Eric Ley
Hoover,AL
Summary
Results-oriented automotive professional with over 30 years of experience driving procurement, engineering change management, material planning, and project management at Mercedes-Benz and Subaru. Skilled in cost optimization, cross-functional collaboration, and process readiness, delivering significant savings through negotiation and process improvement while maintaining quality standards. Proficient in SAP/AM-Supply, proCure, Dialog and Start, with expertise in milestone tracking, supplier management, and engineering change implementation.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
National Buyer, International Procurement Services
Mercedes-Benz US International
Vance, USA
07.2021 - Current
- Managed $25M+ in annual procurement for plant equipment, IT hardware, and logistics, negotiating 2-5% savings per purchase order, totaling tens of thousands annually
- Implemented catalog contracts for cWay and uBuy systems, streamlining procurement processes
- Led compliance initiatives, presenting audit findings to leadership for IMS, ICS controls, and Maverick buys
- Coordinated with suppliers and internal stakeholders to align project timelines, supporting plant-wide cost planning and efficiency
- Mentored new hires and interns, enhancing team capabilities and knowledge base for procurement team
Engineering Change Control & Material Planning Specialist, Purchasing and Logistics
Mercedes-Benz US International
Vance, USA
01.2005 - 07.2021
- Steered design changes (KEMs) for new vehicle types and series production, interfacing with Mercedes-Benz R&D in Germany to ensure process readiness and material availability
- Optimized inventory through strategic part implementation, reducing obsolescence and supporting cost-saving initiatives
- Facilitated cross-functional meetings with manufacturing and engineering, tracking milestones for series and trial production, and ramp-up support
- Corrected critical BOM errors in collaboration with international teams, enabling quality and cost improvements
- Supported V251 R-Class project, resolving engineering change issues and representing MBUSI in an offsite production location
Professional Staff Member, Production Scheduling
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
Lafayette, USA
07.1994 - 01.2005
- Managed vehicle specification broadcast data, resolving thousands of errors to ensure production accuracy and quality
- Directed and streamlined engineering change processes by redesigning tracking systems, cutting costs and improving transparency
- Coordinated with quality and manufacturing teams to meet ISO standards and support new model launches
- Presented process improvements to leadership, enhancing cross-functional workflows and data integrity
Model Change & Kaizen Team Member
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
Lafayette, USA
09.1991 - 07.1994
- Supported vehicle launches by developing procedures and conducting trials, improving process efficiency
- Designed tracking systems and workstation racks, boosting quality and reducing timelines
- Managed improvement projects, presenting cost-saving results to management
Production Team Member
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
Lafayette, USA
08.1989 - 09.1991
- Assembled vehicles with high accuracy, training new hires to enhance team productivity
- Conducted inventory audits, supporting material planning accuracy
Education
Bachelor of Science - RHI Management
Purdue University
West Lafayette, INSkills
- Project Management
- Milestone Tracking
- Strategic Procurement
- Cost Planning
- Engineering Change Management
- Documentation
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- International Collaboration
- Bill of Materials Maintenance
- Supplier Relationship Management
- SAP
- AM Supply
- ProCure
- Dialog
- Start
- PLUS
- IS-Visu
- MRS
- Process Improvement
- Risk Management
- Data Analysis
- Excel
- Access
- Team Leadership
- Training
Certification
- Oracle Database Management, IUPUI
- Lead Auditor, ISO 9000 & 14000
- Internal Auditor, R.V. Armstrong and Associates
Timeline
National Buyer, International Procurement Services
Mercedes-Benz US International
07.2021 - Current
Engineering Change Control & Material Planning Specialist, Purchasing and Logistics
Mercedes-Benz US International
01.2005 - 07.2021
Professional Staff Member, Production Scheduling
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
07.1994 - 01.2005
Model Change & Kaizen Team Member
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
09.1991 - 07.1994
Production Team Member
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
08.1989 - 09.1991
Bachelor of Science - RHI Management
Purdue University
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