MAJOR FUNCTION The Strategic Buyer supports the Category Manager in managing the external supply base on assigned commodities to achieve the company's business objectives. This position will be dedicated to improving our supply chain performance on electrical parts, motors, and batteries & chargers. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Prepares requests for proposals, solicits quotations, evaluates bids, negotiates prices, and negotiates terms with suppliers in support of company objectives. Identifies and selects suppliers based on total cost of ownership including quality and delivery performance. Manages relationships with assigned suppliers to optimize performance including developing supplier report cards, supporting quality & delivery improvement, and organizing key supplier meetings. Focuses, specifically, on improving supplier performance on engineered electrical parts. Selects suppliers for new products and utilizes ERP to ensure material availability in support of the production schedule on new products. Places initial purchase orders from approved requisitions. Manages transition of new suppliers to the Planning group. Develops an annual cost reduction and cash flow improvement plan for assigned commodity categories and executes the plan. Works with Product Management to improve our part obsolescence process. Performs other tactical duties as required to optimize material flow such as DMT management, supporting engineering changes, maintaining data integrity in the ERP system, etc. Assists in supplier management including risk management, commodity strategy development, inventory management, and major problem resolution with assigned suppliers. Supports continuous improvement of procurement processes MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Marketing or related field of study EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 5 years of related business or manufacturing experience in procurement or material planning, including direct experience with electrical parts. KNOWLEDGE & PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES: Basic knowledge of sound procurement practices Familiarity with engineering drawings Experience with material planning in an ERP environment Ability to plan, organize, and manage multiple projects Excellent oral and written communication skills Able to interact with all functional areas and all organizational levels Able to represent the company to suppliers at all levels of management Able to manage internal and external supplier relationships Must be able to analyze problems and develop improvement plans Working conditions: Requires some travel Experience in lean and/or Six Sigma improvement methodologies would be a plus COMPUTER SKILLS: Proficiency in use of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Proficient knowledge of ERP systems, such as BAAN, Oracle, JDE, or SAP Let's create a cleaner future together Clean is changing.Today, cleaning is a key contributor to health and safety, and a new clean is emerging, driven by technology and innovation. At Nilfisk we are a driving force in this development, and we work as one team with one agenda, supporting each other across an exciting, dynamic organization. Being part of Nilfisk means having the freedom to speak your mind and do what you do best. You will thrive by having a hands-on approach and the drive to bring your great ideas to life. At Nilfisk you can lead, innovate and collaborate for a cleaner future. Are you ready to make a change? We embrace diversity and equality with an environment of inclusion. We encourage everyone to apply for the position, regardless of origin, race, ethnicity, religion, physical or mental ability, gender, gender-identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age. Nilfisk offers a competitive total compensation package. Benefits include Health, Dental, Vision, Basic and Supplemental Life, Critical Illness and Accident Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account with Company Contribution, 401K wit Company Match, Long and Short Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program, Legal Plan, Parental Leave, Paid Vacation and Sick Time, Paid Volunteer Day, Tuition Reimbursement, Wellness Reimbursement, Scholarship opportunities, etc. Job applicant FAQ Do you have questions regarding the recruitment process or alike? Please visit our. EEO is the Law Nilfisk, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, among other factors. Applicants can learn more about our status as an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer by viewing the federalKNOW YOUR RIGHTSEEO poster. Equal opportunity It is the policy of Nilfisk not to discriminate any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. It is also the policy of Nilfisk to take action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.