LEER - Material Control - Buyer

JB Poindexter & Co•Elkhart, IN

About The Position

The Buyer role is responsible for establishing strategies to improve supply chain ordering, solve shortage issues, and strengthen supplier relationships. This position tracks assigned commodities, implements strategies to lower procurement costs, and coordinates with commodity managers to resolve issues related to safety, quality, delivery, and cost. The Buyer also mentors non-supply chain team members, reviews requirements using the MRP system (JDE E1) and available reports to determine material needs, and takes appropriate actions to meet those needs. This role drives improvements in inventory turns, inventory levels, and supplier delivery performance. Additionally, the Buyer shares responsibility for implementing change notices to avoid rework, scrap, obsolescence, cancellation charges, or production delays, and ensures correct revision levels are maintained. Proactive communication with suppliers regarding changes, expedites, deferrals, and cancellations is crucial. The Buyer participates in factory performance reviews, uses departmental metrics to drive countermeasures and continuous improvement, and completes special assignments for the Supply Chain department. Ensuring data accuracy for parts, MOQs, standard packs, and costs is essential, along with reporting problems and taking appropriate action. The role provides technical leadership, training, and support to manufacturing teams and peers, executes investigations and root cause analysis for supply disruptions or material quality issues, and implements corrective actions. Identifying, escalating, and resolving material shortages, bill of material errors, and usage fluctuations before they affect production is a key responsibility. The Buyer participates in supplier audits and vendor review processes, manages the return of merchandise to suppliers, and leads/participates in cross-functional teams to improve systems or performance. Other duties as assigned are also part of this role.

Requirements

BA in business or closely related degree is preferred or equivalent experience.
5 years or more year experience in a buyer / planner purchasing role.
Understanding of Capacity Planning and MRP.
In depth utilization and experience with JDE E1 is preferred.
Excellent skills conducting product and supplier research.
Strong attention to detail.
Excellent problem-solving and organizational skills.
Ability to interact productively with all levels of company management and all product lines.
Ability to prioritize and multi-task.
Strong decision maker.
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and tact.
Flexibility and adaptability to accommodate new tasks and processes.
Capable of working independently and/or part of a group, as required.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Must be able to function in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.
Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. Must have the ability to combine pieces of information to form general conclusions (i.e., finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Must be able to guide, lead, and provide direction: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Must have fluent computer skills in Microsoft Office and related software packages.
Savvy understanding of Excel and utilization
Solution oriented self-starter with a hands-on approach and the ability to work unaided.
Valid driver’s license.
Excellent negotiation skills in challenging situations, both internally and externally.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Thorough understanding of the business and supply chain.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Extremely proficient with production planning systems, such as MRP II.
Boots on the ground (very hands-on) accustomed to wearing many hats in an entrepreneurial “fast-paced” environment.
Dynamic, polished, high energy, focused, and driven. Very sharp, innovative, and accustomed to “figuring it out”.
Ability to motivate teams to produce in tight timeframes while managing several projects simultaneously.
Ability to effectively communicate and facilitate through encouragement, motivation, and inspiration at all levels of the organization.

Nice To Haves

BA in business or closely related degree is preferred or equivalent experience.
In depth utilization and experience with JDE E1 is preferred.
Proven knowledge and execution of Lean methods, as modeled after the Toyota Production System

Responsibilities

Establishes strategies to improve supply chain ordering, solve shortage issues, and strengthen supplier relationships in concert with direction set by the Purchasing Manager.
Tracks assigned commodities and implements strategies to lower overall procurement cost.
Coordinate with JBPCO commodity managers to resolve Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost issues.
Mentors non-supply chain team members validating that processes and procedures are clearly understood.
Reviews requirements and uses MRP system (JDE E1) as well as available reports to determine material needs and takes appropriate actions to meet those needs (placing orders, scheduling delivery dates, creating and releasing orders, etc.).
Drive and track improvements to “inventory turns”, inventory levels, supplier delivery performance.
Share in responsibility for implementation of change notices to avoid unnecessary rework, scrap, obsolescence, cancellation charge, or production delays and assure that the correct revision levels are maintained in inventory.
Proactively keep suppliers notified of any changes. Expedites/defers/cancellations.
Participates and engages in daily/weekly/monthly factory performance reviews
Uses departmental performance metrics to drive countermeasures and continuous improvement
Complete special assignments for the Supply Chain department as directed by the Purchasing Manager.
Ensure data accuracy (parts, MOQs, standard packs, , cost, etc.) report problems and take appropriate action.
Provides technical leadership, training, and support to manufacturing teams as well as peers.
Executes investigation and root cause analysis on any supply disruptions or material quality issues and implements corrective action.
Identifies, escalates, and resolves material shortages/bill of material errors, usage fluctuation before they affect production.
Participate in supplier audits and vendor review process to communicate business results and vendor performance / rating.
Manages return of merchandise to supplier due to quality issues, delivery terms, etc.
Leads and participates in cross-functional teams/activities to improve systems or performances (e.g., cycle counts, training, manual inventory, etc.).
Other duties as assigned or needed.