Manufacturing Engineer

About the role

EP², a Flex company, is seeking a Procurement Specialist to support our growing manufacturing operation in Des Moines. In this role, you'll collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure the right materials are available at the right time, helping deliver innovative power distribution solutions to our customers.

Your ability to build strong supplier partnerships, manage changing priorities, and proactively mitigate supply chain risks will directly impact customer satisfaction and operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Source, negotiate, and procure materials, components, and services to support manufacturing and customer projects.
• Manage supplier relationships to ensure quality, delivery, cost, and service expectations are consistently achieved.
• Monitor inventory levels, production schedules, and demand requirements to support uninterrupted operations.
• Analyze supplier performance and identify opportunities for improvement, cost savings, and risk reduction.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, and Supply Chain teams to align procurement activities with business priorities.
• Facilitate purchase order creation, maintenance, and follow-up activities.
• Proactively resolve supplier and material shortages while minimizing production disruptions.
• Support new supplier identification, qualification, and onboarding efforts.
• Maintain accurate procurement records and purchasing documentation.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, supplier performance, and operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, established purchasing procedures, and ethical sourcing standards.

Requirements

• Experience in procurement, purchasing, sourcing, supply chain, or materials management.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and influence outcomes.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field (preferred).
• Manufacturing, industrial, electrical equipment, or engineered-to-order experience (preferred).
• Experience managing strategic supplier relationships and contract negotiations (preferred).
• Knowledge of inventory management, forecasting, and production planning (preferred).
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies (preferred).
• APICS, CPSM, CPM, or related supply chain certifications are a plus.