Role & responsibilities

The Global Sourcing Category Manager Iron Casting & Forging is responsible for developing, executing, and managing global sourcing strategies for iron casting and forging commodities, supporting Automotive OEM and global manufacturing operations.

This role owns the endtoend sourcing lifecycle for assigned global commodities, including supplier identification, negotiation, onboarding, contract management, cost optimization, and supplier performance management. The role plays a key part in globalizing the supply chain, particularly through Best Cost Country (BCC) sourcing across India, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and other competitive regions.

The position is recognized as the purchasing and commodity expert for iron casting and forging component groups and represents significant global spend.

The Global Sourcing Category Manager Iron Casting & Forging is responsible for developing, executing, and managing global sourcing strategies for iron casting and forging commodities, supporting Automotive OEM and global manufacturing operations.

This role owns the endtoend sourcing lifecycle for assigned global commodities, including supplier identification, negotiation, onboarding, contract management, cost optimization, and supplier performance management. The role plays a key part in globalizing the supply chain, particularly through Best Cost Country (BCC) sourcing across India, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and other competitive regions.

The position is recognized as the purchasing and commodity expert for iron casting and forging component groups and represents significant global spend.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Global Category Strategy & Sourcing Execution

- Lead the development and execution of global category strategies for iron castings (grey iron, ductile iron, alloyed castings) and forgings (open die, closed die,



precision forgings).
- Support and execute Global Sourcing Strategies aligned with total cost, quality, delivery, and risk objectives.
- Drive globalization of the supply chain using Best Cost Country sourcing, leveraging suppliers in India, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and similar regions.
- Implement category strategies through a global supplier network, utilizing leverage from global aggregated spend where applicable.

Supplier Identification, Development & Management

- Strategically identify, evaluate, onboard, and manage a diverse, automotivequalified supplier base.
- Lead supplier development initiatives focused on cost competitiveness, quality robustness, delivery performance, and capacity scalability.
- Act as the purchasing expert for assigned commodity groups at the component and process level.
- Establish supplier scorecards, governance models, and structured supplier relationship management (SRM).

Commercial, Cost & Contract Management

- Lead global RFQs, supplier negotiations, and manage complex global supply contracts in collaboration with Legal.
- Responsible for all commercial negotiations with suppliers, including pricing, cost adjustments, COPQ recovery, claims, and price indexation.
- Drive commodity cost savings targets, including global leverage, localization, VA/VE, LCC, productivity, and shouldcost initiatives.
- Apply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) principles in sourcing and decisionmaking.

CrossFunctional & Plant Interface





- Interface with plant materials, quality, engineering, and operations teams for issue resolution, VOC, and bestpractice deployment.
- Support NPI, APQP, PPAP, and change management for casting and forging components.
- Collect and analyze supplier, spend, technical, and market data from all sites for assigned commodities.

Risk Management, Compliance & Quality

- Analyze sourcing risks and apply riskminimizing techniques, including dual sourcing and capacity risk mitigation.
- Ensure supplier compliance with Automotive OEM requirements, IATF 16949, ESG, and ethical sourcing standards.
- Manage and enhance supplier quality systems to ensure robust, repeatable, and compliant supply processes.
- Operate major global supply contracts in line with industry regulations and internal policies.

Market Intelligence & Continuous Improvement

- Analyze complex sourcing initiatives using cost models, scenario analysis, and global market trends.
- Monitor casting and forging supply markets, raw material volatility, and technology developments.
- Create the right environment for worldclass sourcing performance and supply chain excellence.

Preferred candidate profile

- Mandatory experience working with Automotive OEMs or premium Tier1 automotive suppliers
- Proven experience in global sourcing, negotiating, and managing complex contracts
- Handson experience sourcing from Best Cost Countries (India, China, Vietnam, Taiwan)
- Robust technical exposure to casting, forging, and machining processes
- Knowledge of IATF 16949, APQP / PPAP, ERP, and inventory management systems
- Familiarity with quality assurance principles and measurement techniques
- Confident decisionmaker with demonstrated results in cost reduction and supplier performance

📌 Global Sourcing Category Manager Iron Casting and Forging (Tamil Nadu)
🏢 Aerostar Manufacturing
📍 Tamil Nadu