Head - Price Panel (Automotive Seating)

You will be responsible for leading the Sourcing and Commercial function within the Automotive Seating Division. Your role will involve overseeing supplier development, price panel management, cost negotiations, global sourcing, and managing anti-dumping duties (ADD) impacts to ensure cost-effective procurement aligned with business objectives. In terms of Strategic Sourcing & Procurement, you will lead end-to-end sourcing for seating components such as structure, foam, trim, mechanisms, and plastics. It will be crucial to develop and manage local and global supplier networks that meet cost, quality, and delivery targets. You will also need to implement cost-saving strategies, supplier consolidation, and localization initiatives. Regarding Price Panel & Cost Negotiation, your responsibilities will include creating and maintaining price panels for key commodities and components. Leading commercial negotiations and finalizing pricing based on cost breakdowns, market trends, and benchmarks will be essential. Collaboration with cross-functional teams like R&D, Quality, and Program Management will also be necessary to achieve target costs. Supplier Relationship & Performance Management will involve evaluating, developing, and monitoring supplier performance through audits and QCD indicators. You will be expected to drive strategic partnerships and establish long-term agreements with key suppliers. For New Program Development Support, you will manage sourcing timelines and deliverables for new launches and engineering changes. Additionally, supporting APQP, sourcing gates, and SOP readiness for new products will be part of your responsibilities. In terms of Commercial Governance, you will ensure that procurement documentation, contracts, cost sheets, and approvals are in place as per internal policies. Maintaining accurate records for audits and commercial transparency will also be crucial. To qualify for this role, you should have a Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical discipline (Mechanical/Automobile preferred). An MBA in Supply Chain or Operations would be a plus. A minimum of 15 years of experience in strategic sourcing, preferably in the automotive seating industry, is required. Proven expertise in cost negotiations, price panel management, and global sourcing is essential. Sound knowledge of ADD regulations, customs duty structures, and import management is also necessary. Strong analytical, negotiation, and vendor management skills are vital. Familiarity with SAP or other ERP systems, cost modeling, and should-cost analysis is beneficial. Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities are also required for this role.,