Manufacturing Buyer - NPI/TPI

Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market-leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world. A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment.

About the role

This position is based in Milpitas, CA, reporting to the Materials Manager. The NPI/TPI Buyer will coordinate and implement ECO changes, new products, or end-of-life products in accordance with customer-specific requirements.

• NPI (New Product Introduction): Flex site is the receiving site and the product has not been manufactured elsewhere in volume yet.
• TPI (Transfer Product Introduction): Flex site is either the receiving or transfer-out site, and the product has been manufactured in volume.

Responsibilities

• Ensure availability of parts for new products according to required quality, delivery, and cost.
• Scout and select suppliers in line with divisional and local goals and policies.
• Achieve continuous improvement in quality, delivery, and costs of all purchased components and sub-assemblies.
• Support value engineering exercises to improve the value/cost ratios of all parts.
• Arrange correct documentation to ensure release of new products at each relevant milestone.
• Evaluate supplier quotations and make agreements on pricing, delivery, quality, and capacities.
• Manage suppliers to meet price, delivery, and quality expectations; escalate when appropriate.
• Organize and monitor initial samples.
• Monitor and support the start-up phase of each new component or sub-assembly.
• Assist and follow up on production and corrective actions.
• Negotiate with competent managers or departments in case of quality problems.
• Initiate required design modifications toward suppliers.
• Continuously improve the quality, cost, and delivery of all parts.
• Identify cost-reduction possibilities and improve Purchase Price Variance (PPV).
• Maintain efficient communication flow about the progress of every NPI/TPI/EOL/ECO-related project within Supply Chain (SC), Cross-Functional Teams (CFT), and with the customer (including customer/supplier visits, meetings, and calls).
• Coordinate and implement ECO changes within SC in accordance with customer-specific requirements.
• Coordinate transfers of new products in accordance with customer-specific requirements.
• Coordinate the end-of-life process in accordance with customer-specific requirements (including minimizing obsolescence and revaluation).
• Coordinate verification of new Manufacturer Part Numbers (MPN)/suppliers on production (First Article Inspection - FAI procedure).
• Manage changes in delivery status according to agreed rescheduling rules with the customer and negotiate minimized impact for Flex excess.
• Resolve all material discrepancies.
• Read and interpret technical documentation.
• Possess sufficient knowledge about preferred suppliers in relevant commodities.
• Monitor system accuracy on a daily/weekly basis (e.g., general item data, item supplier information, business partner data, data integrity, data validation, system setup).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (ideal/optional) in a related field or equivalent manufacturing industry work experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of manufacturing industry procurement/materials procurement experience or related field.
• Procurement background in electronics manufacturing is ideal/desired.
• Excellent communication (verbal and written), interpersonal, and organizational skills.