Category buyer-ERP Transformation and Business Readiness

We are seeking an experienced Category Buyer - ERP Transformation & Business Readiness to support a major enterprise procurement transformation initiative. This role combines traditional purchasing expertise with change management, business readiness, communications, and transition support responsibilities.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in supply chain and purchasing, hands-on buyer experience, and the ability to help business teams successfully navigate ERP system changes. This individual will serve as a key liaison between Purchasing, IT, Finance, Learning & Development, suppliers, and leadership teams to ensure smooth system implementations, successful cutovers, and effective adoption of new processes and tools.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring that buyers and suppliers understand upcoming changes, business readiness activities are completed, communications and training are delivered effectively, and launches occur with minimal disruption., Purchasing & Business Operations

• Leverage purchasing and supply chain expertise to support ERP and procurement transformation initiatives.
• Provide subject matter expertise on purchasing processes, supplier interactions, and business operations.
• Support category, commodity, production, program, and indirect purchasing organizations through system and process transitions.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Purchasing Operations, Finance, and IT teams to align business requirements with system capabilities.

Change Management & Transition Support

• Develop and execute business readiness plans to support ERP implementations and major system changes.
• Coordinate business cutover activities and ensure alignment between purchasing teams, program teams, and IT.
• Support cutover planning, hyper care activities, risk management, and issue resolution.
• Monitor readiness metrics and escalate risks that could impact launch success.

Communications & Training

• Create communications, training materials, job aids, and user adoption content.
• Develop presentations and executive-level updates for leadership reviews.
• Ensure buyers, business users, and suppliers understand upcoming changes, timelines, and required actions.
• Partner with Learning & Development teams to support training deployment and adoption activities.

Process Improvement & Automation

• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes and business workflows.
• Evaluate and promote the use of AI and automation solutions to improve efficiency, communications, and user experience.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that increase productivity and reduce process complexity.

Stakeholder & Supplier Engagement

• Collaborate with global cross-functional teams, including IT, Finance, Purchasing Operations, and suppliers.
• Support supplier communications and supplier enablement activities related to business process and system changes.
• Assist leadership teams with readiness reviews, go/no-go decisions, and launch preparedness., * Do you have 3+ years of experience working with SAP, SAP Ariba, or another ERP procurement platform?
• Have you participated in an ERP implementation, system migration, cutover, business readiness, or major process transformation project?
• Which activities have you supported during a system implementation or business transformation? (Select all that apply)

Business Readiness Cutover Planning Hyper Care Support UAT Testing Training Development Communications Planning Go/No-Go Readiness Reviews None

• Have you developed business communications, training materials, or leadership presentations related to process or system changes?
• Are you currently residing in the Metro Detroit area (not having to relocate to it) and able to work onsite?
• Are you able to work on our W2 (not C2C) without sponsorship?
• What is your target hourly rate?

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Communications, or a related field.
• 5+ years of supply chain and purchasing experience.
• Hands-on experience as a:
• Buyer
• Commodity Buyer
• Program Buyer
• Production Buyer
• Indirect Buyer
• Strong understanding of purchasing and procurement processes.
• Experience supporting ERP implementations, business transformations, system deployments, or change initiatives.
• Ability to understand technical or system changes and translate impacts for business users.
• Strong written communication skills with experience creating:
• Executive communications
• Training materials
• Leadership presentations
• Business readiness documentation
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills.
• Experience working with global cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of AI, automation, and process improvement methodologies.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with:
• SAP ERP
• SAP S/4HANA
• SAP Ariba
• Enterprise Procurement Systems
• Experience participating in:
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Conference Room Pilots (CRPs)
• Mock Cutovers
• Hyper Care
• Go/No-Go Readiness Reviews
• Readiness assessments and adoption metrics experience.
• Power BI reporting and dashboard development.
• Supplier communication and supplier enablement experience.
• Certifications such as:
• Prosci
• CCMP
• Agile
• SAFe
• APICS
• CPSM

• Buyers and suppliers clearly understand what is changing and when.
• Business cutover plans are documented, owned, and aligned with program objectives.
• ERP launches occur with minimal disruption to operations.
• Hyper care periods are managed effectively.
• Communications and training materials are accurate and delivered on time.
• Leadership has visibility into readiness status, risks, and go/no-go decisions.
• Process improvements and automation opportunities are identified and implemented.

Pay: $40.00 per hour, * 401(k)

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Which of the following best describes your purchasing experience? (Select all that apply)

Production Buyer Commodity Buyer Program Buyer Indirect Buyer Strategic Sourcing Procurement Specialist