Position Summary:
The Purchasing Associate is responsible for ensuring timely availability of materials, consumables, spare parts, services, and indirect items required for smooth plant operations. The role covers purchasing operations, supplier management, logistics coordination, customs documentation, and compliance with company procurement standards.
This position requires strong negotiation skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively in Mandarin and English, enabling sourcing engagement with local and Chinabased supplierscritical for Penang's electronics and industrial supply ecosystem.
Duties and Responsibilities:
A.Purchasing Operations (Direct & Indirect)
- Create, process, and manage Purchase Requests (PR) and Purchase Orders (PO).
- Ensure PO accuracy (pricing, UoM, terms, tax, quantity).
- Conduct canvassing, price comparison, and prepare comparative summaries.
- Track open POs and expedite deliveries to support production and maintenance.
- Maintain ERP master data (MOQ, LT, pricing, supplier profiles).
B. Supplier Management & Negotiation
- Liaise with suppliers for quotations, order confirmation, and delivery commitments.
- Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and payment terms.
- Source and qualify alternative suppliers for cost reduction and risk mitigation.
- Conduct supplier visits, audits, and performance evaluations with the plant committee.
- Manage vendor documents (catalogues, technical bulletins, COA, certificates).
C. Logistics, Shipping & Customs Coordination
- Arrange inbound/outbound logistics for local and international shipments.
- Work with forwarders, logistics providers, and brokers on pickups, tracking, and customs clearance.
- Prepare/validate shipping documents (invoice, packing list, COO, HS code).
- Resolve customs issues to avoid delays or demurrage.
- Support transportation planning for urgent or critical shipments.
D. Quality, Compliance & Contract Management
- Maintain compliance with procurement governance and DOA.
- Support 3way match (POGRInvoice) for Finance.
- Prepare and manage contract agreements for highvalue or recurring services.
- Facilitate testing, trial runs, and replacement of rejected materials.
- Maintain documentation for audit readiness.
E. CrossFunctional Collaboration
- Coordinate closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Warehouse, EHS, HR, and Finance.
- Support site improvement initiatives (Lean/Kaizen, workflow enhancements).
- Participate in committees, task forces, and plant projects.
F. Emergency & Expediting Support
- Handle urgent spot buys, cash purchases, or supplier pickups during interruptions.
- Resolve supply issues to prevent production downtime.
Qualifications
Education
- Diploma or bachelor's degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, or related field.
Experience
- 13 years in purchasing/procurement/logistics.
- Manufacturing (electronics/EMS) experience preferred.
- Fresh graduates with strong Mandarin and learning agility may be considered.
Skills & Competencies
- Mandarin Chinese (required) for communication with suppliers in Malaysia & China.
- MS Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, Pivot) and strong computer literacy.
- ERP systems (SAP/Oracle/D365 preferred).
- Understanding of Incoterms, HS Code, documentation, freight forwarding & logistics.
- Strong negotiation, communication, and supplier engagement skills.
- High integrity, attention to detail, and process discipline.
- Ability to multitask in a fastpaced manufacturing environment.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- PO cycle time and ontime PO placement.
- Supplier On-Time Delivery (OTD).
- PO accuracy (price, quantity, terms).
- Indirect spend management and cost savings initiatives.
- Logistics/shipping efficiency, no demurrage.
- Invoice mismatch rate.
- ERP data accuracy and governance compliance.
