Buyer

The Buyer is responsible for maintaining planned levels of inventory for various materials and communicate with all departments to achieve efficient and effective use of materials while meeting quality standards and production schedule. This position reports to the Purchasing Manager. The position works with supply chain operations to ensure that sufficient materials are on hand to meet schedules as necessary based on the forecasting, materials, and order information. The position will be responsible for the key/high volume suppliers across all product lines.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Five years or more experience in materials management.
• Computer literacy in word processing, spreadsheet, database and ERP environment.
• Proven track record in inventory management, forecasting and purchasing.
• Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM).

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Knowledge of:

• Current manufacturing, purchasing and inventory control systems.
• Product assembly processes and component applications in a manufacturing environment.
• Mechanical arts, engineering practices, and design principles.
• ERP scheduling processes.

Skills to:

• Communicate clearly, candidly and intelligently using both written and spoken word.
• Interface with internal and external customers and suppliers and ensure all needs are met and anticipated.
• Make critical decisions as they relate to purchasing.
• Strengthen relationships with current vendors and develop new vendor relationships. Evaluate processes, quality control and help vendor identify root cause issues.

Ability to:

• Organize and prioritize multiple projects and assignments efficiently and accurately.
• Maintain accurate inventory levels and records.
• Promote common and consistent goals between the Purchasing and Inventory Control functions.
• Provide consistent and reliable document flow between Inventory Control, Shipping, Receiving, and Accounting.
• Implement sustainable cost saving efforts.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative and Business Skills

• Review bid proposals and negotiate contracts within budgetary limitations and scope of authority.
• Maintain understanding of internal and external departmental customers.
• Maintain compliance to ISO guidelines, as directed.
• Develop engineering project scheduling methodology within existing ERP system.

Technical Skills

• Proactively predicts order swings to support material demand to execute schedules.
• Proactively contacts suppliers to facilitate and assist in the resolution of production, design, quality, and/or delivery problems; determine status of orders.
• Execute the effort of continually ordering and receiving all parts as order points are reached and safety stocks are used in coordination with the needs of the internal customers.
• Monitor material inventories, track progress of production schedules, and review factors that affect inventory. Maintain inventory dollars without effecting on-time delivery.
• Thorough understanding of Engineering processes and services.

Interpersonal Skills

• Assists other departments when it is required.
• Demonstrate appropriate internal customer-supplier relation skills.
• Contribute to the maintenance and development of supplier relationships.
• Work with all plant personnel to accomplish goals in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Participate in EPF/ECN project update meetings as required.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands:

• Must have good visual ability in order to determine colors, shapes, and size of materials.
• Must be able to lift up to 10 – 40 pounds consistently.
• Regular attendance.

Work environment:

• Consistent low noise level from production tools and equipment.
• Small airborne dust particles created from handling cloth fabrics.

Mental demands:

• Must be able to process procedures on the computer.
• Must have the mental ability to perform basic math functions.
• Must have the mental ability to communicate, train others, and problem solve with accuracy in verbal and written formats.

This job description does not represent an all-inclusive list of all the duties required for this position, but serves as a tool to assist in the position. The existence of this job description does not in any way negate “at-will” employment as defined by the State of Indiana.