NPI Project Buyer: Lead Global New Product Launch

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Dental

401k Matching

Employee Assistance Programs

Vacation and sick pay

Job summary

ZEISS Group in the United States (California) is seeking an NPI / Project Buyer to lead procurement activities for new product introductions and cross-functional projects from concept to production readiness. You will act as the primary procurement interface within project teams, ensuring supplier, material, cost, and sourcing readiness aligned with milestones.

You will drive RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and sourcing decisions with engineering and Strategic Sourcing, coordinating

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations, or related field.
• Typically 5+ years in procurement, strategic sourcing, NPI purchasing, or related roles.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, preferably SAP.
• Experience with new product introduction and prototype-to-production transitions.
• Experience managing suppliers through development, qualification, ramp-up, and production readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement activities for assigned NPI and product-development projects from concept through production readiness.
• Represent Procurement within cross-functional project teams and ensure purchasing deliverables are integrated 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.
• Review project BOMs and drive sourcing status for purchased components.
• Identify and elevate material shortages, long lead-time items, and sourcing gaps.
• Coordinate purchasing activities for engineering changes (ECO/PCO).
• Support accurate material master, purchasing, and sourcing information within SAP/ERP systems.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations and negotiate terms.
• Track purchased-material cost against project targets.
• Identify design-to-cost, value engineering, and cost-reduction opportunities.
• Provide procurement input for forecasting, business cases, and cost reviews.
• Ensure procurement and supplier readiness before transition from NPI into sustaining production.

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, or related field

APICS/ASCM CPSM or project-management certification

Tools

SAP

ERP/MRP

SAP MDG

Job description

ZEISS Group in the United States (California) is seeking an NPI / Project Buyer to lead procurement activities for new product introductions and cross-functional projects from concept to production readiness. You will act as the primary procurement interface within project teams, ensuring supplier, material, cost, and sourcing readiness aligned with milestones.

You will drive RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and sourcing decisions with engineering and Strategic Sourcing, coordinating