Director, GSM Systems & Digital AI Transformation (Auburn Hills, MI, US)

Position: Director, GSM Systems & Digital/AI Transformation

At Nexteer, our strength lies in the diversity of our team—each member contributing unique backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations. We believe this diversity fuels our innovation, broadens our perspectives, and propels our collective growth.

For over a century, we’ve been innovators in the automotive industry.  Our vision is clear - we are a global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting. Our unwavering commitment to Quality, Collaboration, Integrity, and Accountability guides us as we solve motion control challenges for over 60 global customers. If you’re ready to join a dynamic team that drives change and makes a difference, Nexteer welcomes you! 

About the role

Nexteer is looking for a strategic, visionary, business-minded digital/AItransformation leader to serve as the global leader for Global Supply Management (GSM) systems and to champion/drive Nexteer Global GSM’s digitalization and AI transformation. This newly created role will define and deliver a multi-year roadmap that modernizes how GSM sources, manages suppliers, controls cost, and makes decisions, using data, automation, and AI to create measurable business value.

The Director will report directly to the Vice President, Global Supply Management and Chief Purchasing Officer, with a matrix reporting relationship to the Vice President & Chief Information Officer, to ensure GSM transformation initiatives are aligned with Nexteer’s enterprise IT strategy, architecture, cybersecurity, and data governance standards. This role leads the global GSM Systems team and works closely with GSM leaders across all regions.

This position is located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. 

Key Responsibilities

As the Director, GSM Systems & Digital/AI Transformation, you will be responsible to:

GSM Digital & AI Strategy

• Develop and own the global GSM digital and AI transformation strategy and roadmap, aligned with GSM business priorities and the enterprise IT strategy.
• Identify, prioritize, and build business cases for digital and AI use cases across sourcing, supplier management, cost management, supplier risk, and purchasing operations, and track value delivered through productivity, savings, cycle time, and adoption.
• Lead the deployment of automation and AI-enabled capabilities, such as spend analytics, price and cost analysis, supplier risk monitoring, contract intelligence, and workflow automation, and scale successful pilots globally.

GSM Systems Leadership

• Lead the global GSM systems portfolio, including purchasing, sourcing, supplier management, and reporting tools, and harmonize systems and processes across regions to enable a consistent global operating model.

IT Alignment

• Work closely with the CIO and IT leadership to serve as the primary business owner and liaison between GSM and IT for system implementations, upgrades, and integrations.

Data & Analytics

• Deliver dashboards and analytics that give GSM leaders real-time visibility into supplier performance, spend, savings, risk, and key performance indicators.

Change Management & Team Leadership

• Lead change management, communication, and training to drive adoption of new tools and build digital and AI capability across the global GSM organization.
• Lead, coach, and develop the global GSM Systems team, building strength in systems, analytics, automation, and AI.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 10+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, or a related business transformation function, including significant experience supporting purchasing operations, strategic sourcing, supplier management, and cost management.
• Demonstrated experience leading purchasing or supply chain systems, digital transformation strategies, and technology roadmaps, including at least 5 years of people leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success implementing digital, automation, analytics, or AI-enabled solutions that delivered measurable improvements in purchasing or supply chain cost, productivity, cycle time, supplier performance, or decision-making.
• Experience across ERP and procurement systems and business intelligence and analytics tools, with a working knowledge of data governance principles.
• Proven experience leading large, cross-functional, multi-region purchasing or supply chain technology programs, including vendor selection, implementation, and change management.

Leadership Capabilities

• Ability to influence senior leaders and work effectively in a matrixed, global organization, balancing business and IT priorities.
• Strong business acumen and communication skills, with the ability to translate technology investments into clear business value for non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Automotive or manufacturing industry experience is a plus.
• Hands-on experience applying AI, machine learning, generative AI, or robotic process automation in procurement or supply chain is preferred.
• Project management or Lean Six Sigma certification is preferred.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

Nexteer is an Equal Opportunity EmployerDisabled/Minorities/Veterans/Women

Nexteer is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employees to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees in the United States.

Accessibility for Applicants with Disabilities: If you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please email careers@nexter.com. Please provide your contact information and details about the posted position of interest. Only inquiries regarding assistance for those who need an accommodation with the online application process due to a disability will be returned.

About Nexteer

Nexteer Automotive is a global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting. Our innovative product and technology portfolio includes electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steer-by-wire systems, steering columns and intermediate shafts, driveline systems and software solutions. The company solves motion control challenges across all megatrends – including electrification, software/connectivity, ADAS/automated driving and shared mobility – for more than 60 customers around the world including BMW, Ford, GM, RNM, Stellantis, Toyota and VW, as well as automakers in India and China including BYD, Chery, Great Wall, Geely, Xpeng and others. Learn more at: www.nexteer.com