Senior Buyer
Specific Responsibilities: Below highlights key responsibilities, but is not all inclusive:
- Negotiate key business metrics with suppliers, such as cost reductions, inventory agreements, lead time reduction and supplier payment terms
- Develop and implement long term strategies for commodities to assure continuous deflation by leveraging volume, negotiations, and supplier development.
- Monitor material requirements and expedite/push deliveries as required to synchronize supply chain inventory with customer demand to mitigate excess and obsolete inventory.
- Track supplier performance and provide regular feedback to key suppliers; set clear expectations with suppliers and work to add/replace suppliers as needed for optimal business results.
- Manage supply base through supplier selection, qualification, development and regular performance evaluations, to development the best suppliers and to ensure an optimum supply chain
- Build strong cross-functional relationships, from Engineering through Suppliers, and work with colleagues to understand their needs as related to supply chain; work continuously to exceed their expectations and deliver excellent results.
- Work to mitigate business risk by addressing commodities with long lead times, inability or cost prohibition to air shipping, suppliers with capacity constraints, suppliers with fulfillment issues, suppliers with significant payment or terms constraints, suppliers with excessive pricing, single- or sole-source suppliers; develop solutions to ensure business continuity
- Mitigate risk to the supply chain by understanding the markets, economic conditions, global events, etc.
- Implement VMI partnerships where appropriate.
- Manage and track tooling and investment.
- Review suppliers to keep abreast of new capabilities, products and techniques..
- Research sources of supply and services to maintain flexibility, high quality and competitive pricing in the supplier base.
- Support lean manufacturing activities.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Experience, Education, Skills and Competencies
- Bachelor’s degree in (Procurement, Business or Technical Field) with 8+ years of work experience in Supply Chain field.
- Strong computer skills and knowledge of MS Office. Ability to rapidly learn new software/programs as needs arise. Experience with ERP systems in a manufacturing environment; Oracle experience a plus.
- Ability to read, understand, and interpret mechanical drawings to effectively communicate the designs or discrepancies from shipments to supplier should questions arise.
- Strong negotiation, analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills.
- Good strategic thinking, people skills and cross functional team leadership skills.
- Candidate with business acumen is highly desirable.
- Highly effective and professional verbal and written communication skills with team, internal customers and suppliers.
- Exhibit & encourage sense of urgency, highly energetic and success driven.
- Must be capable of working independently, in a fast-paced environment, with minimal supervision.
- Multi-task and prioritize projects and primary responsibilities.
- Excellent follow-through
- Ability to role model high standards of professionalism.
Travel Requirements
- < 10%
Physical Requirements
- Ability to demonstrate proof of up to date Covid-19 vaccination status prior to employment start day (full vaccination dose and booster, if eligible) per the current CDC guidelines.
- Mobility to work in a standard office setting and to use office equipment, including a computer.
- Ability to use vision to read computer screen and read printed materials.