Lead Buyer, Inbound Transportation

The Lead Buyer - Inbound Transportation will lead sourcing strategy, commercial negotiations, and supplier performance management for critical inbound transportation service categories, including full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), regional collection and cross-dock services, plant shuttle operations, and yard switching services. This role is responsible for advancing competitive commercial strategies, supporting resilient material flow to manufacturing locations, and delivering cost, service, and performance improvements across Stellantis' inbound transportation network.

Key Responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for inbound transportation categories, including full truckload, LTL, regional collection, regional services, plant shuttling, and yard switching operations
• Serve as the lead commercial representative for complex negotiations and supplier award recommendations across inbound transportation service providers
• Lead the development of RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs, including lane strategy, mode selection, scope definition, service requirements, and commercial evaluation criteria
• Analyze freight rates, lane density, accessorial structures, dedicated fleet models, regional collection economics, and total cost drivers to support fact-based sourcing decisions
• Negotiate multi-year agreements, service-level expectations, KPI frameworks, fuel and accessorial provisions, and continuous improvement commitments
• Prepare executive-level sourcing recommendations and support cross-functional approval processes for transportation awards and strategic initiatives
• Manage supplier relationships for assigned inbound transportation categories, ensuring performance against safety, quality, delivery, service reliability, and cost objectives
• Lead supplier business reviews and drive corrective action plans to address carrier performance gaps, capacity constraints, service disruptions, or cost concerns
• Partner with manufacturing, material logistics, plant operations, supply chain, and transportation operations to support launches, volume shifts, network changes, and plant service continuity
• Ensure supplier compliance with Stellantis Purchasing policies, safety expectations, risk management requirements, ESG standards, and applicable legal requirements
• Contribute to budget planning, cost forecasting, and year-over-year productivity delivery
• Monitor market dynamics across truckload, LTL, dedicated transportation, regional collection networks, driver and equipment capacity, fuel, and labor conditions
• Identify opportunities to reduce logistics cost while improving service reliability, equipment utilization, plant flow, and network flexibility
• Support digital and process improvement initiatives that strengthen carrier visibility, yard coordination, route optimization, freight audit, and transportation performance management

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Logistics or related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in purchasing, logistics, transportation, or supply chain management
• Strong knowledge of inbound transportation operations, including full truckload, LTL, regional collection, plant shuttling, yard switching, and transportation service procurement
• Experience leading complex RFx processes, commercial evaluations, and multi‑year contract negotiations
• Excellent analytical capability, including cost modeling and data-driven decision-making
• Strong communication, cross-functional collaboration, and stakeholder-influencing skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in inbound transportation, automotive logistics, truckload/LTL procurement, dedicated fleet operations, or transportation service procurement
• Direct experience with full truckload, LTL, regional collection, milk-run networks, plant shuttle operations, yard switching services, or dedicated transportation providers
• Knowledge of inbound network design, plant service requirements, carrier cost structures, accessorial management, regional density, and OEM freight performance standards
• Experience developing KPI/SLA frameworks and governance models for service providers
• Advanced negotiation experience with multi-site and multi-region transportation providers, including truckload, LTL, dedicated fleet, shuttle, and switching suppliers