Sr Buyer, Innovation

Sr Buyer, Innovation

Work Mode: Hybrid

Location: Hybrid - Kohler, WI

Opportunity

Designing award-winning products for our market-leading brands - Kohler, Mira Showers and Rada - is our lifeblood. We focus on investment, investing in the best technology and investing in each and every individual. Put simply, it is who we are.
From day one you are part of the Kohler community - a collaborative, forward focused team with a shared pride in our work and commitment to delight our customers and inspire our people.

Are you ready to take the next step in your purchasing/supply chain career with an elite privately held company? We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated Senior Buyer to support our New Product Development Transformative Innovation Program.
In this role, you will manage and develop key supplier relationships, lead supplier selection decisions, drive request for quotation (RFQs) and support new product introductions from a supply chain perspective.
You will build and leverage strong working relationships with cross-functional partners in engineering and work together with our suppliers to ensure cost, quality and delivery targets are met to achieve the optimal balance of quality and cost.

Specific Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with established suppliers, while identifying new suppliers as needed to support Kohler's business and technical requirements.
• Build and develop cost and investment models to support key decision-making.
• Own RFQs (Request for Quote) and lead supplier selection decisions based on capability, quality, and cost.
• Assess supplier capabilities and capacity to support Kohler's projected volume demands and their ability to scale for growth.
• Negotiate terms, pricing, and delivery schedules with suppliers to secure the best deals
• Create, issue and track purchase orders to ensure that goods and services are delivered on time
• Support, and in some cases, take ownership of creating a plan for every part document to support prototyping and build events, ensuring all Bill of Materials are accounted for.
• Build and maintain relationships with cross-functional teams and influence timely decisions with key stakeholders to support our mission.
• Own contract management-ensure Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), General Terms & Conditions (GTC), Piece Price Agreements (PPAs), and other related contracts are negotiated, agreed upon, and appropriately documented before business is initiated.

Skills/Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in purchasing and/or supply chain management.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Engineering
• Experience with new product development processes, including taking products from concept to market.
• Proficient knowledge of technical requirements, product design (DFM & DFA), and common tooling methods (injection molding, casting, PCB production, etc.)
• Experience negotiating with suppliers, hosting regular touchpoint meetings, and holding a supplier accountable for delivery.
• A strategic mind, looking at future trends and technologies
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to build strong, influential working relationships and inspire trust amongst team and wider colleagues.
• Comfortable with navigating change and ambiguity and able to stay solution focused
• Some travel may be required

CUSTOM.PAY.TRANSPARENCY

Why Choose Kohler?
We empower each associate to with a competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing, access to career growth and development opportunities, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and a strong culture of innovation. With more than 30,000 bold leaders across the globe, we're driving meaningful change in our mission to help people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives.

About Us
It is Kohler's policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. If, as an individual with a disability, you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact . Kohler Co. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.