Senior Buyer

About the role

We design and build innovative robotic systems and laboratory devices used by pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as academic research laboratories. Our work helps scientists accelerate drug discovery, high-throughput genotyping, siRNA screening, next-generation sequencing sample prep, biorepository science, and molecular diagnostics.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate purchases of required materials and services from approved suppliers.
• Establish strategies to improve supply chain, solve shortage issues and strengthen supplier relationships.
• Work with the greater purchasing team to develop a sourcing process that can meet the company goals, maintain quality and reduce costs.
• Conduct periodic supplier reviews to insure alignment on product roadmaps, alignment on strategic business objectives and supplier capabilities.
• Obtain materials, components and equipment, as required by the production schedule.
• Maintain an awareness of materials and procurement concepts.
• Verify data accuracy (parts numbers, BOMs, Part Costs) in the ERP system.
• Develop written procedures for routine job responsibilities and keep them current.
• Identify problem areas and offer possible solutions.
• Implement improvement processes to reduce inventory and non-value-added work.
• Establish and maintain relations with suppliers and appropriate representatives.
• Work closely with Engineering to match supplier capabilities with technical design requirements and business objectives.
• Expedite orders as necessary.
• Identify actual and potential delivery problems and take proactive steps to inform appropriate personnel.
• Interface with Accounting, Manufacturing Engineering, and Production to establish standard costs.
• Optimize material costs through vendor analysis, quality, schedule, cost evaluation, etc.
• Apply cost-effective measures as related to support standard cost and make/buy decisions.
• Support immediate manager and peers by anticipating problems, providing input on solutions, reacting productively to change and handling other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Purchasing, Business, Supply Chain, Management or Engineering (preferred).
• At least 5-7 years of experience in manufacturing operations with at least 4+ years purchasing experience.
• Microsoft Dynamics (D365) or equivalent experience.
• APICS CPIM certification (plus).
• High degree of professional integrity, ethics and confidentiality.
• Experience in cost negotiations.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating/attaining cost management targets.
• Experience in buying, planning, supplier relations, material planning and inventory management roles for new products and on-going production.
• Experience in sourcing instrument components and hardware.
• Contract manufacturing experience desirable.
• Experience developing and assessing risk mitigation plans.
• Working knowledge of the legal aspects of procurement and contract law.
• Experience sourcing parts in Low Cost Countries (plus).
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications including Project, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Product data management and Bills of Materials.
• ISO9001 experience (preferred).
• ISO13484 experience (preferred).
• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication, analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to contribute outside of defined job description when necessary.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities and make decisions.