Commodity Procurement Specialist

The Commodity Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and controlling the sourcing of materials and services for a variety of commodities. This role implements global supply management strategies to achieve supplier partnerships, supplier base reduction, effective asset management, continuous quality improvement, delivery and cycle time performance improvement, and early supplier involvement in new product developments.

• Negotiate and administer procurement contracts that encompass cost savings and delivery.
• Lead negotiations on strategic sourcing contracts, ensuring legally binding and auditable elements are accurately documented and retained.
• Select, appoint, and steer a supply base that progresses the objectives on cost, cash, service levels, and technology platforms.
• Develop, evaluate, and manage supplier relationships to accomplish material cost, availability, and inventory goals.
• Analyze and troubleshoot quality problems and influence suppliers in the resolution process.
• Maintain supplier quality through assessment, evaluation, and ongoing monitoring, including supplier performance management in the areas of delivery, process flexibility, and total cost management.
• Oversee supplier performance by performing periodic credit/organizational reviews, ensuring supplier site audits, and developing and reporting supplier performance metrics.
• Act as a liaison between suppliers and the company to troubleshoot, analyze, and resolve issues, as well as deliver solutions to avoid supply interruption and adverse costs.
• Procure and evaluate all necessary new materials for each phase of the design process.
• Coordinate supplier information gathering and visits, arrange engineering samples, and lead the qualification process of new, updated, or troublesome materials with suppliers and the company's inspection.
• Support production/new product introduction activity by serving as a member and/or materials resource on product development teams.
• Design, develop, and implement commodity procurement plans, including managing the transition of new and existing business to strategic suppliers.
• Ensure a smooth and positive transition to customers.
• Develop inventory targets, monitor phases of all processes to forecast fluctuations, and alert teams of needed inventory adjustments.
• Develop and regularly monitor plans to minimize obsolete, out of date, or any other scrap material in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Review, research, design, implement, and monitor Vendor Managed inventory (VMI) programs (existing and future).
• Provide leadership and direction to cross-functional relationships with suppliers and Production, Quality, Finance departments, as well as logistics planning.
• Provide leadership in the research of new products/processes technologies.
• Work closely with sales and engineering to influence design and material selection to ensure lowest cost materials/services at highest quality and on-time delivery.
• Monitor and manage external influences to cost and performance (short and long term) including economical, logistics, and environmental.
• Routinely provide guidance and daily direction to buyers relative to business partners and suppliers.
• Execute designated regulatory requirements, including country of origin certificates and other international shipping requirements.
• Research and assign Harmonized Tariff Codes to purchased parts.
• Monitor market technology and trends. Keep the business aware of necessary movement in the industry relevant to the production and sourcing/purchasing markets.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in business, economics, engineering, or equivalent.

• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of experience buying complex commodities and managing more complex supplier relationships.

• Demonstrated leadership skills and abilities to influence others, lead work teams, and provide guidance to other staff.
• Skills and ability to effectively manage complex internal and external supplier relationships requiring diplomacy and negotiation skills and a depth of specialized knowledge.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills to effectively communicate with all levels throughout the organization and external vendors, strong customer service orientation, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to drive for results.
• Good working knowledge of a wide variety of mechanical/electrical devices, capability to perform specialized analysis/calculations, and knowledge of applicable manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Experience in Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP), and JD Edwards (JDE), logistics, and domestic/international contract writing.
• Requires some domestic and potentially some international travel.
• Advanced skills and proficiency in using the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Demonstrated skills in managing projects from concept development to implementation and evaluation.