Purchasing Category Purchaser – Auxiliary & Mechatronic Components

Job Description

Join our global Electromechanics & Mechanic Category Management team as we drive the next generation of innovation in the automotive industry. Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly electronics-driven, with mechatronics playing a critical role across all vehicle platforms. To support this transformation, we are looking for experienced Purchasers/Buyers who can own strategic sourcing, lead negotiations, and shape our supplier landscape for auxiliary and mechatronic components in China such as coils, valves, solenoids, solder paste, gap filler and related components.

As a Category Purchaser, you will play a strategic role in shaping China sourcing strategies, enabling supply security, driving cost competitiveness, and collaborating across engineering, quality, and project management teams worldwide.

Your Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Market Intelligence

• Build and continuously enhance market intelligence for China, delivering insights on market trends, supplier landscape, technology evolution, and commodity developments.
• Filter, evaluate, and develop potential suppliers in the region together with cross-functional teams.
• Closely work with BA internal customer, including R&D, advanced purchasing, and project team, understand regional business expectations and future product portfolio trends; define strategies that support global business needs with speed and agility.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for auxiliary/mechatronic components, ensuring supply resilience and cost competitiveness.

Supplier Management & Negotiation

• Lead annual price and contract negotiations for global plants, ensuring aligned prices, terms, and long-term agreements.
• Implement innovative negotiation concepts and cost models to drive sustainable commercial advantages.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and manage improvement programs (quality, delivery, cost, technology).
• Support Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) during development to secure technically feasible, cost-optimized designs.

Technical & Component-Specific Responsibilities

• Develop a strong understanding of coils, valves, solenoids, actuators, and other mechatronic components, including manufacturing processes and key cost drivers.
• Build should-cost models and support VAVE, cost-down, material optimization, and localization initiatives.

Additional Information

Ready to take your career to the next level? The future of mobility isn’t just anyone’s job. Make it yours! Join AUMOVIO. Own What’s Next.

Qualifications

• Academic degree in Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, or a comparable field.
• Several years of professional experience in Purchasing, R&D, Controlling, or a related function — ideally in the automotive or mechatronics industry.
• Bilingual proficiency in English & Mandarin to coordinate effectively with Asia and Europe teams.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong decision-making and ownership.
• Strong project management skills, attention to detail, and agile, results-driven negotiation capabilities.
• Ability to understand technical drawings, specifications, BOMs, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience building cost models and understanding key commodity trends (copper, steel, plastics, magnets) beneficial.
• Willingness to travel across China/Asia to suppliers as needed.
• Excellent presentation and written communication skills for interaction at all organizational levels.
• Strong team contributor; comfortable collaborating in cross-functional, multicultural, fast-paced environments across time zones.
• High willingness to learn and develop new skillsets continuously

Company Description

Since its spin-off in September 2025 AUMOVIO continues the business of the former Continental group sector Automotive as an independent company. The technology and electronics company offers a wide-ranging portfolio that makes mobility safe, exciting, connected, and autonomous. This includes sensor solutions, displays, braking and comfort systems as well as comprehensive expertise in software, architecture platforms, and assistance systems for software-defined vehicles. In the fiscal year 2024 the business areas, which now belong to AUMOVIO, generated sales of 19.6 billion Euro. The company is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany and has about 87.000 employees in more than 100 locations worldwide.