Sr. Technical Buyer

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

? Continually strive to increase understanding of material and processes associated with the product or parts assigned for purchase.

? Approve, maintain and monitor purchase orders or contracts for validated product or parts assigned.

?   Continually monitor and evaluate assigned supplier performance data of:  price, technology, and environmental requirements.

? Adequately communicate acceptable and unacceptable performance to assigned suppliers and coordinate inter-departmental assigned any corrective action needed to improve price, quality, on-time delivery, or service.

? Attend MRB meetings and other meetings relevant to the product or parts assigned and take corrective action as necessary to resolve issues discussed.

? Coordinate, facilitate and cooperatively work with other departments (Production Engineering, Design Engineering, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Marketing, and Production) to resolve all issues relevant to the supplier or parts assigned.

? Strive to maintain up-to-date knowledge of market trends, pricing, availability, capacity, technology and supplier capability relative to the product or parts assigned.  Report and forecast market trends and actual results.

? Review and sign purchase orders in accordance with signing approval levels established by Accounting for the product or parts assigned.

? Vigorously investigate, develop, and administrate the implementation of cost reductions (VAVE or other) relative to suppliers and parts assigned.  Bring all such opportunities to the attention of Procurement management and keep adequate records so as to report on progress.  Participate, assist, and facilitate supplier negotiation strategies and activities.

? Develop sourcing strategies relative to the product or parts assigned, and vigorously pursue implementation once approved.

? Actively resist any supplier request for price increase requiring the supplier to provide adequate documentation and justification to support such request.  Bring all such request to the attention of Procurement management and document all activities in support of an audit trail.

? Strive to maintain good documentation of all activities and conversations with suppliers.

? Maintain records and initiate debit memos as required for defective product or other costs that the supplier is responsible for.

? Maintain adequate die or tool life records for assigned parts so as to adequately plan, budget and execute their replacement.

? Update or initiate appropriate records to update computer file data to insure 100% data file accuracy for the product or parts assigned.

? Educate, train and supervise assigned Technical Buyers, Buyers or Administrative/Technical employees in their duties and product responsibilities.  Be prepared to offer formal instruction, internally and externally as requested.

 

 

 

 

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITES/RESPONSIBILITIES: (cont.)

? Represent Procurement on assigned interdepartmental project/task teams and coordinate related support activities within Procurement.

? Evaluate and recommend new sources of supply for the product and parts assigned by:

a. Gathering information from drawings and other sources to precisely understand what is intended to be purchased.

b. Identifying potential sources of supply for the product being sourced.

c. Conduct a preliminary supplier survey  of each potential supplier including inquiries into financial status, past performance, integrity, capacity and process capabilities.

d. Complete the "Request for Quotation" package (see Procurement Procedure Manual) for each pre-qualified supplier identified.  This package includes such things as Cover Letter, Confidentiality Agreement, Drawings, QSA, SIA Expectations, etc.

e. Jointly conduct or coordinate on-site supplier survey with appropriate participation from other departments.

f.  Complete a comparative analysis of all suppliers who quoted and make recommendation to Procurement Management on sourcing strategy.

g. Issue and monitor purchase orders, delivery and testing of T-1, T-2 and T-3 parts through the validation process.

?  Negotiate and coordinate the compilation, approval, and signing of all supplier related Agreements for suppliers of products or parts assigned.

 

PRINCIPAL RESULTS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

? Exhibit an understanding of market trends, pricing, processes and material related to assigned product.

? Facilitate product delivery in a timely, cost effective manner to support production operations and eliminate manufacturing downtime due to part availability, by a proactive understanding of supplier capacity.

? Ensure that purchase orders are accurate, approved and released in a timely manner.

? Perform professionally and build a good business relationship with suppliers.

? Improve supplier performance and cost through continued countermeasure action and instill in the suppliers an attitude towards continuous improvement.

? Exhibit teamwork and a good working relationship with other Sanden employees.

? Adequately implement approved sourcing strategy.

? Exhibit good documentation skills.

? Demonstrate good supervisory skills.

DIMENSIONS:

? Minimum 8-12 years of progressive purchasing or part development experience in a hard goods manufacturing environment.

? Bachelor's degree required.  Preferred major in business or engineering fields.

? Knowledge of aluminum, steel, coatings, elastomers, and plastics, and their related manufacturing processes (casting, stamping, forging, machining, plating) is preferred.

? Familiarity with mainframe-based MRP II or purchasing systems required.  Business Planning Control System (BPCS) experience is preferred.

? Microsoft word and Excel or similar systems experience preferred.

? Good telephone, oral and written communication skills required.

? Must be aware of and have been exposed to basic business contract law including offers, acceptance, oral and written contracts.  Must also have familiarity with generally accepted accounting principles; and inventory and production control principles.

? Must exhibit the ability to remain focused on priorities amidst frequent interruptions.

? Must demonstrate good problem solving and analytical techniques.

? Basic understanding of quality and process controls (SPC) is required.

? Ability to interpret part drawings is required.

? Knowledge of system contracts required.

? Overnight travel is required.? Familiarity with ISO/TS 16949 requirements and participation in Sanden's TS Program is required