We are seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to lead our procurement operations. This pivotal role combines end-to-end management of critical procurement categories, driving efficiency processes, and managing strategic relationships with global suppliers to support company growth.
The role includes supporting NPI activities as part of broader procurement responsibilities, working closely with Engineering and R&D departments.
This is a critical function with a direct impact on the company's Time-to-Market (TTM) and overall product profitability.
Responsibilities
Category Management: Develop and lead procurement strategies for components, subcontractors and additional services.
Sourcing: Identify, evaluate and select new global suppliers, with a focus on quality, lead times and cost optimization.
Cost Reduction: Initiate and lead cost-reduction projects to improve the company's gross margins.
NPI Support: Support the New Product Introduction process from the prototyping stage through to serial mass production.
Spot Buys: Manage urgent procurement of components, materials, and engineering services for R&D labs and engineering teams.
Technical Solutions: Identify alternatives for missing or high-cost components during the design phase (Design-to-Cost) in coordination with engineers.
Negotiations: Lead negotiations, including MSAs (Master Service Agreements) and SLAs (Service Level Agreements).
Risk Management: Identify supply chain risks (e.g., market shortages, geopolitical issues) and formulate contingency plans (Second Sourcing).
Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with R&D, Engineering and Finance from the design stage through to mass production.
Monitoring & Reporting: Analyse procurement data, track KPIs (supplier performance, inventory accuracy), and generate reports for management.
Business Acumen: Understand the "big picture" of how procurement impacts the bottom line and overall business goals.
Independent Execution: Manage end-to-end projects in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Communication: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to drive processes across both internal and external stakeholders.
Requirements: Experience: At least 4-8 years of procurement experience in product-based, manufacturing companies (high-tech / hardware environments).
Global Procurement: Proven experience working with international suppliers (USA, Europe, and the Far East) and deep understanding of shipping and foreign trade processes.
ERP Proficiency: Experience working with ERP systems. Experience with Priority software is a strong advantage.
Technical Procurement: Deep understanding of electronics, mechanics and optics; ability to read technical drawings.
NPI Experience: Proven experience in an R&D environment or supporting engineering projects.
Data Analysis: High-level Excel skills (Pivot tables, formulas) for TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and spend analysis.
Proactivity: Ability to push suppliers for shortened lead times to meet urgent R&D requirements.
Resilience: Ability to prioritize tasks and perform under pressure in a high-frequency, changing environment.
Education: BA/B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Management, Economics, Business Administration or Logistics.
Languages: Very high proficiency in English (Written and Spoken).
This position is open to all candidates.