NPD Procurement Specialist

Clopay•Mason, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Clopay Corporation is seeking an NPD Procurement Specialist for their Mason, Ohio location. This role involves partnering with Design Engineering teams during early-stage concepts to recommend supplier technologies, materials, and manufacturing methods. The specialist will facilitate Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) workshops to optimize part designs for manufacturability, quality, and cost efficiency. They will also challenge design specifications that risk creating unnecessary sole-source constraints or proprietary lock-ins, advocating for standard industry alternatives. The role includes managing rapid-turn quotation, bidding, and purchase order execution for prototype tooling and sample parts, coordinating sample submissions, tooling builds, and first-article inspection reports (FAIR) with Quality Assurance and Product Engineering, and tracking/expediting critical-path tooling and prototype deliveries. Additionally, the specialist will conduct target costing assessments and cost modeling for newly designed components, perform total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, and lead supplier price negotiations to ensure the final Bill of Materials (BOM) meets corporate gross margin targets. The role also involves identifying, evaluating, and qualifying strategic suppliers, conducting supplier risk assessments, negotiating and finalizing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), master service agreements (MSAs), and initial development contracts. Finally, the specialist will establish stable, production-ready supply chains prior to commercial launch gates, coordinate the transfer of finalized tooling, part numbers, pricing, and master contracts to the sustaining Buyer/Planner team, and monitor initial mass-production runs to ensure ramp-up stability and resolve early supply chain bottlenecks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
3 – 5 years minimum experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain, with an emphasis on new product introduction (NPI) or engineering sourcing.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, CAD files, component specifications, and complex Bills of Materials (BOMs).
Hands-on experience with ERP/RP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle), PLM software, and advanced Excel modeling.
Proven ability to build consensus and communicate effectively across Engineering, Operations, Finance, and external vendor partners.
Demonstrated track record in cost reduction, tooling agreement negotiation, and contract structuring.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent product launch timelines under tight deadlines.
Proactive mindset focused on mitigating supply chain risks early in the design cycle.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Power Point) is a must.

Responsibilities

Partner with Design Engineering teams during early stage concepts to recommend supplier technologies, materials, and manufacturing methods.
Facilitate Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) workshops to optimize part designs for manufacturability, quality, and cost efficiency.
Challenge design specifications that risk creating unnecessary sole-source constraints or proprietary lock-ins, advocating for standard industry alternatives where appropriate.
Manage rapid-turn quotation, bidding, and purchase order execution for prototype tooling and sample parts.
Coordinate sample submissions, tooling builds, and first-article inspection reports (FAIR) with Quality Assurance and Product Engineering.
Track and expedite critical-path tooling and prototype deliveries to align with strict project milestone schedules.
Conduct target costing assessments and cost modeling for newly designed components.
Perform total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, factoring in unit costs, tooling, freight, duties, scrap, and inventory holding costs.
Lead supplier price negotiations to ensure the final Bill of Materials (BOM) meets corporate gross margin targets prior to product release.
Identify, evaluate, and qualify strategic suppliers capable of supporting new technology platforms and volume scale-ups.
Conduct supplier risk assessments (capacity, financial stability, geographic vulnerability) and establish dual-sourcing strategies where required.
Negotiate and finalize non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), master service agreements (MSAs), and initial development contracts.
Establish stable, production-ready supply chains prior to commercial launch gates.
Coordinate seamless transfer of finalized tooling, part numbers, pricing, and master contracts to the sustaining Buyer/Planner team.
Monitor initial mass-production runs to ensure ramp-up stability, resolving early supply chain bottleneck.