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.
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).
