Central Controller

Forvia, a sustainable mobility technology leader

We pioneer technology for mobility experience that matter to people.

Your mission, roles and responsibilities

Position Summary

The Purchasing Controller serves as the primary finance business partner for the purchasing organization, supporting multiple manufacturing plants. This role is responsible for financial oversight of direct material spend, supplier cost management, productivity tracking, inflation recovery, and procurement-related financial performance.

The Purchasing Controller ensures that purchasing decisions align with the company's financial objectives while supporting operational excellence, customer competitiveness, and profitability. The position collaborates closely with Purchasing, Operations, Program Management, Supply Chain, and Plant Finance teams to drive material cost improvements and sustainable margin enhancement.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnership & Financial Leadership

• Act as the lead finance partner to the purchasing organization and commodity managers.
• Provide financial guidance and challenge assumptions regarding negotiations and procurement strategies.
• Drive alignment between corporate finance, purchasing, and plant operations.

Material Cost Management

• Monitor and analyze direct material spend across multiple manufacturing plants.
• Track and validate purchasing savings initiatives, supplier negotiations, VA/VE activities, and productivity programs.
• Ensure procurement savings are accurately quantified, documented, and reflected in financial forecasts and budgets.
• Lead material cost variance analysis, including purchase price variance (PPV), inflation, and commodity impacts.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction and margin improvement.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Reporting

• Lead annual budget, quarterly forecast, and strategic planning processes related to material spend.
• Develop accurate forecasts for material cost, supplier recoveries, and procurement-driven productivity.
• Prepare monthly executive reporting packages highlighting:
  • Material cost performance
  • Savings achievement
  • Inflation impacts
  • Raw material trends
  • Supplier risks
  • Forecast variances
• Present results and recommendations to senior management.

Commodity & Inflation Management

• Monitor market trends affecting commodities including steel, aluminum, resins, electronics, and logistics.
• Quantify financial impact of commodity fluctuations and supplier price changes.
• Support customer recovery mechanisms and commercial pass-through strategies.
• Develop scenario analyses and risk mitigation plans related to inflation and market volatility.

Internal Controls & Governance

• Ensure compliance with company financial policies, procurement procedures, and internal controls.
• Establish governance processes for validating and reporting purchasing savings.
• Support internal and external audit requirements.
• Drive standardization of purchasing financial metrics across multiple plants.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with:
  • Plant Controllers
  • Purchasing Directors
  • Commodity Managers
  • Program Managers
  • Supply Chain Leaders
  • Commercial Teams
  • Corporate Finance
• Facilitate best-practice sharing across plant locations.

Your profile and competencies to succeed

Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Business Administration.
• 3+ years of progressive finance, controlling, or FP&A experience.
• Minimum 3-5 years supporting purchasing, supply chain, or manufacturing operations.
• Experience within Tier-1 automotive manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting multiple plants and complex supplier networks.
• Knowledge of automotive customer requirements and cost structures.
• English fluency required.

Technical Skills:

• Strong financial modeling and business case analysis skills.
• Advanced Excel and Power BI proficiency.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle.
• Strong understanding of:

  • Standard costing
  • Material cost accounting
  • Purchase price variance
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Automotive manufacturing economics

Behavioral and leadership skills (soft skills):

• Strategic business partneringInfluencing without authority
• Executive communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Commercial acumen
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced automotive environment
• High level of integrity and accountability

#LI-Hybrid

What we can do for you

• At Forvia, you will find an engaging and dynamic environment where you can contribute to the development of sustainable mobility leading technologies.  
• We are the seventh-largest global automotive supplier, employing more than 157,000 people in more than 40 countries which makes a lot of opportunity for career development. 
• We welcome energetic and agile people who can thrive in a fast-changing environment. People who share our strong values. Team players with a collaborative mindset and a passion to deliver high standards for our clients. Lifelong learners. High performers. Globally minded people who aspire to work in a transforming industry, where excellence, speed, and quality count. 
• We cultivate a learning environment, dedicating tools and resources to ensure we remain at the forefront of mobility.  Our people enjoy an average of more than 22 hours of online and in-person training within FORVIA University (five campuses around the world) 
• We offer a multicultural environment that values diversity and international collaboration. We believe that diversity is a strength. To create an inclusive culture where all forms of diversity create real value for the company, we have adopted gender diversity targets and inclusion action plans. 
• Achieving CO2 Net Zero as a pioneer of the automotive industry is a priority: In June 2022, Forvia became the first global automotive group to be certified with the new SBTI Net-Zero Standard (the most ambitious standard of SBTi), aligned with the ambition of the 2015 Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Three principles guide our action: use less, use better and use longer, with a focus on recyclability and circular economy. 

Why join us

FORVIA is an automotive technology group at the heart of smarter and more sustainable mobility. We bring together expertise in electronics, clean mobility, lighting, interiors, seating, and lifecycle solutions to drive change in the automotive industry.

With a history stretching back more than a century, we are the 7th largest global automotive supplier, employing more than 157,000 people in 43 countries. You'll find our technology in around 1 out of 2 vehicles produced anywhere in the world.

In June 2022, we became the 1st global automotive group to be certified with the SBTI Net-Zero Standard. We have committed to reach CO2 Net Zero by no later than 2045.

As technological innovation and the need for sustainability transform the automotive industry, we are ideally positioned to deliver solutions that will enhance the lives of road-users everywhere.