Buyer – Supply Chain

Department: Supply Chain

Location: Van Wert, Ohio

Employment type: Non‑Exempt, Grade VIII

Summary

The Supply Chain Buyer is responsible for the implementation and coordination of material acquisition, researching, selecting, and purchasing quality products and materials, building and maintaining supplier relationships, processing requisitions, and communicating order status. The role supports internal customers with strong communicative customer‑service skills and coordinates tasks to ensure requirements are completed professionally.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate vendor rationalization and consolidation efforts.
• Communicate orders to vendors and support lean efficiency initiatives.
• Interface with cross‑functional groups to provide and coordinate new product support.
• Maintain ordering system for raw materials, supplies, and equipment using MRP, material requisitions, or other inventory controls.
• Confirm vendor receipt of orders, quantities, pricing, availability, expediting, open‑order and back‑order status.
• Maintain commodity manual and vendor ratings for assigned commodities.
• Act as first line of defense for risk management, monitoring supplier performance per Braun/DBCM processes.
• Support supply‑chain lean process strategies and participate in vendor lead‑time reduction, total cost reduction, continuous improvement, and lean activities.
• Review opportunities for new supply sources and assess material suitability per normative controls, processes, and engineering approvals.
• Retain records of cost, delivery, performance, and inventory levels via Supplier Analysis Forms and processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or related business field preferred.
• Three to five years of prior purchasing/supply chain experience.
• APICS or Supply Chain Management certification recommended.
• Computer proficiency with spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and word processing.
• Prior experience in the automotive industry desired.

Skills

• Strong oral and written communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to coordinate tasks, work collaboratively with internal customers, and maintain a professional demeanor.
• Technical competency in MRP systems, material requisition processes, and supplier performance monitoring.
• Understanding of lean process strategies and risk management.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and move up to 100 pounds with assistance.
• Regular walking, talking, hearing, reaching with hands and arms, standing, crouching, and kneeling.
• Frequent hand‑to‑finger dexterity for handling objects, tools, or controls.
• Occasional stooping or crawling.
• Successful completion of post‑offer drug test and ongoing random, reasonable‑suspicion, and post‑accident drug and alcohol testing.