Production Buyer

Fortive•Everett, WA

About The Position

The Production Buyer coordinates products through the complete production cycle. The role develops production and supply plans based on demand forecasts, material availability, and manufacturing capacity, and maintains appropriate planning parameters in ERP systems to optimize subassembly production and raw-material supply plans. The Production Buyer evaluates process and systems data, resolves issues involving inventory, production schedules, or material shortages, and recommends countermeasures to prevent recurring problems. The position also balances the needs of vendors and internal and external customers against the supply and demand for materials and finished goods. As part of the Materials team, the Production Buyer coordinates with factory teams to maintain product supply and quality and delivery standards; addresses vendor line-stopping issues; and advances lean materials strategies to reduce inventory while maintaining availability. The role works with sourcing, scheduling, development, factory, and New Product Introduction teams, supports continuous improvement using Fortive Business System tools, and may coordinate or supervise the transfer of production cells between locations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain or a similar field.
Proven track record tackling complex inventory-control problems.
Proficiency in Excel.
Self-starter who seeks ways to improve processes proactively.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, metric-driven environment.
1–4 years of progressive experience in planning, purchasing, and inventory control within a lean manufacturing environment.
Good time-management and organizational skills.
Ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

Communicate and coordinate with factory teams to ensure continuous product supply and meet quality and delivery standards.
Resolve vendor line-stopping issues.
Implement materials strategies such as consignment, Kanban, just-in-time, and postponement to reduce inventory while maintaining availability.
Develop inventory-control action plans and countermeasures with schedulers, development teams, and factory teams.
Work with the Strategic Sourcing Team on low-cost regional sourcing, supplier assessment, and supplier management.
Initiate and participate in continuous improvement using appropriate Fortive Business System tools.
Collaborate with the New Product Introduction team to support successful product launches from engineering design through factory production.
May coordinate and supervise the integration of new production cells from one location to another.
Develop production and supply plans based on demand forecasts, material availability, and manufacturing capacity.
Maintain ERP planning parameters to optimize subassembly production and raw-material supply plans.
Analyze process and systems data and resolve inventory, production schedule, and material shortage problems.
Balance vendor and customer needs against supply and demand for materials and finished goods.