Buyer/Planner

TekWissen is a global workforce management provider offering strategic talent solutions to clients worldwide. Our client is a leading global enterprise in the automotive sector, manufacturing vehicles in 27 countries and marketing them across over 170 countries and regions.

About the role

This is a 6-month temporary onsite assignment located in Kansas City, MO, with a pay rate of $28.00 per hour.

Responsibilities

• Analyze daily requirements to determine materials needs and execute purchase orders to satisfy demand schedules.
• Maintain accurate delivery information on open purchase orders through supplier acknowledgements.
• Expedite material delivery where necessary and maintain status updates on shortages for production, sales, and service demand.
• Continually review stocking levels for each item to provide targeted service levels.
• Communicate with suppliers to best support the inventory plan and provide timely delivery for production needs.
• Regularly update backlog status reports and communicate with Customer Service regarding expected delivery for customer orders.
• Review and recommend disposition of all excess and obsolete inventory.
• Perform root cause analysis of service outliers to identify and implement improvements in the overall process.
• Evaluate MRP to understand buy part supply/demand signals and create purchase orders.
• Establish appropriate stocking strategies and maintain buy part planning parameters.
• Manage supplier relationships to ensure purchase orders are acknowledged, PO dates are maintained, and shipments are executed on-time.
• Expedite supplier parts when unexpected shortages occur or demand is short-cycled; work closely with suppliers on recovery plans.
• Manage new supplier set-up and supplier maintenance (HICX portal).
• Manage ERP Sourcing Rules and Quotation accuracy to facilitate Auto-PO, where applicable.
• Daily and effective communication with production on shortages and recovery plans.
• Manage transportation costs to avoid premium air shipments.
• Right-size inventory by reducing excess inventory and evaluating shortages.
• Engage with Quality and Engineering to address supplier non-conforming parts.
• Assess supplier capabilities and make recommendations for supplier selection.
• Collaborate and support the Sourcing Manager in inflation/deflation goals and commodity strategy execution.
• Serve as the primary accounts payable/receivable contact for your supply base.
• Support warehouse by ensuring healthy inventory levels are maintained to meet demand.
• Perform occasional buy part inventory counts and execute physical inventory adjustments in the ERP system.
• Maintain key product indicators in fulfillment, planning, and inventory.
• Work independently and manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

Requirements

• Proven experience working effectively with suppliers, managing purchase orders, and ensuring supplier on-time delivery to meet production requirements.
• Experience in the supplier selection process and managing supplier partnerships using performance KPI metrics.
• Ability to generate a comprehensive Supplier Request for Quotation package.
• Ability to perform accurate and thorough cost analysis comparing current total cost to new supplier quotations total cost.
• Proven supplier negotiation techniques.
• Foundational proficiency in supply chain management principles and commodity sourcing strategies.
• Ability to work with complex material flows.
• Strong understanding of ERP MRP fundamentals, including purchase order signals, purchase order reschedule signals, planning parameters, and the importance of transactional accuracy and its impact on inventory control.
• Ability to interpret and work with technical specifications, drawings, and quality requirements.
• Understanding of Bill of Material framework and BOM costs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) and ability to learn software quickly.
• Professional and concise verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills to build effective and trusted supplier and team relationships.
• Organized with a drive for continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• 1 to 3 years of procurement or sourcing experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Preferred: Experience in railroad, aerospace, automotive, or other heavy industrial manufacturing or remanufacturing sectors.

Pay

$28.00 per hour.

Schedule

6-month temporary assignment, onsite in Kansas City, MO.