Director, Indirect Procurement (St. Thomas)

Drive your Career!

We love our cars, but it’s the people behind them who make them what they are. To market, sell, and service great cars, we need great people. That’s why at Volkswagen Group Canada, we are passionate about our cars and our brand and foster this same passion and drive in our people. We know that the right people in the right positions can do incredible things, and we love making that happen.

Our mission has started. Volkswagen Group’s largest cell factory in St. Thomas will carry out all battery activities – from processing raw materials to developing a unified Volkswagen battery to managing the European and North American gigafactories. Headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany, we are experiencing the transformation of mobility up close. Our goal is to contribute a positive impact to our global society, the environment, and the economy. To reach these goals we need your POWER!

We are looking for a Director of Indirect Procurement based out of the St. Thomas, Ontario office.

This role reports directly to the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and entails overseeing the strategic direction and leadership of PowerCo Indirect Procurement – specifically focusing on the "Category" to enhance cost performance. The responsibilities include defining sourcing strategies that align with operational needs across the North American Region (NAR), specifically the Canadian market, as well as global alignment with other entities within the Group. Additionally, the role involves interviewing, hiring, directing, and supervising procurement staff, while also formulating strategies and policies pertinent to the procurement of relevant categories.

This is a flex hybrid model, requiring 2 days in the St. Thomas office.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. NAR Procurement Strategy – 50%
2. Help to establish and implement annual and 5-year business plans within “Category” to achieve service cost reduction targets at a regional level, including supplier negotiations and optimization of purchased services.
3. Identify opportunities to optimize costs and ensure supply security and innovation at the regional level through volume bundling scale effects as well as regional category understanding and leverage for responsible “Category.”
4. Represent all NAR Procurement – “Category” in all regional, brand, and group steering committees.
5. Responsible to lead the Pre NAR Sourcing Committee and approve all NAR spend and contracts across all brands & entities.
6. Establish measures to meet project cost and investment targets and achieve timing requirements.
7. Responsible to ensure quality, compliance, and competitiveness of all NAR “Category” sourcing activities before moving to the NAR Sourcing Committee for approval. Drive the supplier nomination process, establish measures to meet project cost and investment targets, and achieve timing requirements.
8. Steer the overall supplier relations strategy within “Category” to drive access to innovations and new technology concepts, and to proliferate a foundation of partnership in the Region.

Organizational Development - 40%

1. Selecting the personnel for their own area of responsibility.
2. Technical and organizational briefing of the employees.
3. Assignment of tasks and authorities to appropriate personnel and setting priorities.
4. Motivating, informing, advising, and supporting the employees.
5. Assessing, coaching, and developing the performance and work behavior of employees.
6. Dealing with complaints.
7. Set and communicate strategic direction and KPI’s for Procurement “Category” in NAR.

Supplier Relations – 10%

1. Advocate access to Top Management for core Volkswagen suppliers to gain their long-term support and provide transparency of our business objectives.
2. Responsible to engage directly in the negotiations with suppliers at the Top Management level.
3. Support and participate in Supplier Relations activities such as F.A.S.T., Supplier Association Events, and Government relations meetings.
4. Monitoring compliance with guidelines and regulations, such as work regulations, occupational safety regulations, and management instructions.
5. Dealing with social issues of the employees.
6. Achieving fair and non-discriminatory remuneration for employees.
7. Initiating hiring, dismissals, internal relocations, and transfers.
8. Managing strategic headcount deployment and planning (Increase, decrease, and reallocation).
9. Controlling the deployment of personnel in terms of technical and organizational processes.
10. Participation in the design of the workplace.
11. Defining, approving, and initiating the appropriate deployment of personnel in special situations.
12. Integrate and lead buyers from all VW entities within NAR to drive category procurement strategies.

Desired Skills:

1. Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
2. 10+ years of relevant experience with a minimum of 2 years in leadership.
3. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected in order to drive innovation and efficiency.
4. Familiar with the business concepts, practices, procedures, and goals of all responsible business areas.
5. Able to manage multiple and changing activities and stakeholders within a high-pressure environment.
6. Capable to lead and motivate cross-functional teams to work on common goals despite contradicting individual goals.
7. Communicate and interact effectively at all levels within the regional organization and with outside vendors/suppliers and various stakeholders.
8. Create a work environment that motivates Procurement employees and leverages their individual strengths.
9. Deep knowledge of North American and Global supplier base.
10. Experience and leadership skills in matrix organizations and leading complex international teams.
11. Experience in leading multimillion-dollar projects across multiple stakeholders and countries from a Procurement perspective.
12. Expert in business planning and execution skills to achieve cost commitments/reduce spend/supply security.
13. Flexibility and professionalism in dealing with critical timelines, and situations requiring coordination with internal customers and suppliers.
14. Able to take decisive action in dynamic and ambiguous situations.
15. Analytical and conceptual thinking – using logic and reason and strong financial acumen.
16. German language skills are considered an asset.

What you’ll get in return:

1. A flexible and collaborative team dynamic.
2. Opportunities for development.
3. Opportunities to participate in exciting company events that give back to the community.
4. Competitive employer-paid benefits and overall compensation package.
5. And much more!

*This is a flex hybrid work structure, where employees can work both remotely and on-site. However, please note all hybrid work arrangements are subject to the terms and conditions of our hybrid work policy as may be amended from time to time.

Please note that we appreciate the interest of all candidates; however, only those under consideration will be contacted.

Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, family status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal or local laws.

Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities including during the application process. If you require an accommodation because of a disability, we will work with you to determine what reasonable accommodation may be available to meet your needs whether it be as an applicant or an employee. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance. If you are selected for an interview and require an accommodation, you are encouraged to advise the Recruiter who will consult with you to determine an appropriate and reasonable accommodation.