Senior Operational Buyer

As a subsidiary of Toyota Industries (TICO), Vanderlande North America is enjoying rapid growth and extraordinary market demand. Vanderlande is a global market leader in material handling system manufacture, design, installation, and service. Vanderlande systems employ the latest in robotic, mechanical, and software technology. Vanderlande’s customers are household names in e‑commerce, package delivery, and air transportation.

The Supply Chain Center North America (SCC NA) is responsible for the procurement of all equipment and services, subcontracting of 3rd‑party designed equipment and site installation labor for material and baggage handling systems in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. As the Operational Supplier Coordinator (OSC), your focus is to continuously secure and assure material availability to factories, our customer projects, and to resolve shortages.

The OSC must work closely with the Operational Buyers in VOICE (Pune, India) and monitor Key Performance Indicators to proactively analyze and report on material availability. You will update key interfaces on status, progress, impact, and performance, and will start up and drive supplier escalation when necessary. As the first point of contact for internal customers and suppliers, you will solve issues, manage short‑term material availability performance, coach and train suppliers, and monitor the Supplier Delivery (RLIP/CLIP1/CLIP2).

The OSC also actively participates in cross‑functional teams, serves a central role in managing supplier relationships with the Sourcing department, and participates in improvement projects. You will manage Item Master Data for your supplier categories, proactively manage a portfolio of items, and translate supplier‑side trends into concrete actions to improve supply reliability.

• Process purchase orders created through engineer‑to‑order (ETO) specifications.
• Consult sourcing to redirect orders when there is an issue with the default supplier.
• Manage factory shortage messages and translate these into purchase orders.
• Coordinate and monitor the internal order approval process.
• Monitor and enter order acknowledgements.
• Integrate new suppliers into the Vanderlande process.
• Onboard suppliers on Trade Shift.
• Place RFQs.
• Monitor exceptions (date, quality SCAR, logistics SCAR, RMA, and Item Master Data).
• Evaluate Item Master Data in the ERP system.
• Ensure that orders meet the deadlines outlined in the Equipment Delivery Program (EDP).
• Report status of open orders to Supply Chain Coordinators and communicate possible risk‑mitigation solutions.
• Coordinate resolutions to questions from suppliers regarding lead‑time delivery or quality issues.
• Coordinate resolutions to receiving and payment issues.
• Manage and maintain the open‑order report to keep all orders up to date in JDE and ensure on‑time delivery.
• Drive escalations.
• Prepare business review meetings.
• Monitor supplier delivery performance.
• Manage supplier continuous improvements.
• Support Operational Buyers in escalations and risk management.
• Further develop suppliers to mitigate delivery delays and risks.
• Understand supplier capacity and knowledge.
• Create a feedback stream to internal stakeholders (Sourcing / Control Tower) when required.
• Compare and negotiate price deals to produce cost savings for standard products or with established and approved suppliers.
• Submit claims when suppliers deviate from agreed terms and conditions.
• Identify recurring problems, improve own processes, and identify aspects that need improvement.

• Ability to work in a team, team player.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Competent with Microsoft Excel and Excel functions.
• Adaptive to different situations and flexible.
• Excellent customer service orientation.
• Negotiating and procurement skills.
• Capability to handle multiple tasks in a high‑energy office environment.
• Hands‑on attitude and ‘take‑charge’ mentality.
• Confidence and self‑reliance, ability to work independently.
• Ability to coach, guide, and train lower‑level buyers.

• BS or BA degree.
• 4+ years of experience as an Operational Buyer II…