Buyer

Brief Summary Of This Position

This is an individual contributor position responsible for procurement of assigned items, planning, coordinating and reviewing activities related to an assigned divisional commodity, and inventory management with the goal of satisfying customer requirements. The Buyer commits funds, makes strategic business decisions and operates as the liaison between the assigned business and procurement of those commodities.

Essential Functions

• Makes effective and timely decisions to resolve material shortages in production
• Achieves outstanding internal customer satisfaction and maintains relationships between the supply base and Valmont Industries, Inc.
• Ensures the timely delivery of purchased material for divisional production and related support functions consistent with divisional inventory policy
• Maintains a professional working relationship with suppliers, Engineers, Production Control, Marketing, Manufacturing and other Purchasing personnel
• Solves problems related to invoicing receipts, acknowledgements, material shortages, delinquencies and certifications with vendors, divisional and corporate personnel
• Captures Engineering Change Notices for items purchased affecting new or existing materials in order to ease transition and manage inventory levels
• Interprets MRP output to create purchase orders (P.O.) for assigned items and verifies supplier receipt of the P.O.
• Expedites delivery of past due or moved-up purchase orders for specified suppliers – records any date revisions in system
• Contact suppliers to resolve shipment discrepancies or quality issues
• Provides metrics and delivers scorecard data collaborating with suppliers regarding quality, on-time delivery, costing & customer experience performance
• Obtains quotations for new items from approved suppliers
• Negotiates process changes with supplier that will result in lower purchase prices
• Analyzes on-hand levels, reorder levels, and reorder quantities for assigned items, making necessary database changes or recommendations to correct problem items
• Analyzes delivery issues and adjusts database as required for assigned items
• Devises purchasing procedures to improve service and/or reduce cost
• Works outside in all seasons and tolerates various elements within plant such as dust and fumes
• Climbs stairs and wears necessary PPE in production facilities

Required Qualifications of Every Candidate

• (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
• Preferred Bachelors in relevant field or Associates Degree with 3+ years of experience or 5+ years of relevant quality experience.
• Professional work experience with contract management and negotiations
• A strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Outlook
• The ability to travel domestically up to 5% of the scheduled work time
• Highly Qualified Candidates Will Also Possess These Qualifications:
• Five (5) years of experience in a purchasing/supply chain role
• Previous experience in sales, operations, operations planning, master scheduling, production planning, inventory control or production control within an MRP/ERP environment
• One year of purchasing experience within a manufacturing or fabrication environment
• Apics’ (C.P.I.M.) Certified in Production and Inventory Management
• Previous work experience evaluating the integrity and reliability of business systems
• Experience analyzing data to minimize inventory and adjust system data to support determinations
• Excellent communication, organizational, analytical and interpersonal skills
• Strong mathematical aptitude
• A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Lean theory management and material requirements planning (MRP)
• Knowledge, confidence and flexibility to handle several activities simultaneously and be able to perform effectively under pressure
• The ability to effectively and professionally communicate with various levels of internal and external shareholders
• Passion and integrity with the drive to excel and deliver exceptional results

Working Environment And Physical Efforts

• Work is typically performed in an office setting
• The incumbent is regularly required to sit for extended periods of time, as well as talk and listen on the phone and in personal conversations or meetings
• Environment is fast paced and demanding most of the time
• No travel requirements for this position
• The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms while working in the office with various files and forms and while working on the computer
• The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk when moving about the office
• Incumbent must utilize proper ergonomic safeguards such as monitor height and positions, keyboard location and height and proper wrists rests
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds in working with large files, binders, and computer equipment

Benefits

• Healthcare (medical, prescription drugs, dental and vision)
• 401k retirement plan with company match
• Paid time off
• Employer paid life insurance
• Employer paid short-term and long-term disability including maternity leave
• Work Life Support
• Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,250 per year
• Voluntary programs like tobacco cessation, Type 2 diabetes reversal, one-on-one health coaching, mortgage services and more

Reasonable Accommodation

• If you have a disability and require any assistance in filling out the application for employment email EEOCompliance@Valmont.com.