Contingent Buyer/Planner

Honda Racing Corporation USA•Santa Clarita, CA

About The Position

The Contingent Buyer/Planner plans production requirements, provides forecasts to key suppliers, sources parts and services, and purchases parts and materials from HRC shops and external suppliers. The role supports production, development, and race component requirements, managing supply-chain functions from planning analysis and part review through supplier bids and negotiations, delivery, and quality assurance support. Its goal is to provide best value while meeting critical assembly, development testing, and race team needs. The position leads production planning and purchasing, including purchase-order release and maintenance, supplier forecasting, price and delivery negotiations, quotation requests, inventory management, and design-level revision tracking. It manages supplier performance and coordinates with engineering, manufacturing, production, and supplier quality to resolve delivery and quality issues. The role also handles scheduling, stakeholder reporting, required training, and timely completion of material review board actions.

Requirements

At least 5 years of manufacturing experience; machine shop experience is preferred.
Buyer/planner procurement experience.
Basic understanding of production and manufacturing equipment, including manual and CNC equipment, welding, and castings.
Working knowledge of supplier management and procurement processes.
Ability to develop and integrate requirements, planning analysis, negotiation, documentation, and coordination of supplier activities.
Ability to interface effectively with company associates at all levels and outside suppliers, and resolve conflicts at appropriate levels.
Understanding of supplier selection based on QAV and familiarity with supplier ranking criteria.
Familiarity with monitoring on-time delivery, supplier audits covering quality, financial, management, and shop-floor areas, continuous improvement, product quality planning, and the production part approval process.
Familiarity with purchasing software modules such as Navision and Accellion.
Ability to work in a team environment and under minimal supervision.
Clear and concise verbal communication skills.
Ability to resolve conflict effectively.
Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a business-related field, or equivalent industry procurement experience.

Nice To Haves

Machine shop experience.
A bachelor’s degree in a business-related field.

Responsibilities

Lead production planning analysis and release purchase orders in time to meet assembly build requirements based on the certified Bill of Materials.
Provide annual forecasts to long-lead and major engine suppliers.
Negotiate pricing, economic ordering quantities, and delivery schedules based on production needs and project milestones.
Maintain purchase orders with current expected receipt dates and supplier delay notes.
Solicit quotations for current-specification production parts from approved suppliers and manage orders through delivery.
Manage project inventory to meet production and development needs while minimizing excess inventory.
Manage design-level revisions related to production part supersession.
Keep vendor and item records current, including contacts, addresses, revision levels, pricing, and lead times.
Monitor supplier on-time delivery, quality, and cost; review requisitions and purchase orders and communicate delays to management.
Lead recurring supplier meetings to establish purchasing requirements and report status to stakeholders.
Analyze suppliers’ technical capabilities, manufacturing limitations, facilities, equipment availability, and redundancy.
Participate in and facilitate meetings about part-quality issues; coordinate with approved suppliers, Engineering, and Quality Assurance to resolve procurement-related delays and quality issues.
Request HTS codes and apply knowledge of INCOTERMS 2010 and customs regulations for international purchases.
Develop solutions to complex procurement problems using established precedents and policies.
Coordinate with engineering, manufacturing engineering, production, and supplier quality on component quality and delivery issues.
Lead interdepartmental discussions and set direction on vendor capacity, quality inspection and documentation, and shipping and receiving while maintaining on-time delivery.
Provide timely status reports to stakeholders and assist procurement peers during periods of high workload, including peak purchasing season.
Plan weekly and daily schedules to attend required meetings.
Complete required training before expiration, document status, and report to HRC management as required.
Maintain purchase orders and complete material review board (MRB) actions on time.