Senior NPI Planner and Buyer

RED CAT HOLDINGS•Salt Lake City, UT

20d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior NPI Planner and Buyer is a critical link between Engineering, Operations, and external suppliers. You will be responsible for managing the end-to-end supply chain requirements for new product launches, from initial prototyping through to mass production hand-off. The ideal candidate possesses a mix of technical procurement expertise, strategic sourcing, and rigorous project management skills to ensure seamless product transitions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
5–8 years of experience in procurement or planning, with at least 3 years specifically focused on NPI in a manufacturing environment (Electronics, Aerospace, or Tech preferred).
Expert-level proficiency in MRP/ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite).
Advanced Excel skills (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, Data Modeling).
Experience with PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software (e.g., Arena, Agile).

Nice To Haves

APICS (CPIM/CSCP) or CPSM certification is highly desirable

Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Procurement: Identify and vet suppliers for new components, negotiate pricing, and manage initial purchase orders for prototypes and pilot runs.
BOM Management: Work closely with Engineering to manage preliminary Bills of Materials (BOMs), identifying long-lead items and high-risk components early in the design phase.
Production Planning: Develop and execute material plans to support NPI schedules, ensuring 100% part availability for all build phases (Proto, EVT, DVT, PVT).
Supplier Development: Lead Supplier Selection for new technologies or specialized components, ensuring vendors meet quality, capacity, and cost requirements.
Cost Management: Drive "Design for Cost" initiatives by providing feedback to Engineering on component costs and suggesting alternative materials or manufacturing processes.
Inventory Control: Manage "end-of-life" for legacy parts and the introduction of new revisions to minimize excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Lead weekly NPI supply chain meetings, providing clear updates on material status, risks, and mitigation plans to stakeholders.