Buyer

Gastonia, NC
Red Valve Gastonia is looking for a Buyer to join our Supply Chain Team. The Buyer will be responsible for the management of activities associated with assigned global suppliers, commodities and or services. This position will provide full responsibility and leadership for assigned spend categories, developing strategies and coordinating on a global basis all related supply chain activity to assure that cost and value-added requirements are met.

This position will assure OpCo program participation, adherence to and acceptance of agreed upon strategic sourcing initiatives associated with assigned spend categories. Additionally, this position will proactively monitor and evaluate specific market conditions communicating within the OpCo and develop countermeasures as required.

Company Summary
Since 1953, Red Valve has set the standard for solving the world’s toughest flow control challenges through unmatched elastomer design and manufacturing experience. Red Valve is dedicated to exceeding customer expectations with proven, creative, high-value solutions. Red Valve has a passion for innovation and creativity, with a wealth of patents and best approaches developed for customers' needs. The people of Red Valve embrace this passion every day, providing reliable solutions to customers' most demanding challenges, wherever and whenever they are needed most.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

Process and manage orders from initial inquiry through final shipment, including quoting, buying, tracking and coordinating post-receipt issues/concerns with materials using the Company’s combined leverage to control/reduce costs
- Recruit, maintain and manage world-class suppliers with focus on total systems cost improvements while maintaining the highest code of ethics and conduct
Proactively performs spend analysis activities to identify strategic sourcing opportunities within our supply chain.
Analyze market and delivery conditions to determine present and future (industry trends in pricing and availability that will impact the business) material availability and prepares market analysis reports. Assess and recommend countermeasures to negative market trends and missed objective performance.
Identify potential suppliers (both domestic & international) around specific business needs, including outsourcing opportunities and negotiate supplier contracts to manage costs and ensure on-going service performance and continuous improvement
Promotes continuous improvement, mentality throughout the supply chain and supports cost, lead-time and quality improvement initiatives with key suppliers
Implementation and deployment of a vendor scorecard system, evaluating Quality, Delivery and Cost
Negotiate inventory and delivery programs to minimize inventory levels
Create reports on Company defined metrics, analyze the results, make recommendations, and present plans/actions
Participate in Lean initiatives and Kaizen events
Other duties and special projects may be assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities
This position does not have any supervisory responsibilities.

Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Engineering, Operations or other relevant field or appropriate technical certifications and field experience.

Skills/Experience

3+ years of supply chain experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
CPM or CPM certification preferred

Must have a strong customer focus. (expert)
Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills including professional phone and email etiquette. (expert)
Must be task oriented with strong sense of priority and ability to manage multiple tasks. (expert)
Experience using an ERP/MRP system, preferably Epicor (intermediate)
Expert problem solver.
Must have excellent organizational skills. (intermediate)
Ability to read and understand contract documents, specifications and engineering drawings. (intermediate)
Previous experience in a metric driven, low volume/high mix, fast-paced manufacturing environment. (intermediate)
Ability to adapt to unfamiliar systems and situations with minimal review/supervision while interacting with the customer. (intermediate)
Practical understanding of Lean business practices and Continuous Improvement process implementation. (basic)

Microsoft Office

Travel
Employee must be able to travel 10% of the time (domestic and international

Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, the physical demands listed are representative of those that must be met by an employee. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to handle and feel, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. The employee will occasionally climb, bend, kneel, crouch/squat, and/or twist. The employee will frequently lift items as heavy as 50lbs. Specific vision abilities may include the employee’s ability to see near and far distances. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.