Buyer-Planner II

About the role

The Buyer/Planner II role requires the planning, procurement, and management of materials to support Original Equipment and Aftermarket Sales for the Loading Business Unit of Komatsu’s Surface Organization. This includes ensuring orders are received to quality specifications from suppliers on the required due dates through expediting and overall order management to prevent production stoppages and workforce downtime. The person will be required to work with cross-functional teams to control costs, maintain acceptable inventory levels, and drive efficiency throughout the supply chain.

Responsibilities

• Planning, creation and communication of purchase orders to external suppliers based on customer demands loaded in SAP. May include purchase complete and Komatsu supplied material.
• Manage supplier performance. Drive supplier recovery back in line with KPI metrics when necessary.
• Resolve purchase order and invoice discrepancies including pricing, quantity, and shipping/receiving issues.
• Review supplier performance issues. Drive supplier recovery back in line with KPI metrics.
• Coordinate the disposition of rejected parts in a prompt and cost-effective manner. Recover associated costs from rejected materials and warranty items COPQ.
• Maintain and control material costs. Provide support to cost reduction teams.
• Ensure adherence to existing supplier contracts as directed by senior personnel.
• Initiate requests for product development and support ERN/ECN process and the flow of information.
• Support supplier development to improve quality, delivery, and reduce TCO/TLC. Provide direction and support to build supplier relationships with a long-term approach.
• Drive Supply Chain programs (Consignment, Kanban, JIT, VMI, etc.).
• Support new product development and automation initiatives.
• Creation and analysis of reports as needed by management.
• Utilize knowledge of purchasing techniques, industry advances, related laws (domestic and international), understanding of currency exchange rates and international freight terms.
• Act as a change agent for initiating continuous improvement and creating efficiencies through process improvement.
• Leverage knowledge and support of current business strategies and market inventory initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations or Business is highly preferred. An Associate degree in combination with relevant experience in Purchasing, Materials, or Engineering background with a specialized knowledge on a focused group of commodities can also be considered.
• 2+ years of relevant working experience.
• Experience working in an ERP environment (SAP a plus).
• MS Office exposure/aptitude.
• Ability to make decisions and solve practical problems with a variety of variables in situations where standardization may be limited.
• Self-driven, results oriented, and motivated to work effectively without direct supervision.
• Ability to interpret technical data and a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form. Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications.
• Strong analytical/critical thinking skills to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Strong relational skills, ability to work with all departments, fosters teamwork and a positive work environment.
• CPIM, CSCP or CPM Certification a plus.

Benefits

• Health benefits: Medical, dental, vision, HSA, wellness programs, etc.
• 401k and/or employee savings programs
• Employee time off (vacation and designated holidays)
• Employee and family assistance programs
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance
• Employee learning and development programs