Thomas Kervin-Cost Reduction Initiative Consultant
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Experience
Cost Reduction Initiative Consultant
Rehau Automotive SE & Co. KG
- Design of a standardized procedure for planning and conducting cost reduction workshops with suppliers of plastic components and pilot implementation at the supplier’s production site
- Planning of cost optimization workshops
- Defining project goals, selecting and ordering the suppliers to be examined, as well as the focus parts
- Establishing the method for cost analysis and the cost calculation schema, and creating own cost calculations for the focus parts
- Agreeing on the agenda and team composition
- Approaching and preparing suppliers
- Conducting cost optimization workshops at the supplier
- Aligning goals, approach, scheduling and follow-up of the workshop
- Inspecting the internal material flow and production of the focus parts
- Critical analysis of the supplier’s product cost calculations in detailed comparison with self-calculated costs and agreeing on corresponding measures
- Identifying additional savings potentials based on process inefficiencies and technical optimization options
- Documenting all cost reduction potentials (8 - 15%) and corresponding measures with timing and responsibilities in an action list for further processing or realization of savings
Team Leader, Category Management – Mechanical Components
Aixtron SE
- Leading a team (8 members), managing escalations, initiating process optimizations, and developing proposals for reorganization and task definitions for order management, project procurement and strategic procurement (Category Management)
- Introducing weekly one-on-ones with individual employees to record and manage their tasks and set priorities
- Providing targeted support to employees in critical situations by leading internal and external escalation measures
- Holding regular team meetings to identify process inefficiencies and coordinate appropriate measures
- Initiating and implementing measures to improve and optimize internal procurement and cross-functional processes
- Presenting a comprehensive process for structured, cross-disciplinary handling of escalation cases
- Developing an organizational separation of order management and category management for a specific product group
- Advising on the use of temporary and permanent staff
- Assisting in defining responsibilities for project procurement and strategic procurement (Category Management)
- Proposing a comprehensive task demarcation ('RASIC') between order management/operational procurement and strategic procurement
Advisor to the Head of Procurement
Winkelmann Automotive GmbH
- Coaching the purchasing manager and leading the project to organize the newly established global strategic procurement function for the Automotive business unit following decentralization
- Teaching various leadership principles using concrete problem scenarios
- Initiating proactive integration and collaboration of employees at sites in Germany, Poland and Mexico
- Implementing a regular meeting structure across the entire procurement department and documenting and tracking actions using standardized action lists
- Identifying process inefficiencies through targeted employee surveys, and prioritizing and implementing measures for process optimization and effort reduction
- Identifying and initiating the short-term use of temporary workers based on a workload analysis
- Defining the business-unit-specific area of responsibility in relation to the remaining central procurement using a 'RACI matrix'
- Identifying required roles and updating or redefining job descriptions
- Determining the number and location of required strategic buyers by assigning direct product groups to plants and conducting a workload analysis
- Managing recruiting activities at all locations
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Automotive.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Operations, Procurement, and Project Management.
Summary
25 years of experience in global strategic purchasing and project procurement in large corporations and medium-sized companies across various technology sectors, including 13 years in the automotive supply industry and over 12 years of leadership responsibility for up to 30 international employees
Skills
- Sap (Mm)
- Ms Office
- Lotus Notes
- Purchasing Leadership
- Employee Management
- Project Management
- Supplier Management
- Value Analysis With Suppliers
- Negotiation Techniques And Strategies
- Contract Law (National And International)
Languages
Education
Technical University of Darmstadt
Diploma in Industrial Engineering · Industrial Engineering with a focus on Mechanical Engineering · Darmstadt, Germany
Schools in Bad Vilbel / Hesse
General university entrance qualification · Bad Vilbel, Germany
Statistics
Experience
Global experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Profile
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
Thomas is based in Cologne, Germany.
Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), French (Elementary).
Thomas has at least 1 year of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 3 different roles and for 3 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 months. Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, Thomas would be well-suited for roles such as: Cost Reduction Initiative Consultant, Team Leader, Category Management – Mechanical Components, Advisor to the Head of Procurement.
Thomas's most recent position is Cost Reduction Initiative Consultant at Rehau Automotive SE & Co. KG.
In recent years, Thomas has worked for Rehau Automotive SE & Co. KG, Aixtron SE, and Winkelmann Automotive GmbH.
Thomas is most experienced in industries like Automotive and Manufacturing.
Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Procurement, Operations, and Project Management. Thomas also has some experience in Supply Chain Management.
Thomas holds a Master in Industrial Engineering with a focus on Mechanical Engineering from Technical University of Darmstadt.
The availability of Thomas needs to be confirmed.
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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 30 Aug 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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