Category Buyer

Buyer Analyst uses data and procurement best practices to optimize inventory, make buying decisions, manage supplier relationships, and reduce costs. Work closely with Supply Chain, Sales, Production, Warehouse, Quality, and Suppliers, to achieve company goals. Core responsibilities include Data Analysis, Forecasting, Supplier Management, Planning, and Reporting.

• Place Purchase Orders through our ERP system. Use inventory, sales, work order, and forecast information to determine delivery dates, quantities, and pricing.
• Review KPI's and Inventory reports to anticipate, address, and prevent interruptions to production.
• Perform Product Group component analysis to determine forecast threats based on component availability
• Attend various meetings, virtual and/or in person, as a representative of the Purchasing department, in order to provide updates, help make inventory decisions, or resolve outstanding issues.
• Update/Set component Safety Stock, ROP, and lead-times in the ERP system to support timely order placement and minimize stock-out occurrences.
• Independently manage inventory, projects, and cost savings initiatives to improve company inventory turns and profitability.
• Assist the Accounting department in addressing invoice discrepancies and other vendor payment related issues in a timely manner.
• Work with the Quality Department and Suppliers to address non-conforming materials and help facilitate associated RMA, rework, or scrap activities.
• Support Supplier Set-up and Annual Evaluation processes (Set-up paperwork, quality metric, on-time delivery report, supplier spend, etc.).
• Represent Purchasing during product development by finding new supply sources, managing RFQs, and rationalizing component selection from vendors.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in business administration or related field and three years of professional purchasing responsibilities; OR graduation from high school or equivalent education and five years of purchasing experience, with a minimum of two years as a Buyer/Planner/Analyst or higher.
• Technical skills, including (but not limited to) proficiency in Microsoft Excel and software tools (Power BI, Tableau, SAP Ariba, Oracle, Coupa, etc.)
• Utilize tactical problem-solving skills to balance order fulfillment priorities pertaining to order size and its impact on lead times, product cost, inventory levels, freight costs, and service levels, to determine which solution meets our companies and customer's needs.
• Ability to work, achieve goals, and meet deadlines independently, with minimal supervision after initial training.
• Prior Material Resource Planning (MRP) / Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) experience
• Demonstrated negotiating skills in soliciting competing bids from multiple vendors to meet technical, quality, and lead time objectives at the lowest overall cost.
• Have a complete understanding of, and be able to apply, sound Purchasing principles, concepts, and practices.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, project management, and multi-tasking skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills (internal and external) as well as strong Interpersonal and team skills to lead and influence effectively across various levels of the organization

• Advanced degree in business administration or related field.
• Prior work history in a manufacturing environment.
• Visual ERP experience.
• CPM or CPSM.
• Previous audit history and/or experience working in FDA or other highly regulated industry.