Senior Purchaser Planner

Company: Thorlabs
Location: Sterling
Posted on: January 19, 2023

Job Description:

The Senior Purchaser Planner will be responsible for, but not limited to, Managing the Supply Chain and Inventory and Production Scheduling functions for the Virginia Scientific Imaging Systems Group and Machine shop by:
Working with operations, manufacturing, Engineering R&D, internal sales, and overseas offices
Negotiating prices, establishing lead times and purchasing products,
Planning, scheduling of machine shop and inventory management.
The successful candidate will also work with our overseas office staff to place and follow-up on all orders and verify and communicate to our internal and external sales team any manufacturing and shipping delays. Other tasks of the planning/purchasing position will include project work to reduce costs and improve processes as well as on ongoing vendor evaluations in accordance to ISO 9001 requirements.
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Essential Job Functions - include the following, but are not limited to:
Key Purchasing and Planning tasks:
Use the Microsoft Axapta Dynamics MRP computer system to purchase and plan all products
Use Power BI reports to develop metrics to be able to ensure good on time delivery of products and reduce zero stock SKUs
Develop daily purchasing, expediting, date and data management
Produce daily planning scheduling/ re-scheduling/ date and data management
Release, monitor and close work orders to support the build plan and open sales orders
Generate purchasing requirements to ensure timely fulfillment of customer orders
Generate, monitor, close and control production orders for machine shop.
Schedule the availability of sufficient parts necessary to ensure the timely, uninterrupted flow of manufacturing processes and schedules
Develop a plan and schedule to ensure the efficient and continual performance of manufacturing cell production
Product Availability and Lead Time calculation

Key Document control tasks:
Manage the data entry, document revision and control in TECM. Assist in positioning Engineering Change Orders (ECO) with proper ECO classification and including all products affected by the changes.
Responsible for reviewing MRP Item Master fields and settings, electronically filing drawings, assembly instructions and miscellaneous engineering paperwork.
Collecting and maintaining files of the latest revision level documentation necessary to process initial releases, corrections, and revisions to accurately control manufacturing processes.

Initiates and participates in purchasing improvement and cost reduction programs
Generate special and periodic reports as required or directed
Inventory Control and Inventory Planning (Safety Stock, forecast, build/order size)
Vendor Relationship Management
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Qualifications
Experience:
Minimum of 3 years' experience as a Purchaser or Planner in a
manufacturing and product development environment
Mastery of ERP system (SAP, Microsoft Axapta Dynamics preferred)
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, formulas, v-lookups, macros)
Experience working both independently and with a team in an efficient and effective manner
Sense of ownership, initiative and the determination to continually improve
Proven record of and demonstrable both internal and external customer centricity
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Education:
Associates degree, Bachelor's degree preferred, in business or related field. A technical degree or equivalent experience may be substituted
APICS certification preferred
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Specialized Knowledge and Skills:
Strong computer skills including Microsoft Excel
Strong Inventory planning skills (Understanding of safety stock, forecasting, and made-to-order products)
Strong understanding of how a product moves through an ERP system
Strong knowledge of transaction processing
Quickly resolve critical material shortages
Strong ability to understand the capacity of production teams and accurately calculate lead times and production bottlenecks
Strong ability to distribute orders in a timely manner
Knowledge and understanding of BOMs and how they impact the forecast,
purchase, and manufacturing requirements
Understanding of product pricing and the ability to analyze costs against the
profit margin
Strong knowledge of supply risk analysis/contingency planning
BOM generation and maintenance
Version and Revision Control
Item & Order set-up
New product set-up
Aligning documentation and drawings to orders
Strong ability to manipulate and analyze data
Strong ability to build and manage all aspects of vendor relationships
Experience in Document and Data Control
Strong math, logic and analytical skills.
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Other:
Strong sense of ownership
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Excellent organizational skills
Strong ability to work well in a group atmosphere, and comply with high quality standards.
Strong ability to shift from one task to another to address changing production priorities.
Strong problem solving skills
Ability to anticipate the obstacles and contributing factors that may affect a
situation.
Ability to think about reasons and causes and to evaluate all factors that may affect a situation and to perform root cause analysis
Strong ability to interface with Engineering, production and marketing departments
Ability to interact with individuals at all levels of an organization
Strong conflict resolution management skills.
Highly flexible and able to quickly adapt to process changes.
Ability to negotiate and expedite contracts of orders as needed
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Thorlabs values its diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.
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Keywords: Thorlabs, Sterling , Senior Purchaser Planner, Professions , Sterling, Virginia