Supply Chain Manager
About The Position
Kinperium-Hiniker LLC (Hiniker), a Minnesota-based manufacturer of agricultural and snow-removal equipment, is seeking a Supply Chain Manager to work onsite at its facility in Mankato, Minnesota. The manager will work with production and engineering teams to develop a Kanban-based production system, maximize production runs, and ensure parts are acquired and distributed for processing through production promptly. The role also leads sourcing strategies that forecast demand and optimize cost, quality, risk, and supplier performance, contributing to the company's financial performance. The Supply Chain Manager plans and schedules production, acquires and receives third-party parts, manages inventory, and ensures components are picked from the warehouse to support efficient plant operations. The position prepares cost-benefit and supply-forecast analyses for management, negotiates and executes vendor and supplier contracts, and participates in review and improvement of the company's Epicor MRP system. It works closely with operations, finance, legal, engineering, leadership, and sales to ensure supply-chain practices support short- and long-term business goals, including the seasonal needs of the agriculture and snow businesses.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
- At least 10 years of strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain management experience.
- Experience with ERP or procurement systems.
- Demonstrated knowledge of business management, supply chain, strategic sourcing, and warehouse management.
- Demonstrated leadership managing a small team and supporting team members’ development.
- Experience implementing or working in a Kanban production environment.
- Excellent MRP skills; Epicor experience is identified as ideal.
- Excellent Microsoft Excel skills.
- Analytical and project management skills.
- Strong contract, negotiation, and supplier-performance management skills, with the ability to balance cost, quality, and risk.
- Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, build trust across teams, and work collaboratively.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity.
- Strategic, data-driven approach.
Nice To Haves
- Emphasis in operations, supply chain, or business management as part of the bachelor's degree.
- Production scheduling experience.
- Industry certification such as CPSM, CSCP, or PMP.
- Background in the manufacturing industry.
- Epicor MRP experience.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement planning, sourcing, and distribution strategies aligned with company goals.
- Provide input into the design of a Kanban system for the production floor.
- Analyze market trends, cost drivers, supply risks, and company spending; identify sourcing issues, consolidation opportunities, cost savings, and efficiency gains.
- Perform workflow analysis with production and engineering to ensure parts reach the plant floor in a timely manner.
- Identify opportunities for innovation, cost savings, and process improvement, including determining which parts could be produced in-house.
- Manage and mentor the purchasing and planning team.
- Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers; maintain relationships with current and key suppliers; lead supplier evaluations, scorecards, and performance reviews.
- Negotiate contracts, pricing, service levels, and agreements; oversee legal requirements and mitigate contractual risks.
- Identify cost-reduction opportunities across MRO, supplies, raw materials, and equipment; communicate forecasts and market information to key suppliers.
- Partner with internal stakeholders to understand requirements and align sourcing and fulfillment with operational needs and seasonal business demands.
- Support new product introductions and service expansions with sourcing expertise for third-party or in-house supply.
- Work with legal and compliance teams on contract terms and risk mitigation.
- Communicate with leadership and operations about usage versus forecast, planned material receipts, and potential supply bottlenecks.
- Collaborate with operations to maximize production efficiency and with leadership and sales to assess the competitive landscape and sourcing opportunities.
- Develop and maintain production schedules to maximize capacity and minimize operating costs.
- Lead RFP/RFQ processes from design through award.
- Drive continuous improvement in sourcing processes, tools, and analytics.
- Own and maintain supply-chain ERP data creation and upkeep; participate in changes to the Epicor MRP system.
- Monitor KPIs including schedule attainment, inventory dollars, cost savings, supplier performance, supplier quality, and on-time delivery to production.
- Manage inventory levels, inventory turns, and service levels while managing vendors to support JIT supply-chain reliability.
- Work with leadership and finance to ensure purchase orders and commitments are authorized.
- Ensure lease or long-term supply agreements are signed only by executive management or a designee.
- Assist finance in establishing and maintaining standard costs for purchased items.
- Prepare cost-benefit and supply-forecast analysis reports for management review.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
