New Product Integration Buyer - Forterra

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role

The Supply Chain team owns Forterra's indirect and direct sourcing and procurement strategies from Research and Development through Production and sustainment. We coordinate with the engineers to determine the technical requirements of purchased items and work with our Growth team to decide how much inventory we should maintain to provide autonomy as a service to our customers.

New Product Integration Buyers are responsible for procuring goods and services necessary for the company"s operations. This role involves managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and ensuring the timely delivery of quality products to support early stage product development. NPI Buyers works closely with the engineering department to support business and product development objectives.

As a NPI Buyer, you will be responsible for executing and enhancing the strategies we use to source inventory for research and development and production hardware that enable our AutoDrive system. You will wear many hats as New Product Integration Buyer, Production Buyer, and data analyst. Successful candidates will be creative, process-oriented individuals who have a consistent track record of delivering results. You excel at working in a fluid environment with cross-functional teams to solve complex problems and dive deep into issues to conduct data-driven problem solving. You are an outstanding communicator who helps drive cross-functional decision-making and can influence stakeholders across teams, functions and levels.

What you"ll do

• Prepare and issue purchase orders based on requisitions, and inventory needs and ensure timely and accurate delivery of purchased materials, products, and services.
• Maintain relationships with existing vendors and serve and the conduit between Forterra and the vendors to negotiate prices, terms, and delivery schedules, and resolve issues.
• Identify and evaluate potential vendors and analyze pricing, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best offers and make informed purchasing decisions.
• Implement cost-saving initiatives and track procurement expenditures.
• Monitor inventory levels to ensure adequate stock without over-purchasing.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date procurement records and documentation to ensure that purchased products are compliant with company policies, procedures, and government procurement regulations and meet quality standards and specifications.
• Present metrics that communicate vendor and purchasing process performance, facilitate root-cause analysis, and drive broad stakeholder awareness.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional Engineering, Quality, and Production teams to identify supply risks and cost opportunities related to product design.

Qualifications

• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Proficiency in procurement software and ERP systems.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of procurement processes and best practices.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Strong ethical standards and integrity.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using NetSuite ERP System.
• Understanding of the FAR regulations.
• Experience in early product development lifecycle companies.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in procurement or a related field.

US Salary Range
$65,000—$85,000

Hybrid - Office located in Clarksburg, MD

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra's overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance, Legal & ID protection plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.

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