Purchasing Specialist I

Owens Corning•Colfax, NC

About The Position

This position is responsible for the tactical execution of the planning/replenishment of raw materials across multiple Owens Corning manufacturing sites. This individual will be part of the Central Procurement Team and will utilize expert knowledge to plan and purchase goods fully leveraging negotiated supply agreements to determine optimal order quantities and building loads to achieve the best TCO for Owens Corning. In this role, the individual is expected to set and achieve inventory targets, while simultaneously building and maintaining strategic relationships with key suppliers. The individual will work closely with Sourcing, Logistics, and our suppliers to ensure quality, specification and delivery requirements are met. The individual will ensure proper engagement in purchases and projects, resolve escalated questions from the plant SCM’s and other Plant Operations stakeholders and proactively identify, develop, and drive mitigation plans on potential issues to ensure uninterrupted supply to the manufacturing plants.

Requirements

BA/BS – Business Administration / Supply Chain Management perferred.
3+ years of experience in purchasing, supply chain management.
2-3 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
Experience with SAP and/or Kinaxis a plus.
APICS/ASCM certification a plus.
Experience with integrated ERP/MRP system preferred.
Experience in purchasing/planning preferred.
Knowledge in wood products experience preferred.
Strong ability to manage multiple priorities and manage time efficiently.
Ability to work efficiently as part of a team as well as independently.
Ability to analyze data to determine actions and effective in problem solving.
Excellent organizational skills and strong communication skills both verbal and written.
Proficiency in the use of Microsoft applications: Excel, Word, Power Point, Access, Outlook.
Knowledge of APICS/ASCM practices and principles.
Previous experience with process improvements utilizing Lean Manufacturing/Kaizen techniques.
Demonstrated ability to work across all levels of the organization and to build solid supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

Complete daily replenishment activities to support raw materials requirements for the various manufacturing sites. Monitor inventory levels to achieve targeted inventory days on hand.
Set and manage planning parameters (contract pricing, safety stock, min/max, lead times, forecasts, MOQ’s etc.) in the planning systems.
Generate purchase orders as a planner using Owens Corning’s ERP systems. Ensure all materials are available for forecasted and/or confirmed customer order fulfillment across manufacturing sites.
Optimize inventory investment for assigned product lines across manufacturing sites.
Responsible for timely planning of domestic materials including forecast communication to suppliers (MRP, Min/Max, VMI, Special Order).
Build effective supplier relationships and communication to ensure proper inventory levels, on-time shipments and deliveries.
Work to build a solid relationship with global sourcing teams to understand and execute material sourcing strategies.
Drive total cost of ownership through enforcement and use of national agreements, supplier relationship management on issues and inventory requirements, and actively dialog with the Supply Chain Planning, Plant Scheduling Teams and Plant SCM’s to identify opportunities for improvement and risks to supply.
Manage transition and timing of product offering changes across manufacturing sites. (engineering changes, new product launches, product line obsolescence, vendor changes).
Maintain delivery confirmations and acknowledgements to ensure timely deliveries, resolving and shortage issues with the suppliers.
Run, update, and maintain the purchase order status dashboard report and resolutions on backorders for assigned products.
Implement resolutions to any material issues that may affect safety, quality, or productivity for your manufacturing sites.
Evaluates supplier performance per company/compliance standards, policies and procedures for corrective actions, negotiation, and/or decision-making support.
Offers back-up support for other Buyers within company guidelines and procedures.
Utilize stock out reports and other tools to identify inventory discrepancies that will impact supply requirements.
Ensure the accuracy of supplier lead times, supplier contact lists, supplier pricing, and the systems BOM.
Run inventory count reports to review adjustments and request recounts as needed.
Qualifies and assists new supplier setups utilizing company policies, procedures, and purchased item requirements
Conducts /Assists with the manufacturing plants physical inventory.
Work closely with the Sourcing, Logistics, and Manufacturing Operations to maintain appropriate levels of inventory.
Work with Sourcing & Logistics teams for resolutions of issues pertaining to pricing, on time deliveries, fill rates, quality and specifications, support root cause analysis for supplier performance issues.
Active participation in key weekly meetings and calls pertaining to inventory and Purchasing.
Lead/participate in cross-functional projects as assigned.
Provides non-conforming goods remediation assistance to Business functional areas.