launch phases.
• Prepare and present cost breakdowns, sourcing status, and risk assessments to project stakeholders.
• Support cost optimization and VA/VE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) activities.
• Maintain close communication with suppliers and internal departments including R&D, Program Management, Quality, and Finance.
• Ensure all purchasing activities comply with company procedures and customer-specific requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in automotive purchasing, preferably in project or program purchasing.
• Understanding of manufacturing and industrialization processes for mechanical or electronic components.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in cost breakdown and project cost tracking.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Experience in working with cross-functional and international teams.
• Knowledge of PLM and project tracking tools such as Jira, Codebeamer, or similar systems.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken).
• Result-oriented, structured, and proactive mindset.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work in a global, technology-driven organization serving leading automotive OEMs.
• Dynamic and collaborative working environment.
• Exposure to cross-functional project management and global sourcing operations.
• Career development opportunities within international teams.