Buyer/Planner

.       ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - 

• Uses a variety of tools and systems (enterprise and self-developed) to Plan and Procure materials to meet our needs, balancing inventories, Spends, Lead Time and desired Service levels to ensure coverage with minimum appropriate inventories and Safety Stocks. The Buyer/Planner is characterized by a nominal level of analytical capabilities, able to bring to bear his/her experience to address and resolve nominally complex problems and situations that might endanger the adequate flow of materials and/or constrains fleet and MRO operations. Typically, a Buyer/Planner will analyze, recommend and select proper vendors for placement of orders, negotiate with vendors as to assure proper quality, on-time delivery and competitive pricing, interfacing with the Production/Supply Planners, Engineering, Quality and other functional & support organizations as needed to accomplish his/her and Columbia’s objectives, seeking guidance from more senior/experienced members of the Procurement team as needed to ensure he/she is considering the appropriate factors that may be in play for the optimum decision to be made.
• Demonstrate exceptional ownership and accountability for his/her parts and products, addressing both technical as well as business obstacles to achieve his/her fleet support and MRO business objectives, effectively and promptly escalating concerns and both technical as well as business roadblocks to more senior Supply Chain and other departments and resources for guidance and direction.
• Has budgetary discretion to purchase technical and non-technical materials and services consistent with military, customer and company specifications and quality levels at the most advantageous prices. Expedites or places orders to resolve actual or potential shortages and will replenish current supplies using effective cost reduction and avoidance procedures.
• Identify and implements Lean concepts to eliminate waste from processes.
• Identifies and leverages supplier’s capabilities to develop creative ideas and action plans for cost reduction and quality improvement ideas.
• Identifies the need for development and implementation of sourcing strategies and methodologies to meet cost, quality, delivery and service objectives, working as needed with more senior members of the Procurement team to create sourcing and/or supplier development strategies.
• Conduct oneself in accordance with Company’s Core Values
• Other duties as assigned.