The buyer will be responsible for ensuring that materials required for production are available when and where they are needed, without excess or shortages. Here are some typical daily activities of this professional:
- Monitor and analyze demand forecasts (Procurement Plan + SCM Master Schedule) to ensure that materials are purchased and stocked according to needs.
- Negotiate with suppliers to ensure efficient supply of materials. This may include selecting suppliers and tracking deliveries.
- Monitor inventory levels to ensure that the company does not have excess or shortages of materials. This involves checking current stocks and taking steps to minimize obsolescence.
- Work closely with Planning, Manufacturing and Projects team to understand material needs and adjust supply plans as needed.
- Evaluate supplier performance in terms of quality (deviations, NCRs, Concession requests,...), timeliness, and cost, and take steps to improve supply when necessary.
- Create and manage purchase orders, ensuring specifications are met and materials arrive on time.
- Resolve, together with the rest of the team, issues related to material shortages, delivery delays, or discrepancies between what was ordered and what was received.
- Maintain accurate records of inventory, purchase orders, and other relevant information to ensure data accuracy and facilitate reporting and analysis.
- Utilize analytical tools to monitor inventory performance and identify opportunities for improvements in material planning.
- Communicate with other teams and stakeholders, providing updates on the status of materials and reporting on inventory and purchasing performance.
Needed qualifications are:
- Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Production Engineering, International Relations or related areas.
- Previous experience in procurement of higly engineered (ETO) items.
- Exceptional negotiation and communication skills.
- Analytical ability to evaluate suppliers and the Master Production Schedule (MPS) to avoid downtime.
- Advanced knowledge of management tools and purchasing systems.
- Fluency or advanced knowledge in English is mandatory.