Plant Buyer

Scope of Position:

• Become a member of Corning Incorporated’s Global Supply Management (GSM) Buyer Development Program. The purpose of the Buyer Development Program is to hire individuals to learn and apply best practice GSM processes in preparation for a Buyer position with Corning.
• Receiving on-the-job training in overall procurement strategies and processes through work assignments within Corporate Global Supply Management, strategic sourcing, shared services, and business plant areas. Assists with Business Global Supply Management (GSM) Strategy Development.
• Deploys GSM strategies and plans to make decisions necessary to purchase product or services aligned with organizational objectives and sourcing strategies.
• Key player for Contract Administration.
• Owns/Assists with Supplier Relationship Management Process (including supplier audits)
• Creates and maintains contractual documents (Supply Agreements, Pricing Agreements, Non- Disclosure Agreements, Certificates of Insurance, etc.).
• Assists with Commodity Reviews and Supply Intelligence
• Recommends changes to purchasing practices/supply management to ensure conformance with established laws, policies, and ethical principles). Participates in the planning and implementation of these changes.
• Participates in cross-functional teams focused on process improvements, cost
• reduction and supply chain issue resolution
• Protects Intellectual Property (IP).
• Ensures compliance with internal and external auditing requirements related especially to GSM or any other certification (if applicable)
• Champions and advocates for the Global Buying Policy. Ensures compliance.

Day to Day Responsibilities:

• Responsible for assured supply of materials, equipment and services, (on time, best price, high quality) in addition to competitive costs, minimizing inventories while ensuring optimum materials utilization, and supplier performance for the Emerging Innovations Group and the R,D and E directorates as needed
• Integrate into the Emerging Innovations Group to establish linkage with new and existing projects to communicate policies and procedures related to Global Supply Management (GSM) and establish shared objectives to drive results
• Work with customers to establish requirements and evaluate sourcing, cost savings, and/or value add opportunities.
• Assists in developing sourcing strategies, including evaluating the potential supply chain, intellectual property protection and total cost of ownership utilizing supplier and market intelligence. (cost modeling, low cost sourcing activities, consortiums, competitive bidding etc…)
• Ensure sourcing strategies include focus on multi sourcing and risk mitigation plans to ensure can meet future growth plans
• Lead Buyer sourcing activities; create RFI, RFP, RFQ’s (requests for information, proposal or quote).
• Negotiate agreements and develop contracts with potential and/or current major suppliers to obtain maximum value. Deploy suppliers and processes to Corning locations.
• Manage supplier performance with Supplier Relationship Management tools and resolve performance issues. Collaborate with technical and engineering teams to maintain effective supplier relationships
• Assures Contribution Metrics are updated and linked with site/business cost reduction portfolio.

Required Education:

• Bachelor degree required in Supply Chain or Industrial Engineering.    

Desired Degree:

• Masters in Supply Chain
• CPM, CPSM, CPIM

Required Years and Area of Experience:

• 1-3 years related education / business / project management or technical experience
• Experience working in a matrix environment or on a cross-functional team

Required Skills:

• Can deal with ambiguity
• Problem solving
• Communication and influencing sills: one on one and group
• Customer focus: understanding customer requirements and objective
• Acts with Integrity and Authenticity
• Financial / Analytic skills: collects, analyzes & leverages data

Desired Skills:

• Knowledge of the source to pay process
• Knowledge of negotiations, contract writing / Management
• Project Management skills
• Supply Chain knowledge / experience

Soft Skills:

• Ability to work with multiple suppliers and "customers"; . . . many people requesting support / assistance at all levels of the organization
• Ability to lead and work effectively on team projects
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities
• Results oriented, self - starter
• Values differences in people / ideas
• Team player

Travel Requirements:

• Limited: Occasional trips to US and International Corning sites for project coordination or issue resolution. Travel also includes vendor sites and industry conferences. Typically no more than 15 - 20 days per year.

Hours of work/work schedule/flex-time:

• Normal work week 40+ hours (Monday - Friday)