NPI Project Buyer

ZEISS Group; Dublin (CA); Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Retirement savings plan

Paid time off

401k Matching

Vision and Dental

Job summary

ZEISS is seeking a skilled NPI / Project Buyer to lead procurement for new product introduction and development projects from concept to production readiness. You will work with engineering, quality, planning, and suppliers to ensure material availability, supplier readiness, and cost discipline.

The role requires 5+ years in procurement within manufacturing, experience with BOMs and ECOs, and strong cross-functional collaboration. A competitive package and global team support are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Typically 5+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, NPI purchasing, project buying, or supply chain.
• Experience supporting new product introduction and product-development projects in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience working with engineering BOMs, drawings/specifications, ECOs/engineering changes, and prototype-to-production transitions.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement activities for assigned NPI and product-development projects from concept through production readiness.
• Represent Procurement within cross-functional project teams and integrate purchasing into the project plan.
• Drive sourcing and material readiness against NPI milestones and production launch requirements.
• Maintain visibility of procurement status, open issues, risks, and critical-path items.
• Manage RFQ activities, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and sourcing recommendations.
• Coordinate supplier readiness for prototypes, pilot builds, qualification, and production ramp.

Skills

NPI procurement

Project management

Supplier readiness

Cost management

BOM management

Change management

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Production transition

Global collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations

APICS/ASCM, CPSM, or project-management certification

Tools

SAP

ERP/MRP

BOM and material-master management

SAP MDG / KMAT (beneficial)

Job description

About Us:How many companies can say they’ve been in business for over 179 years?!Here at ZEISS, we certainly can! As the pioneers of science, ZEISS handles the everchanging environments in a fast-paced world, meeting it with cutting edge of technologies and continuous advancements. ZEISS believes that innovation and technology are the key to a sustainable future and solutions for global change. We have a diverse range of portfolios throughout the ZEISS family in segments like, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, Consumer Markets and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. We are a global company with over 42,000 employees and have over 4,000 in the US and Canada alone! Make a difference, come join the team!What’s the role?The NPI / Project Buyer is responsible for leading procurement activities for New Product Introduction (NPI), product development, and other cross-functional projects from early development through production release.This role serves as the primary procurement interface within the project team and is responsible for ensuring supplier, material, cost, and sourcing readiness in alignment with project milestones. The NPI / Project Buyer works closely with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Planning, Operations, Finance, and suppliers to proactively identify and resolve procurement risks that could impact product launch, cost, quality, or schedule.Sound Interesting?Here’s what you’ll do:NPI & Project ProcurementLead procurement activities for assigned NPI and product-development projects from concept/prototype through production readiness.Represent Procurement within cross-functional project teams and ensure purchasing deliverables are integrated into the overall project plan.Drive sourcing and material readiness against NPI milestones and production launch requirements.Maintain visibility of procurement status, open issues, risks, and critical-path items.Supplier & Sourcing ManagementManage RFQ activities, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and sourcing recommendations.Partner with Strategic Sourcing and Engineering to select suppliers based on cost, quality, capability, lead time, capacity, and supply risk.Coordinate supplier readiness for prototypes, pilot builds, qualification, and production ramp.Identify long-lead, single-source, capacity, and supplier-related risks and develop appropriate mitigation plans.BOM & Material ReadinessReview project BOMs and drive sourcing status for purchased components.Identify and escalate material shortages, long lead-time items, and sourcing gaps that could impact project schedules.Coordinate purchasing activities associated with engineering changes, including ECO/PCO implementation.Support accurate material master, purchasing, and sourcing information within SAP/ERP systems.Cost ManagementObtain and evaluate supplier quotations and negotiate commercial terms.Track purchased-material cost against project targets.Partner with Engineering and suppliers to identify design-to-cost, value-engineering, and cost-reduction opportunities.Provide procurement input for forecasting, business cases, and project cost reviews.Production TransitionEnsure procurement and supplier readiness before transition from NPI into sustaining production.Coordinate handoff of suppliers, pricing, lead times, purchasing information, and open risks to operational procurement/planning teams.Support stabilization activities during initial production ramp.Sound Interesting?Here’s what you’ll do:EducationBachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations, or related field.APICS/ASCM, CPSM, or project-management certification is a plus.ExperienceTypically 5+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, NPI purchasing, project buying, or supply chain.Experience supporting new product introduction and product-development projects in a manufacturing environment.Experience working with engineering BOMs, drawings/specifications, ECOs/engineering changes, and prototype-to-production transitions.Experience managing suppliers through development, qualification, ramp-up, and production readiness.Experience with ERP/MRP systems, preferably SAP.Core Skills / CompetenciesNPI Procurement: Own procurement activities from early development through production release.Project Management: Manage purchasing milestones, risks, deliverables, and dependencies against the overall NPI schedule.Supplier Readiness: Drive RFQs, supplier selection, lead-time alignment, capacity/readiness, and material availability.Cost Management: Develop should-cost/quote comparisons, negotiate pricing, identify cost-reduction opportunities, and track NPI material cost.BOM Management: Review BOMs for sourcing status, lead times, shortages, cost, and supply risk.Change Management: Coordinate purchasing implications of ECO/PCO/design changes and ensure suppliers transition correctly.Risk Management: Identify long-lead, single-source, capacity, quality, obsolescence, and supply-continuity risks early in the project.Cross-functional Leadership: Work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Planning, Quality, Operations, Finance, and suppliers.Production Transition: Ensure purchasing and supplier readiness before handoff from NPI/project phase into sustaining production.Global Collaboration: Comfortable working across suppliers and manufacturing teams in multiple regions/time zones.Strong ownership and accountabilityAbility to operate with incomplete information during early NPI phasesExcellent follow-through and attention to detailAbility to challenge suppliers and internal stakeholders professionallyStrong communication and escalation skillsAbility to manage several projects/priorities simultaneouslyA proactive rather than transactional purchasing mindsetStrong understanding of interdependencies between Engineering, Procurement, Planning, Manufacturing, Quality, and FinanceSystems / Technical RequirementsSAP / ERP / MRPBOM and material-master structuresPurchase orders and purchase requisitionsRFQ and sourcing processesSupplier lead-time managementInventory and demand planning fundamentalsExcel/data analysisExperience with SAP MDG, KMAT/configurable products, or complex capital-equipment manufacturing would be especially valuable for XRM.The annual pay range for this position is $77,000 – $96,000The pay offered for this role may be influenced by factors such as job location, scope of role, qualifications, education, experience, & complexity/specialization/scarcity of talent.This position is also eligible for a performance bonus or sales commissions. ZEISS also offers robust benefits, including medical plans, retirement savings plan and paid time off.We have amazing benefits to support you as an employee at ZEISS!MedicalVisionDental401k MatchingEmployee Assistance ProgramsVacation and sick payThe list goes on!The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of requirements, duties, or responsibilities. The Company reserves the right to interpret, amend, or otherwise modify, in whole or in part, any job description at any time, at its sole discretion.Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:Jo Anne MittelmanZeiss provides Equal Employment Opportunity without unlawful regard to an Applicants race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, citizen status, sexual orientation, pregnancy (includes childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), genetic predisposition, carrier status, gender expression or identity, including transgender identity, or any other class or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law of the employee (or the people with whom the employee associates, including relatives and friends).