Materials Buyer

Tenneco • Greenville, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Materials Buyer owns the plant system that converts production demand into reliable supplier requirements, material availability, and controlled raw-material inventory. The role establishes disciplined MRP execution, resolves exceptions before they disrupt production, coordinates inbound schedules, and leads supplier recovery using P3 Integrated Supply Chain standards. It connects Planning, Procurement, Logistics, Customs, Production, and Finance through a visible operating rhythm.

The role translates demand into executable supplier requirements using MRP and governed ERP parameters; manages material shortages and critical-material risks; balances service, supply risk, and working capital; and drives supplier execution. It uses planning and supplier-performance data to identify root causes and implement lasting countermeasures. The position is based in Greenville, Michigan.

Requirements

• Hands-on experience with supplier scheduling, MRP, parameter governance, exception management, shortages, and recovery planning in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to manage inventory coverage, safety stock, minimum order quantities, lot size, lead time, excess, obsolescence, and working-capital tradeoffs.
• Experience managing supplier commitments, capacity, OTD/OTIF, corrective actions, and escalation across external and intercompany suppliers.
• Demonstrated ability to align Production, Procurement, Logistics, Customs, Finance, and Customer Planning around one material plan.
• Experience using root-cause analysis, standard work, visual management, and KPI routines to improve planning reliability.
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, operations, engineering, business, or a related field.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP, Excel, and planning or business intelligence tools.
• Ability to communicate risk clearly, make fact-based decisions, and drive action under pressure.
• Fluency in English and the local plant language, as required.

Nice To Haves

• APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.
• Lean certification.
• Six Sigma certification.

Responsibilities

• Translate production demand into executable supplier requirements using MRP, governed ERP parameters, lead times, minimum order quantities, safety stock, coverage, and supplier schedules.
• Maintain visibility of shortages and critical-material risks; identify constraints early, define containment and recovery plans, assign owners and due dates, and escalate risks before production or delivery is affected.
• Set and challenge raw-material inventory targets; optimize safety stock and order policies; reduce excess and obsolete inventory without creating supply exposure.
• Establish a supplier cadence covering capacity, commitments, advance ship notice (ASN) discipline, on-time delivery (OTD/OTIF), corrective actions, and recovery for external and intercompany suppliers.
• Use MRP exceptions, inventory coverage, supplier performance, schedule adherence, and premium-freight signals to identify root causes and drive permanent countermeasures.
• Provide Production and Customer Planning with a credible material plan, shortage visibility, and recovery decisions aligned with production schedules and customer priorities.
• Provide Procurement and Supplier Development with accurate supplier requirements, supplier-performance evidence, capacity risks, and structured escalation.
• Coordinate pickup schedules, carrier capacity, routes, documentation, and customs-clearance priorities with Transportation and Customs to protect inbound material flow.
• Provide Finance and plant leadership with transparent inventory, risk, and recovery information to support working-capital and operational decisions.
• Provide suppliers with stable schedules, clear expectations, timely escalation, and disciplined follow-through.
• Maintain planning routines and standards, conduct KPI reviews, complete corrective actions, train backups, and sustain execution to support P3 certification readiness.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Comprehensive benefits package designed to support well-being.
• Opportunity to work and learn in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on exposure to Lean, ERP, analytics, cross-functional problem solving, and plant transformation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level