NPD Materials Specialist

Smith+Nephew•Oklahoma City, OK

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The NPD Materials Specialist ensures material readiness for new product introductions and product launches. The role connects New Product Development Procurement with Manufacturing Operations, supporting the transition from product development to full-scale production. It works across global teams, suppliers, procurement, planning, and operations to help new products launch successfully and reach customers on time. The position owns operational material readiness through development builds, validation and pilot runs, product launches, and production ramp-up. It also supports temporary purchasing before SAP purchasing processes are established, helps transition those activities into standard processes, and leads the handoff of supplier and planning information to manufacturing Buyer/Planner teams. The role is not offering visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future.

Requirements

At least 3 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, material planning, supply chain operations, manufacturing support, or expediting.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
Strong understanding of procurement, materials management, and supplier operations.
Ability to interpret and manage Bills of Material and product structures.
Excellent organizational and project coordination skills.
Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Detail-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
Proactive problem-solving skills and ability to mitigate supply risks before they affect the business.

Nice To Haves

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, Operations, or a related field is preferred.
Experience supporting New Product Introductions (NPI/NPD) or product launch activities.
Experience working with Bills of Material (BOMs), forecasts, and supplier master data.
Experience with SAP, Ariba, or other ERP systems.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain Plans for Every Part (PFEPs) across multiple NPD projects, including BOM structures, supplier information, forecasts, pricing, lead times, and delivery status.
Coordinate material readiness for validation builds, pilot runs, and product launches.
Manage temporary purchasing activities before SAP purchasing processes are established.
Expedite supplier deliveries to meet project milestones and launch timelines.
Track and maintain open orders, shortages, and delivery performance reports.
Support SAP procurement master data setup for product launches.
Assist in transitioning temporary purchasing activities into standard SAP purchasing processes.
Partner with NPD Procurement Engineers, planning teams, buyer/planners, and suppliers to resolve supply risks and material issues.
Lead the handoff of suppliers, forecasts, purchase orders, and PFEP data to the manufacturing Buyer/Planner organization.
Support launch stabilization to ensure uninterrupted supply during production ramp-up.