Procurement Planner (Cambridge, ON)

Company Overview Welcome to RIMOWA, the first German Maison of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) Group. We are a global lifestyle brand with a mission to create the essential tools for a lifetime of travel. For more than 120 years, we have dedicated ourselves to developing unique products where function coexists with luxury, heritage with innovation, and craftsmanship with design.

Position We seek to attract, recruit and develop the most talented individuals with all levels of experience. The diversity of our ecosystem offers each person unparalleled career opportunities and therefore holds a definite appeal for candidates. Thanks to our exemplary sourcing and recruitment approach, we are widely recognized as a preferred employer.

Our products are created with longevity in mind because the most meaningful journeys last more than a trip, they last a lifetime. Join us to discover your own.

Description The Procurement Planner is responsible for ensuring raw materials, components, and sub-assemblies are delivered to the Cambridge production sites to support production needs, at optimal efficiency. This individual must fully understand RIMOWA’s supply chain and production operations, as well as be an expert on their assigned product or commodities. They will deploy inventory strategies, be responsible for product change and associated material planning implications, manage and solve exceptions, and drive supplier execution. This role involves daily management of supply and constraints, status reporting and escalation, supplier engagement and the relentless pursuit of operational excellence and continuous improvement.

We’ll look to you to coordinate and expedite the flow of work and materials within or between departments according to daily and weekly production schedules. At RIMOWA we value our people and their ideas; this role offers the opportunity to broaden your capabilities and grow technically while contributing to innovative solutions that can genuinely affect change.

Job Responsibilities Operational Procurement & Material Availability

Ensuring Material Supply: Define the manufacturing needs for components based on the production plan, stock of components available, lead times and stock policy.

Order Management & On-Time Delivery: Create and deploy supply requirements via MRP that achieves production, inventory, and cost objectives. Monitor open purchase orders to ensure on-time delivery.

Expediting & Deferring Orders: Expedite or defer orders based on schedule/inventory changes to maintain production flow and optimize inventory.

Managing Inter-company Material Flow: Manage the inter-company flow of materials between warehouse locations.

Issue Resolution (Day-to-Day): Manage and resolve PO issues to invoice discrepancies, returns, and quality problems with suppliers.

Inventory Optimization & Strategic Material Management

Inventory Level Determination: Determine and establish optimal inventory levels based on forecast, demand variation, and material lead times to balance availability and cost.

System Parameter Management: Set up and maintain material master system planning parameters (MOQ, lead time, safety stocks).

Material Flow Coordination (Product Changes): Coordinate material flows throughout product/BOM changes, obsolescence, and the introduction of new suppliers and/or materials due to new product development.

Engineering Change Management: Manage engineering changes to minimize obsolete inventory and ensure continuous supply.

Analytical Optimization: Apply analytics and supply chain expertise to manage system parameters, meet target inventory and service level goals while minimizing costs and obsolescence.

Supplier Relationship & Strategic Sourcing

Building Supplier Partnerships: Build and maintain operational partnerships with assigned suppliers, acting as the primary interface for delivery status, issues, and resolution, escalating when required.

New Supplier Development & Local Sourcing: Actively seek and develop new local suppliers for cost savings and reducing the carbon footprint. Support onboarding and training of new suppliers ensuring operational excellence and compliance.

Supplier Compliance & Audit Preparation: Proactively assess and manage supplier compliance with future environmental standards.

New Product Launch Coordination: Coordinate supplier ramp-up and ramp-down for new product launches.

Continuous Improvement, Collaboration & Support

Continuous Improvement Mindset: Proactively identify and implement improvements processes, collaborating with the Plant Scheduling team through shared best practices and job shadowing.

Cost Reduction Initiatives & Critical Assessment: Lead and participate in cost reduction initiatives by analyzing supplier processes, internal procurement processes, and overall supply-chain costs. Identify inefficiencies, redundancies, and opportunities for savings.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with internal customers and provide a high level of customer service, including recommending solutions, resources, and alternative supply options.

Operational Support: Provide back-up support for supply chain functions including shipping, receiving, material handling, scheduling, and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Industrial Engineering, or similar discipline.

Minimum 5 years’ experience in a supply chain role working for a direct manufacturer.

Applied expert knowledge of forecasting, MRP/ERP, transportation, supply chain, inventory management and warehousing disciplines, bills of material, product lifecycle management, procure to pay processes and supply chain operations.

Passionate and high energy, with the diplomacy and cooperative style necessary to positively influence others.

Fluent English is necessary; oral and written communication skills in French and/or German an asset.

Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM) or American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) training preferred.

Professional certifications such as Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), or Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) an asset.

Technical and Operational Expertise as follows

Analytical and Problem-Solving: Ability to gather, organize, and analyze data (market research, cost analysis) to identify solutions, make informed decisions, evaluate procurement performance, and understand the total cost of ownership. Evaluate and analyze data to enable operational decision-making or present clear recommendations to leadership.

Adaptability and Forecasting: Ability to adapt to changes, embrace new technologies, and forecast demand.

Risk Management: Understanding and managing risks such as supplier disruptions and currency fluctuations.

Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management and procurement regulations for compliance and invoice evaluation.

Strategic Sourcing and Market Research: Ability to conduct thorough market research and analysis to identify and evaluate suppliers, understand market trends, and develop cost-effective strategies. Commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing practices.

Strong Understanding of Procurement Processes and Inventory Management: Fundamental grasp of procurement processes, inventory control, and supply chain management.

Customer-Focused Approach: Commitment to understanding and meeting customer expectations.

Agility: Ability to juggle multiple roles, adapt to shifting priorities, and manage supply chain fluctuations. Ability to self-guided and take constructive action in ambiguous situations.

Ability to Work Independently and as Part of a Team: Capacity to collaborate with cross-functional teams while managing individual responsibilities.

Strategic Thinking: Ability to see the bigger picture and develop viable, cost-effective strategies.

Additional Information We would like to speak to individuals who are aligned with our core values of having an entrepreneurial spirit and collaborating as a team with no room for ego. We operate as one crew and celebrate our differences as we strive to be agile and resilient.

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