Senior Specialist, External Supply

About the role

Manage and coordinate external supply chain activities for assigned procured components to ensure reliable supply, support SPSUS objectives, meet Business Unit customer service levels, and achieve inventory management targets. Responsibilities include component supply planning, procurement, supplier delivery, and payment processes. Collaborate with internal departments such as Demand & FG Planning, Logistics, and Strategic Sourcing to execute supplier on-time delivery and maintain targeted weeks of supply for assigned components.

Responsibilities

• Analyze and interpret demand from the Corporate ERP system and internal planning requests to optimize purchasing for inventory and non-inventory items.
• Monitor and ensure purchasing supply chain item master data accuracy for assigned component categories in collaboration with Data Control.
• Create and issue purchase orders following Sharp policies, including expediting orders and revisions to support the Master Production Schedule.
• Coordinate new artwork and supplier specification approvals with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage component launches and the inbound freight process for purchase orders to ensure suitable delivery and value.
• Partner with suppliers to confirm component supply aligns with order confirmations, including follow-ups outside regular meetings.
• Develop and maintain a component supply plan for assigned suppliers, monitoring weeks of supply to meet inventory targets and minimize obsolescence.
• Provide backup MRP documentation to support the destruction of obsolete materials.
• Build and maintain supplier relationships through regular communication, weekly meetings, on-site reviews, and supplier site visits.
• Prepare and present key feedback and data to suppliers and internal groups during daily interactions and monthly production meetings.
• Identify and communicate supplier risks jeopardizing supply, escalating issues to Strategic Sourcing for mitigation.
• Review and authorize payment of invoices with variances between supplier invoices and purchase orders.
• Monitor Purchase Price Variance (PPV) and share supplier price changes with Finance following established processes.
• Request supplier price quotations for new business or strategic benchmarking and award new business to existing suppliers when required.
• Manage the notification process for SPS Nonconformance’s (NCRs) using Veeva, ensuring supplier investigation responses are returned and uploaded by the due date.
• Arrange the return of rejected materials and coordinate replacement deliveries to meet Sharp’s Master Production Schedule.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Business Management, or Supply Chain (required). Candidates pursuing a degree in these fields will be considered.
• Minimum of five to six years of relevant planning and purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment (required).
• General knowledge of FDA regulations related to cGMP in a manufacturing/packaging environment (desired).