Program Purchasing Buyer (m/f/d)

Are you ready to make an impact? ZF is looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a FutureStarter, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of mobility. Join us and be part of something extraordinary!

Program Purchasing Buyer (m/f/d)

Country/Region: DE

Location: Düsseldorf, NW, DE, 40549

About the team:

This position is part of the ZF ADAS & HPC business unit known internally as "Capri." This business unit is planned for divestiture to Harman International, a Samsung company and global innovator in automotive technology, presenting a unique opportunity to be part of an exciting new chapter in the ADAS space.

We are looking for a new colleague to join our procurement department in Düsseldorf, Germany.

What you can look forward to as Program Purchasing Buyer (m/f/d):

• Act as the purchasing representative for assigned programs, leading sourcing and procurement activities to support successful new product launches and program execution
• Coordinate cross‑functionally with Engineering, Project Management, Logistics, Plants and shared services to ensure timely deliveries, supplier readiness, and transparent communication and execution
• Manage Bill of Material (BOM) cost, drive cost‑reduction initiatives, and implement VA/VE, localization, tariff mitigation, and productivity improvement actions
• Take a leading role in providing purchasing input to the CQA (Customer Quote Analysis) team, driving alignment of product BOM costs with cross‑functional stakeholders through a forward‑looking cost strategy
• Lead supplier sourcing, evaluation, nomination, and performance management to meet Quality, Cost, and Delivery (QCD) targets throughout the product lifecycle
• Support sourcing preparation, RFQs, negotiations, contracts, tooling, prototypes, and capacity planning in alignment with commodity and purchasing strategies.
• Monitor program and supplier risks, including capacity constraints, material shortages, engineering changes, and lifecycle topics such as CRB (Change Review Board), LTB (Last Time Buy / Bridge), and make‑versus‑buy decisions and track sourcing status, savings and program metrics; maintain purchasing documentation, support continuous improvement, plus ensure compliance with policies and processes

Your profile as Program Purchasing Buyer (m/f/d):

• (Bachelor) degree in Business, Supply Chain, Economics, or a related field
• Several years of experience in purchasing or supplier development
• Knowledge of automotive APQP/PPAP and Gate review process with experience in automotive electronics business
• Advanced skills in Excel/Word/PowerPoint) and SAP
• Structured and organized, outspoken personality with high assertiveness and negotiation skills
• Continuous improvements mind set
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, Good at spoken English

Why should you choose ZF in Düsseldorf:

• Free parking
• Subsidized company restaurant

Grading:
Depending on requirements and qualifications

Contact

What does DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) mean for ZF as a company?

At ZF, we continuously strive to build and maintain a culture where inclusiveness is lived and diversity is valued. We actively seek ways to remove barriers so that all our employees can rise to their full potential. We aim to embed this vision in our legacy through how we operate and build our products as we shape the future of mobility.