Commodity Manager II

First Solar•Perrysburg, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset. This role involves leading procurement cross-functional teams for Tier 2 categories, making procurement decisions that deliver the highest quality, reliability, and value to meet First Solar requirements. The position also focuses on developing strong business relationships and strategic alliances to support First Solar’s growth plan.

Requirements

BS/BA degree plus 5 or more years of experience in a related technical or business field or 8 years of experience in a related technical or business field
Strong knowledge of operational purchasing processes & concepts
Decision Making: Participates with executives to establish strategic plans and objectives. Select, evaluate, and develop category plan objectives in areas of technology, quality, cost, flexibility, and service. Execute projects consistent with achieving overall supply management organizational goals. Implement sourcing decisions based on team consensus to weighted scorecard.
Problem Solving: Assess, define, and resolve complex supply chain and procurement issues without supervision. Apply root cause analysis and derive corrective actions and assess adequacy of the analyses and plans proposed by suppliers managed. Apply appropriate competitive cost benchmarks, financial analysis, and risk management techniques to solve issues. Able to influence internal customers and executive to achieve mutually beneficial solutions.
Project Management: Understands and demonstrates advanced project management skills. Demonstrated ability to successfully manage multiple projects at the same time, and to close projects on time. Effectively manages relationships and peer deliverables to successful project completion.
Interaction: Highly effective communicator, including oral, written and presentation preparation. Interacts primarily with peers, senior managers, and executives within First Solar. Interaction requires the ability to influence others, frequently associates with higher position, to achieve organizational goals. Often acts as team leader of cross-functional group for ad-hoc or standing projects. Routine interaction with directors, VPs or “C” level executives of suppliers managed. Builds deep industry relationships and category subject matter expertise.
Negotiation: Performs market and cost analysis. Issues RFIs/RFQs/RFPs. Develops and executes negotiation plan. Conducts negotiation within approved negotiation parameters and authority. Documents commercial terms and drafts contract agreements and amendments.

Nice To Haves

ISM and APICS Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Act as global supply management leader for assigned categories.
Develop and implement a global sourcing with specific negotiation strategies to achieve cost, supply assurance and risk mitigation objectives.
Lead commercial negotiations with managed supply partners.
Coordinate aggregation of all sites demand for supplier forecasting and leveraging for cost reduction.
Proactively manage supplier base ensuring supply with no adverse impact on factory ramp plans.
Utilize formal benchmarking methods to determine best in class processes and drive improvement.
Develop and implement cost-reduction programs through the use of Cost- of-Ownership (COO) analysis, cost build-up analysis and supplier competition.
Measure and track supply performance within spend category.
Implement inventory optimization programs to optimize inventory turns, inventory investment and service level performance.
Effectively communicate with appropriate management levels both internally and externally.
Lead cross functional team and manage supply chain to goals for quality, technology, cost, flexibility and service.
Demonstrate project management skills in leading cross functional teams.
Conduct business dealings with the highest level of integrity and regard for legal and environmental issues.
Other duties as assigned.