The Purchasing Analyst position will require knowledge and experience in the areas of commodity management, supplier development, negotiations, analytics and tactical purchase order requests. This role will be responsible in the support of day-to-day operational procurement and management of commodities and supplier relationships. In addition, this role may require interaction with K&N managers and cross-functional business partners to identify, develop, and implement strategic commodity plans.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operational purchasing and supply requirements of assigned commodities
• Negotiate and manage all contracts and agreements for assigned commodities
• Support in the identification of new supply sources both domestically and globally
• Support in the development and management of departmental cost savings initiatives
• Develop and implement effective key strategies to control and improve assigned commodity costs
• Use and maintain current demand-planning systems (BMS) for assigned part numbers and suppliers
• Support the product manager, and the engineering department to reduce the costs of products by identifying projects, products that could be manufactured and purchased differently
• Work to interface, maintain or improve supplier relationships
• Contribute as a key team member at meetings and reviews, with key accountabilities for providing metrics, resolving issues, proposing alternative methods, identifying corrective actions and presenting information

Experience, Skills & Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Engineering or equivalent experience required

• Minimum of 1 - 3 years of experience as a buyer in the industrial or consumer goods business sectors

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office; advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills a plus

• Self-starter with ability to work independently under pressure and react quickly to changing priorities
• Strong organization skills with the ability to simultaneously handle multiple duties, prioritize, follow through on all tasks and projects, and meet pre-determined deadlines

• Effective negotiation skills

• Able to identify, troubleshoot and resolve problems quickly using sound judgment, poise and diplomacy. Ability to use judgment and reasoning skills, and determine when to escalate issues, as required, in a timely manner
• Ability to demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills with internal and external customers
• Positive attitude with a willingness to learn and grow and a team-oriented environment
• Consistently demonstrate a positive company image to K&N customers
• Complies with safety and corporate guidelines on business ethics

Work Environment

• Travel required (5% of time)
• Hectic, fast-paced with changing priorities and demands
• Professional, yet casual work environment
• Office environment
• Ability to work extended hours as required
• Requires exposure to the manufacturing areas
• Valid Driver’s License is required