Work Location: Senai Johor.
Monthly Salary: RM 5,000 - RM 8,000
Summary
The NPI Buying Team Leader is responsible for the strategic sourcing of materials and components required for New Product Development (NPD) projects. Operating as a high-level individual contributor, this role demands a proactive approach to supplier selection, cost negotiation, and risk management to ensure project deliverables are met within required timelines and budgets. The ideal candidate will possess a strong blend of technical and commercial acumen, with a deep understanding of the procurement process in a fast-paced product development environment.
Key Responsibilities
Project Champion & Material Fulfillment
- Clear-to-Build (CTB) Ownership: Take full accountability for all parts listed in the CTB and proactively resolve critical material shortages for assigned NPI projects.
- Cross-Functional Alignment: Conduct daily CTB reviews with the Planning team to share material status, and actively participate in project alignment calls as requested by MP/PM (Manufacturing Planning/Project Managers).
- Material Procurement: Assess RFQs and execute strategic plans to procure materials necessary to meet manufacturing build requirements across one or several concurrent NPI projects.
- Timeline & Inventory Control: Track the end-to-end NPI procurement process, providing timely updates to stakeholders and resolving supply chain delays. Balance material availability with inventory turnover to optimize cash flow and prevent excessive inventory holdings.
Supplier & Risk Management
- Sourcing & Evaluation: Conduct comprehensive market research to identify potential suppliers. Evaluate vendors based on capabilities, quality, cost, and delivery performance to support successful new product launches.
- Risk Mitigation: Identify potential supply chain risks specific to NPI projects and develop robust contingency plans to safeguard timelines.
- SRA Coordination: Partner with the Engineering team on SRA (Supplier/Safety Risk Assessment) related issues and cascade critical information to relevant teams efficiently.
- Process Compliance: Ensure all suppliers strictly adhere to the established shipment approval process.
Engineering & Financial Alignment
- Design & Engineering Integration: Participate in design reviews to understand material specifications and technical requirements. Align on Engineering Change Order (ECO) updates to manage PO supersedes and parts rework activities.
- E&O Reduction: Assist Engineering and Planning teams in coordinating supplier rework activities to minimize Excess and Obsolete (E&O) inventory.
- Financial Resolution: Partner with Accounts Payable (AP) to investigate and resolve supplier invoice payment discrepancies.
Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies
Education & Experience
- Experience: Minimum of 6 years of experience in a procurement or buying role, with a dedicated focus on NPI procurement within a manufacturing or technology sector.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field.
Technical Skills
- Domain Expertise: Strong understanding of manufacturing environments, procurement workflows, inventory management, supplier relations, and engineering change processes.
- Operations Knowledge: Core understanding of production planning fundamentals, scheduling, Material Requirements Planning (MRP) techniques, and manufacturing control systems.
- Systems Proficiency: Highly proficient in procurement software, ERP systems, and MS Office Suite. Direct experience with ERP/MRP systems (specifically SAP) is highly advantageous.
- Continuous Improvement: Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies is a strong plus.
Soft Skills & Core Capabilities
- Negotiation & Vendor Management: Proven ability to negotiate effectively and manage complex, high-value supplier relationships.
- Project Management: Strong organizational skills to drive multiple high-priority projects simultaneously under tight deadlines without needing direct supervision.
- Analytical Thinking: Excellent problem-solving capabilities with a meticulous focus on detail and accuracy.
- Communication & Influence: Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively and influence diverse internal cross-functional teams and external global partners.
