Merve Karaca
Menomonee Falls
Summary
Procurement & Purchasing Specialist with experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and purchasing within the manufacturing industry. Skilled in supplier negotiations, category management, and cost reduction initiatives, with a proven ability to optimize procurement processes and build strong supplier relationships. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills combined with effective cross-functional collaboration to ensure supply continuity and support business objectives.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Purchasing Engineer
GRAM EQUIPMENT
01.2019 - 01.2024
- Managed end-to-end procurement activities, including supplier negotiations, contract execution, and spend analysis.
- Developed and implemented strategic sourcing plans, achieving cost-effective purchasing and supply chain optimization.
- Built and maintained supplier relationships while onboarding new vendors to expand the supplier base and strengthen supply security.
- Executed daily purchase orders based on requisitions, issued them to suppliers, and closely monitored urgent orders to ensure on-time delivery; implemented corrective actions and process improvements when needed.
- Processed invoices and payments with accuracy, resolving discrepancies to ensure financial efficiency and compliance with budgetary constraints.
- Led cost-saving initiatives by identifying alternative suppliers and optimizing procurement strategies, delivering measurable reductions in material costs.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams (production, logistics, project management, and finance) to enhance procurement efficiency and transparency.
- Assisted in contract management, ensuring terms aligned with company objectives and risk management standards.
- Optimized inventory management by reducing excess stock while preventing shortages, improving material availability for production.
- Created dashboards and procurement reports, providing insights on spend data, supplier performance, and process efficiency to support decision-making.
- Contributed to new and alternative design cost studies to support product development initiatives.
- Participated in internal and external meetings to track production plans and align procurement activities with operational requirements.
Purchasing Team Leader
VESTEL HOME APPLIANCES
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Took over group responsibility and managed a €350M annual spend while leading a team of six purchasing professionals.
- Managed procurement of electromechanical components (motors, pumps, valves), aluminum and zinc die-cast parts, bearings, and bearing housings for washing machines and dishwashers across a supplier base of 50 companies in China and Europe.
- Planned die-cast tooling requirements based on annual demand, placed tooling orders, and managed supplier ramp-up and implementation activities.
- Established supplier allocation strategies and monitored cost and quality KPIs to reduce single-source dependency and improve supplier performance.
- Negotiated pricing, contracts, and commercial terms, delivering measurable cost savings and improved supply conditions.
- Developed and implemented direct material sourcing strategies, leading projects that achieved 9% cost savings while improving supplier performance in delivery, quality, and payment terms.
- Conducted market intelligence and supplier risk assessments, evaluating sourcing opportunities, commodity trends, currency fluctuations, and supplier financials to ensure supply continuity.
- Performed cost breakdown analysis and cost modeling to identify savings opportunities and strengthen supplier relationship management.
- Contributed to the successful completion of the CIPS certification project by preparing and presenting a comprehensive report within a six-month certification program.
- Led procurement and supply chain activities for the launch of a new dryer manufacturing plant, partnering with suppliers and R&D to qualify, approve, and implement all components before production start-up.
Purchasing Engineer
VESTEL HOME APPLIANCES
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Managed the procurement of electromechanical components with an annual spend of approximately €100M, covering 10 product categories and a supplier base of 25 companies.
- Negotiated commercial agreements with existing and new suppliers, establishing long-term partnerships while ensuring compliance with company procurement policies.
- Led annual and monthly price negotiations and implemented cost improvement initiatives that delivered 5% annual savings.
- Coordinated cross-functional teams including R&D, Quality, Production, and Planning to qualify alternative suppliers and ensure supply continuity.
- Implemented SAP-based cost analysis tools to improve pricing transparency and support data-driven sourcing decisions.
- Monitored raw material and foreign exchange fluctuations, defining supplier pricing strategies to protect company profitability.
Design Engineer R&D
VESTEL HOME APPLIANCES
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Conducted research on emerging technologies and led the design and development of refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens from concept through production launch.
- Coordinated prototype manufacturing and industrialization activities, ensuring successful transition to mass production.
- Collaborated with Procurement and suppliers to optimize product designs for manufacturability, cost efficiency, and supply readiness.
- Supported value engineering and cost reduction initiatives through design optimization and alternative material/component evaluations.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Dokuz Eylul University
Izmir, Turkey06.2013
Skills
- Strategic Sourcing
- Category Management
- Operational Procurement & Tactical Buying
- Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)
- Contract Negotiation
- Cost Reduction & Cost Analysis
- Supplier Risk Management
- Stakeholder Management & Cross-functional Collaboration
- ERP Systems: SAP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV
- MS Office (Advanced Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
Certification
- CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management) — In progress
- CIPS Project Participation — 2019
Timeline
Purchasing Engineer
GRAM EQUIPMENT
01.2019 - 01.2024
Purchasing Team Leader
VESTEL HOME APPLIANCES
01.2018 - 01.2019
Purchasing Engineer
VESTEL HOME APPLIANCES
01.2015 - 01.2018
Design Engineer R&D
VESTEL HOME APPLIANCES
01.2011 - 01.2015
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Dokuz Eylul University