Job Description:
Here at Rakuten Kobo Inc., we offer a casual working start-up environment and a group of friendly and talented individuals. Our employees rank us highly in terms of commitment to work/life balance. We realize that for our people to be innovative, creative, and passionate, they need to feel valued and supported. We believe in rewarding all our employees with competitive salaries, performance-based annual bonuses, stock options, and training opportunities.
If you’re looking for a company that inspires passion, personal, and professional growth – join Kobo and help us make reading lives better.
The Role:
The Sr. Analyst, Supply Chain plays a pivotal role in optimizing Rakuten Kobo's global supply chain operations, directly impacting our ability to deliver a seamless reading experience to customers worldwide. This individual will be instrumental in ensuring efficient procurement, order fulfillment, and reverse logistics for our eReader products and accessories. Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Supply Chain, this role requires a highly organized and analytical individual with a strong ability to prioritize, self-manage, and drive continuous improvement.
The ideal candidate will be responsible for processing and managing orders, tracking statuses, and handling reverse logistics, while also proactively identifying and resolving discrepancies, anticipating stock issues, and collaborating with stakeholders to implement process optimizations. This role offers the opportunity to contribute strategically to our global supply chain team while executing critical day-to-day operations.
Key Responsibilities
Vendor & ODM Management & Procurement:
Own day-to-day communication with Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) partners.
Coordinate with multiple vendors to negotiate and align delivery schedules, ensuring optimal flow of materials and products.
Follow the monthly planning process and place purchase orders (POs) with vendors, ensuring adherence to established timelines and specifications.
Work closely with vendors to ensure aligned delivery schedules are met, proactively communicating any potential delays or issues.
Lead vendor onboarding processes, ensuring seamless integration of new partners into Kobo’s procurement and operational frameworks.
Evaluate vendor performance to monitor on-time and in-full services, raising any issues related to order fulfillment or on-time delivery and following up on action items.
Implement procurement strategies to drive cost efficiencies and quality improvements across the supply chain.
Validate invoices, address, and resolve discrepancies with vendors and internal finance teams.
Planning & Analysis:
Conduct comprehensive analysis of demand forecasts, ODM capacity, and supply plans to identify potential imbalances, risks, and opportunities. Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to management and cross-functional teams.
Analyze inventory levels and sales data to identify and communicate potential stock issues, recommending proactive solutions.
Track Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) costs on a per-project basis and provide trend analysis, insights, and summaries for senior management review.
Utilize advanced Excel skills to build and maintain supply chain models and reports, providing clear visibility into key performance indicators.
Order Fulfillment & Logistics:
Communicate delivery schedules with related internal and external customers.
Receive, validate, and process return requests efficiently and accurately.
Work with 3PL return facilities to validate return quantities and identify variances, managing discrepancies, identifying root causes, and providing corrective actions.
Review and ensure all return order statuses are correct and up-to-date.
Continuous Improvement & Documentation:
Proactively identify areas of improvement/process optimization opportunities and work with required stakeholders on scope and implementation.
Maintain and update all process documentation, ensuring best practices are captured and shared across the team.
Identify and investigate any discrepancies during the month-end process, providing clear explanations and resolutions.
Direct requests and…
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