BALÁZS HORVÁTH
Purchasing Project Leader
Budapest
Summary
Purchasing Project Leader with 15+ years of experience in supplier development, strategic sourcing and purchasing leadership across Automotive and Lighting industries. Strong background in Aluminum die casting, Plastic Injection, Stamping Metal, Tooling and Electrical components. Proven ability to define sourcing strategies, lead cross-functional teams, deliver sustainable cost reduction and ensure supply continuity across the full product lifecycle.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Purchasing Project Leader – NPD (Mechanical & Electrical Commodities)
Schréder Magyarország Zrt.
02.2017 - Current
- Lead a team of 2 NPD purchasers
- Accountable for commercial, sourcing and supply readiness of all purchased components across the full NPD lifecycle (concept → SOP)
- Defined and executed sourcing strategies for mechanical and electrical commodities aligned with project business cases
- BOM cost targets, transfer prices, and lifecycle cost management from RFQ to serial production
- Lead RFQ processes, supplier benchmarking, selection, nomination, and executive approvals
- Conduct supplier negotiations to achieve target piece prices, tooling costs and commercial terms
- Managed tooling investment strategy, including business cases, ownership, amortization, and lifetime planning
- Ensure supplier and supply readiness for prototypes, pre-series, SOP and ramp-up phases
- Acting as Purchasing Lead and SPOC in cross-functional Team and executive forums (R&D, Engineering, Quality, Operations)
- Drive value engineering and structural cost-down initiatives, influencing design-to-cost decisions
- Identified and mitigated supply chain risks (capacity, technology, regional exposure)
- Managed commercial changes (ECR/ECO) and their cost impact throughout the product lifecycle
- Lead supplier performance governance, escalations and contractual frameworks with strategic suppliers
- Successfully led multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining a focus on priorities, resource allocation, and overall strategic objectives.
- Reduced project risks through comprehensive risk assessments and proactive mitigation strategies.
- Consistently met deadlines by diligently tracking progress and implementing effective time management strategies.
- Inspired and coached team members.
- Defined responsibilities, duties and roles of each team member.
- Developed comprehensive project plans that outlined clear goals, timelines, and milestones for all stakeholders involved.
- Monitored project progress, identified risks and took corrective action as needed.
- Tracked project and team member performance closely to quickly intervene in mistakes or delays.
Strategic Buyer Team Leader
Alpine Electronics Manufacturing of Europe Ltd.
02.2014 - 01.2016
- Lead Strategic Purchasing Team
- Defined supplier strategies and executed annual negotiation plans aligned with HQ targets
- Managed annual purchasing spend of ~30 M€ across mechanical commodities
- Governance cost-down through structured VE/CD programs
- Conduct delivery performance and stable serial supply
- Manage supplier nomination, tooling strategy and contract governance
- Reported sourcing performance and risks directly to HQ
- Acting as SPOC in cross-functional Team and executive forums (R&D, Quality, Engineering, Operations)
- Managing Supplier Audits with SQE
- Delivered sustained annual cost reduction
- Lead commodity-wide VE/CD initiatives impacting EBIT and competitiveness
- Successfully governed tooling investments and CAPEX decisions
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify cost-saving opportunities in the supply chain.
- Streamlined procurement processes for increased efficiency and cost savings.
- Managed complex projects effectively by coordinating with internal stakeholders and external partners.
- Optimized purchasing decisions by analyzing market trends and utilizing data-driven insights.
- Analyzed total cost of ownership factors when evaluating potential suppliers to make informed decision making.
- Evaluated supplier performance, ensuring timely delivery and quality products at competitive prices.
- Enhanced supplier relationships by negotiating contracts and establishing long-term agreements.
- Developed sourcing strategies to support business growth and expansion plans.
- Participated in global sourcing initiatives that enabled access to high-quality materials at reduced costs.
- Conducted regular supplier audits to ensure adherence to company standards and regulatory requirements.
- Generated substantial cost reductions through effective vendor negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives.
- Supported new product launches by identifying suitable suppliers for raw materials, components, or services required during development stages.
- Built long-term supplier relationships with vendors to establish quality and competitive pricing.
- Oversaw purchasing process from initiating requests to finalizing contracts to deliver smooth transaction.
- Collaborated with sales team to identify and fulfill customer needs.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors for cost-effective purchasing terms.
- Studied and monitored market trends to identify potential suppliers.
- Set performance expectations for the team, monitoring progress towards goals and providing constructive feedback as needed.
- Enhanced team productivity by implementing efficient work processes and regularly reviewing performance metrics.
- Led cross-functional teams to execute projects on time, within budget, and with high-quality outcomes.
- Implemented comprehensive reporting system to track team performance and identify areas for improvement.
Purchasing & Strategic Engineer
Alpine Electronics Manufacturing of Europe Ltd. – Hungary
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Progressive responsibility growth from operational purchasing to strategic roles
- Supplier development, PPAP ownership, tooling and change management
- Active contributor to cost-down, benchmark and industrialization initiatives
- Reviewed technical drawings developed by CAD technicians and drafters.
- Developed cost estimates and project specifications for proposals.
- Participated in formal internal design reviews of proposed products and components.
- Collaborated on interdisciplinary teams to develop creative, cost-effective solutions for complex projects.
- Achieved significant cost savings in material usage through development and application of innovative recycling program.
- Negotiated with suppliers to secure high-quality materials at cost-effective prices.
Education
BSc - Project Engineering Management
Óbudai University
BudapestSkills
Commodity Strategy & Roadmap Definition
Global Sourcing & Supplier Portfolio Management
SRM program development
Supplier Lifecycle management
Drive structural cost-reduction programs (VA/VE, CD), delivering sustainable YoY savings
Purchasing Organization Leadership
Contracting, Governance & Risk Management
Tooling & CAPEX Decision Ownership
Certification
PPAP
Personality
- Technical capability to understand in depth the purchases
- Analytical thinking, decision making ability
- Team player/builder
- Strategic Thinking
- Cross cultural awareness
- Problem solving attitude, ownership of the issues
Timeline
Purchasing Project Leader – NPD (Mechanical & Electrical Commodities)
Schréder Magyarország Zrt.
02.2017 - Current
Strategic Buyer Team Leader
Alpine Electronics Manufacturing of Europe Ltd.
02.2014 - 01.2016
Purchasing & Strategic Engineer
Alpine Electronics Manufacturing of Europe Ltd. – Hungary
01.2010 - 01.2014
BSc - Project Engineering Management
Óbudai University