Job Details

Job Summary

The Senior New Product Introduction (NPI) Buyer manages purchasing activities for purchased components and materials for new programs. They manage component piece price and tooling costs for programs.  The  Senior NPI Buyer effectively communicates timelines for all purchasing activities to meet project milestones and purchasing deliverables. As a key member of the Purchasing Team, Senior NPI Buyer will lead sourcing activities and negotiations with suppliers.  Serving as a functional lead they support the development process and work in close collaboration with Program Management, Engineering, Quality, Business Development, and Manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Represent purchasing organization in the cross-functional team from the conception of the program until three months after Start of Production (SOP).
• Responsible for sourcing all components needed on the new programs.
• Evaluate potential suppliers, assess their capabilities and reliability.
• Negotiate contracts including pricing, terms, and services expectations. 
• Identify and manage supply risk mitigation strategies
• Responsible for handing over all components from program to category leads.
• Manage component budget and activities to meet overall program financial goals.
• Utilize market research and industry data to analyze trends for the category and develop strategies that align with the future trends for the market.
• Support the business segments and cross-functional team on business pursuits for all purchased components and assist in cost estimating pre-quotations.
• Coordinate with American Battery Solutions (ABS) team the source selection and kick off purchased components to meet or exceed the awarded program cost, quality, and delivery.
• Support cross-functional team initiatives around lead time reduction and cost improvements.
• Develop recovery plans for components' late deliverables.
• Communicate supplier risks regarding the launch of a program to a cross-functional team.
• Maintain relevant purchasing reports as required for management review.
• Support adherence to all statutory regulations concerning health, safety, and environmental standards, as well as the company's sustainable development program.
• Adhere to federal and state regulations.
• Adhere to all company policies, processes, and procedures.
• Performs other duties as requested, directed, or assigned.
• Predictable and reliable attendance.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in International Business, Business, Economics, Engineering, or Supply Chain, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in purchasing in the automotive industry.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience purchasing battery management systems components or similar components in a manufacturing setting.
• Battery module background preferred.
• Material Resource Planning (MRP) system experience (Plex preferred).

Key Competencies

• Thinks Strategically: Acts with the long-term future in mind. Considers future impact when weighing decisions. Anticipates trends and future consequences.
• Takes Calculated Risks: Takes calculated risks to achieve goals. Finds a balance between analysis and action. When fails, accepts it, learns from it, and moves on to the next challenge.
• Decision Making & Analysis: Makes sound decisions based upon a mixture of data-driven analysis, expertise, experience, and judgment; collects relevant information, seeking input from others, and identifies connections and/or root causes of problems.
• Takes Initiative: Exhibits strong drive for results and success; conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure; persists despite obstacles and opposition.
• Integrity: Acts and makes decisions in a manner consistent with the needs of the public in delivery of products/services. Acts in line with the culture and norms of both the organization and society in general.
• Leads Change: Persistently moves in the face of ambiguity, dilemmas, and resistance to get completion of changes in an organized way; adapts with flexibility to and copes with changing situations while maintaining focus on goals.
• Continual Improvement: Displays a consistent orientation toward producing the highest quality products or services while keeping a focus on sustainability. Constantly looking for incremental improvements in work processes and results.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office equipment.
• Ability to adjust focus, especially due to concentration on a computer screen.
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move about in industrial environments, and on uneven terrain.
• The noise level in the work environment can be moderately loud.
• Must be able to manipulate equipment for calibration and modification.
• Prolonged periods of operating equipment.