Sr. Strategic NPI Buyer

Intuitive•Santa Clara, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Strategic NPI Buyer, New Products Supply Chain, will support the introduction and launch of new products by managing supply chain activities from concept to commercialization. This role collaborates cross-functionally with R&D, manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and commercial teams to ensure successful product launches and optimize supply chain processes for new product development. The ideal candidate has owned complex supply chain problems, identified risks early, and taken accountability. They understand supplier capabilities, sourcing strategy, and risk, especially in new product introduction environments, and are comfortable influencing engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing without direct authority. This role will manage procurement of direct materials and strategic sourcing initiatives to support new product introduction, requiring knowledge of key supplier capabilities and matching them to new product design. The role involves tracking and managing purchase orders and delivery commitments to support new product ramp-up, and working closely with strategic sourcing and engineering to ensure the appropriate supplier strategy is implemented for new product release and production ramp. It also includes evaluating supplier capabilities and working with supplier engineering and strategic sourcing to develop new supply sources as needed, while monitoring cost, capacity, and delivery schedules to ensure material availability for production.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (BS) or equivalent in supply chain, business, engineering, or related field.
5+ years of NPI purchasing and supply chain experience in a regulated manufacturing environment (medical device industry preferred).
Proficient in MS Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel including VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, Charts), ERP systems (preferably SAP, Agile), and BOM structures.
Hands-on experience in strategic buying, material planning, master scheduling, and demand forecasting.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and achieve challenging objectives in a fast-paced environment.
Strong influencing skills without direct authority; proven ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to deliver information at both strategic and tactical levels.

Nice To Haves

Experience in medical devices or other highly regulated manufacturing industries.
Advanced knowledge of supplier development, strategic sourcing, and new product introduction processes.
Familiarity with SCRM (Supply Chain Risk Management) tools and supplier quality systems.
APICS or similar supply chain certification.

Responsibilities

Manage procurement of direct materials and coordinate strategic sourcing initiatives to support New Product Introductions (NPI).
Effectively track and manage purchase orders, delivery commitments, and ramp-up timelines for new products.
Partner closely with engineering, strategic sourcing, and supplier engineering teams to align supplier capabilities with product design and commercialization objectives.
Establish component and material requirements based on engineering inputs and new product build schedules.
Maintain optimal inventory levels for production continuity.
Evaluate, develop, and optimize supplier capabilities.
Expand supply sources as necessary in collaboration with strategic sourcing and supplier engineering.
Monitor cost, capacity, and delivery schedules to ensure on-time availability of materials for production.
Track purchase price variances and contribute to cost reduction initiatives.
Support risk identification and mitigation utilizing SCRM tools; manage supplier involvement in engineering change orders to minimize disruptions.
Prepare supplier scorecards, participate in supplier business reviews, and lead quoting activities to drive supply chain optimization.
Conduct market research to identify and qualify appropriate suppliers for various commodities and manufacturing processes.