Quick overview
Job description
Position Summary
As a Lights Core Buyer, you'll be responsible for actively sourcing and purchasing automotive light cores from individual vendors, shops, recyclers, and suppliers across a designated region. This is a sales-centric, field-based role built around building relationships, negotiating purchases, and securing light cores to support remanufacturing operations — requiring local in-person vendor visits and price negotiation.
The ideal candidate is comfortable with a physically demanding role in a warehouse environment and regular travel, has strong interpersonal skills, and is familiar with the automotive industry.
What you'll do
- Vendor Sourcing & Negotiation
- Conduct in-person negotiations, pricing discussions, and deal closings with vendors.
- Build and maintain strong vendor relationships to ensure a consistent pipeline of light cores.
- Secure competitive pricing while maintaining quality standards and supply continuity.
- Actively prospect new vendors through market research, cold outreach, and on-site visits.
- Represent the company professionally as a primary point of contact for core buying.
- Travel the assigned region to identify, source, and purchase automotive light cores from vendors, recyclers, body shops, and other suppliers.
- Logistics & operations
- Coordinate payment and logistics, including scheduling pickups or deliveries to remanufacturing locations.
- Transport cores in a company Sprinter van and prep light cores for shipping.
- Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to availability, quality, delivery timing, or vendor concerns.
- Reporting & cross-functional partnership
- Maintain accurate records of purchases, pricing, vendor interactions, and deliveries.
- Monitor regional market trends, pricing fluctuations, and competitor activity.
- Partner with internal procurement, logistics, and remanufacturing teams to align purchasing with operational needs.
What you'll bring
- Minimum 2 years of experience in automotive repair, sales, procurement, or core/material buying, preferably automotive-related.
- High School Diploma/GED required.
- Demonstrated success in face-to-face sales or purchasing negotiations.
- Familiarity with automotive cores, specifically lights (remanufacturing experience a plus).
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport quickly.
- Comfortable working independently and managing a travel-heavy schedule.
- Strong organizational skills to manage multiple vendor relationships and transactions.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and basic purchasing or CRM tools.
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