Buyer

About the role

The purpose of this role is to ensure reliable, on-time, and fully available material supply from suppliers to all manufacturing sites once sourcing is complete. The role owns shortage management, supplier execution, and mid-term supply assurance, ensuring materials arrive to the factory at the right time, in the right quantity, to support production and kitting requirements. It also provides oversight of supplier inbound quality issues, especially where they affect material availability, to secure stable, interruption-free supply performance.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day operational relationships with suppliers once contracts / POs and sourcing are in place and/or completed. Ensure suppliers deliver materials on time to required need dates.
• Monitor and manage supplier adherence to delivery schedules, quantities, lead times. Drive supplier recovery actions when performance falls below required levels.
• Takes ownership of issue resolution internally to facilitate on time delivery of products (e.g. when engineering or invoice queries occur).
• Identify risks in inbound supply (capacity constraints, logistics delays, long lead-time components, quality-related disruptions). Work cross functionally to mitigate risks (e.g. capacity - work with Sourcing team to determine and trigger appropriate action).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with Production Planning to ensure alignment between supply plans and supplier capabilities – with strong focus on Clear to Build process. Collaborate with SIOP to communicate supplier capacity limits and constraints, and timelines. Provide supplier performance inputs for ongoing supplier evaluations and future sourcing decisions.
• Maintain supplier KPIs (OTD – to requirement date, number of shortages – ‘reds and greys’). Lead supplier performance reviews and drive corrective actions. Support improvements in inbound supply processes – visibility, inventory strategies, order book reviews. Participate in initiatives for supplier management and supply chain visibility.

Qualifications, Skills And Attributes

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  • Technical Skills: Strong understanding of inbound supply management, logistics flows, and supplier operations. Familiarity with MRP/ERP systems and supplier scheduling processes. Knowledge of lead-time structures, MOQ, safety stock strategies, and material availability drivers. Understanding of electronics component supply constraints (advantageous).
  • Experience: Experience in supply chain, supplier management, materials management, or logistics coordination. Background in manufacturing, electronics, or high-mix environments preferred. Experience working across multiple sites or in a matrix organization is beneficial.
• Soft Skills: Strong communication and influence with both internal teams and external suppliers. Problem-solving mindset with ability to manage escalations under time pressure. Analytical approach to performance tracking and risk identification. Resilient, proactive, and highly organized.

Qualifications Implementation and Site Maturity

• Shortage Management & Material Availability:
  • Foundational: Shortage Measurement: Establish and maintain a formal shortage file. Define and communicate shortage types: Production Shortages – material not available at production start (GREYS) Kitting Shortages – material not available at kit release (REDS). Enable full visibility of shortages cross-functionally across Planning, Procurement, and Operations.
  • Developing: Structured Shortage Management: The Role Ensures Every Shortage Includes A valid Purchase Order A Supplier Promise Date A promise date that is in the future Clear escalation through Procurement and directly with the supplier This ensures shortages are managed proactively and systematically.
  • Mature: Material Readiness: The target is to achieve high level of availability of materials at TT requirement date to support kitting. (default = 95%). Drive weekly KPI and shortage reviews across the supply chain, and internally with procurement and buying teams. Maintain accurate supply dashboards & shortages sheets.
  • Mature: 2–12 Week Horizon Assurance For All 2–12 Week Demand Requirements, Ensure Purchase orders exist Promise dates are available Promise dates are credible (future-dated) 95% of promises match production start requirements This represents a fully mature, forward-looking supply assurance process.

Key Relationships

• Operations director, Site VPGM, Regional P&C deployment lead.