Regional Plant Buyer

Position Objective:

• Lead the plant procurement workstream through the development, implementation, training and ongoing management of the new ERP platform implementation, representing 6 North American sites
• Identify current process challenges and coordinate short term implementation of tools
• Provide support to site operations or corporate implementation activities
• Cross train and serve as potential backup for other N. American site buyers
• Support and/or lead site procurement activities and initiatives.

Key Result Areas:

Performance Standards

ERP Implementation

• Lead plant procurement workflow management for multi-year ERP implementation.
• Collaborate with 6 North American sites, cross-functional implementation team, and external resources to conduct thorough discovery and due diligence on existing processes and challenges.  Consolidate existing or, when necessary, develop new best practices which best support ways of working in new ERP platform.  Ensure alignment with key stakeholders.
• Coordinate data collection, analysis and accurate entry into ERP.
• Gain understanding of ERP capabilities to onboard currently manual processes and reporting across the plant procurement function.  Implement these strategic improvements in ERP to enable improved insights and analysis and address current challenges.  Maximize tool utilization.
• Deliver regular project status updates.  Highlight and communicate gaps, bottlenecks and barriers to department and implementation team leadership. 
• Provide lessons-learned to project stakeholders and leadership.  Identify, develop, and share best practices post-implementation.
• Provide post-implementation support, including tool optimization, data maintenance and user training.

Procurement

• Cost effectively source locally managed raw material, packaging, supplies and MRO spends.
• Manage inventories of raw material, packaging, supplies and MRO to assure adequate supply for plant production requirements.
•  Ensure purchases are compliant with corporate policies and adhere to internal specifications
• Monitor and coordinate adherence of supplier approvals and reapprovals in support of plant food safety audits.
• Assists with (and sometimes leads) the sourcing process for raw materials & packaging.  Develops source plans to ensure multiple approved suppliers are in place to manage risk.  
• Whenever possible, utilizes E-procurement for bid process.  Maintains record of bids, either electronically or hard copy, for auditing purposes.
• Works within pre-defined spend authority levels to analyze supplier proposals and develop recommendations to plant management and Corporate Purchasing. 
• Creates contracts, letters, and other documentation suitable for communication to vendors, other personnel, and leadership.   Periodically reviews and evaluates contracts and extended orders for either renewal or cancellation, within spend authority.
• Manages purchases for supplies and spare parts, as appropriate, through a requisition process.  In coordination with plant management, assists or leads transition of targeted MRO spend to utilize a requisition process.  Whenever possible, assures competitive bid process is in place for supplies, spare parts and required services.
• Strives to provide purchasing savings, minimize/optimize inventory dollars, negotiate extended supplier payment terms and where possible increase supplier diversity spending. 
• Coordinates with other AB Mauri/ABF sites and Corporate Purchasing to leverage local, regional and global spend and to develop best practices.
• Monitors and ensures raw material and packaging inventory levels adequately meet production requirements.  As appropriate, identifies and evaluates requirements to develop EOQs (Economic Order Quantities) in order to maintain inventory levels at or below budgeted levels.  Re-evaluates EOQs regularly, adjusting for plant usage requirements, in order to avoid either obsolete inventory or product shortages.  Negotiates supplier supported inventory reduction wherever possible.
• Executes daily buying processes in ERP System & confirms correct pricing and dates are maintained in ERP.  Assures approvals follow pre-defined spend limits when placing purchase orders and maintains local records of corporate contracts, whenever necessary.
• Resolves conflicts and complaints with vendors and provides feedback through Annual Supplier Performance reviews. 

Reporting

• Ensures that commercial documentation (purchase orders, contracts, supplemental agreements, etc.) is properly executed, authorized and that written or electronic records with proper approvals are maintained locally for auditing purposes.
• Ensures internal controls requirements and purchasing standards are met.
• Assists Corporate Purchasing for budget creation and quarterly reforecasts.
• Reports against assigned KPIs and ongoing projects on a monthly basis, or as otherwise required.  This includes but is not limited to:  raw material/packaging inventories, savings/cost avoidance, PPVs (price purchase variances), contract/agreement status reports and Supplier performance review updates.
• Resolves invoice discrepancy issues, including direct responsibility for resolving price discrepancy issues on plant-controlled spends.  Tracks open order report for other invoice resolution issues (i.e. untimely receipts, etc.).

A combination  of the listed skills and knowledge is preferred

• Strong PC skills (Excel, Word, Power BI) and familiarity with ERP Systems (SAP, D365 etc.).
• Prior experience with ERP integrations a plus.
• Proficiency in E-procurement system, preferably Scan market.
• Experience with formal Category Management preferred.
•  3-5 years’ experience in purchasing or a related role.
• Must be able to qualify as a Buyer on ERP system within 6 months of hire.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, logistics, or related field preferred.
• Able to handle discretionary and confidential information.
• High degree of personal integrity and ethics.

working conditions

• 15% travel required across 6 sites; passport required.

other factors                 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, talk, and listen at the same time within a noisy manufacturing environment.
• The employee is regularly required to stand or sit for long periods of time, climb stairs, use a ladder, balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Employee may use hands or fingers to handle or feel objects, use tools, or manipulate equipment controls; reach with hands and arms.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works with moving mechanical parts; work in high places; in outside weather conditions; and with hazardous chemicals and vibration. 
• The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and /or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, extreme cold, and extreme heat. The ability to perform in a noisy, humid, hot, cold and high-volume machine production environment.
• The employee may frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision.  Visual depth perception and the ability to adjust focus is required.