Purchasing Specialist

What Makes a Honda, is Who makes a Honda
Honda has a clear vision for the future, and it’s a joyful one. We are looking for individuals with the skills, courage, persistence, and dreams that will help us reach our future-focused goals. At our core is innovation. Honda is constantly innovating and developing solutions to drive our business with record success. We strive to be a company that serves as a source of “power” that supports people around the world who are trying to do things based on their own initiative and that helps people expand their own potential. To this end, Honda strives to realize “the joy and freedom of mobility” by developing new technologies and an innovative approach to achieve a “zero environmental footprint.”

We are looking for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, continuous improvement values, and a strong work ethic to join our team.

If your goals and values align with Honda’s, we want you to join our team to Bring the Future!

Job Purpose

Support service part ordering and delivery through effective planning, communication, and supplier interface. Under significant supervision, is responsible for low complexity purchasing, tracking, and distributing necessary inventory and supplies required for production and/or other core business activities. Expected to support low (with some moderate) projects and handles low complexity (with some moderate) supplier accounts. Apply limited problem-solving skills to prevent impact to operations and support achievement of department targets. Responsible for material procurement, production planning, inventory control, outsourcing, supplier process management and countermeasure implementation.

Support service part delivery through effective planning, communication, and supplier interface. Under significant oversight and supervision, expected to support low (with some moderate) projects and handles low (with some moderate) supplier accounts. Apply limited technical problem-solving skills to prevent impact to operations and support achievement of department targets.

This position supports to maintain high level of service and parts availability for Honda and Acura Genuine parts by maintaining on-time delivery, shipment integrity, maximizing service level while minimizing dealer/customer backorders. 

At this level, specialists will gain initial knowledge of the supplier network and internal Honda operations. Specialists will be responsible for meeting on-time delivery, backorder, Delivery Trouble Report and Service level targets through direct involvement with the Supplier Base. This level supply specialist is responsible for suppliers and products of low complexity (parts and vendors have average visibility and supply levels may have some financial consequences). Specialists at this level have limited knowledge of manufacturing processes, production planning, and general accessory development flow.

Specialists at this level will work with significant oversight from group leader/unit leader. Specialist at this level will have low to limited involvement in department Plan Do Check Action/Project planning and decision making.

Key Accountabilities

• Supplier On-Time Delivery Management, DTR’s, Components: Support day to day activities with supplier to ensure high level of parts availability, with minimal past due deliveries. Minimal collaboration with other departments/experts for development or improvement of characteristics to reduce impact to the department(s). Minimal support reporting and Gemba activity for root cause analysis / countermeasure implementation to solve complex problems w/ suppliers to improve delivery performance. Provide support within Department closure speed and effectiveness guidelines.
• Backorder Prevention/Resolution: Identify, evaluate, and establish mitigation plan for supplier critical issues to ensure no impact to customers.
• New Model Parts Availability: Support (Low to moderate complexity on commodity part) Identify, evaluate, and establish mitigation plan for supplier critical issues to ensure no impact to new model launch.
• Strive for continuous improvement through cycling Plan Do Check Action (PDCA) for area of responsibility (Delivery and/or Special projects) to ensure associate success. Support company vision through Business Plan, Marutoku, and other Business Unit initiatives in areas of knowledge and technical understanding.
• Develop capability of self, through training, and sharing of experiences in areas of understanding. Continually develop communication networks, both external and internal, to ensure operational success and department awareness.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

Minimum Educational Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain Management or equivalent related experience 

Average Experience: 0-2 years of relevant experience

Other Job-Specific Skills: 

• Seeks out feedback and demonstrates ability to learn and expand knowledge outside of one's assigned area
• Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge / skill needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
• Presents key issues / information across levels or organization units / departments in a clear and organized manner both verbally and through appropriate documentation
• Conducts meetings in an effective and efficient manner (preparation, coordination, facilitation, follow-up)
• Takes accountability for one’s own and others actions and actively works to build strong teamwork & trust between peers
• Manages the work environment in a clean, uncluttered, safe, and well-organized manner to help reduce waste and optimize productivity
• Focuses on high priority activities and does not become distracted by outside influences; develops a sense of urgency in others to meet requirements
• Can identify value streams and makes specific improvements in the work methods within the team
• Understands connectivity of work to Company and Department strategy and contributes ideas based on own experience
• Understands and analyzes information to identify trends, issues, problems, or opportunities and takes action to solve a variety of problems of moderate scope and complexity
• Formulates clear decision criteria, evaluates options by considering implications and consequences, and can choose an effective option in a timely manner

Working Conditions

• Must be able to work overtime, when/if needed to support department metrics
• Work in a fast-paced environment with demanding and critical deadlines
• Travel 10%

What differentiates Honda and make us an employer of choice?

Total Rewards:

• Competitive Base Salary (pay will be based on several variables that include, but not limited to geographic location, work experience, etc.)
• Paid Overtime
• Regional Bonus (when applicable)
• Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx) 
• Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, shutdown
• Company Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability 
• 401K Plan with company match + additional contribution
• Relocation assistance (if eligible)

Career Growth:

• Advancement Opportunities
• Career Mobility
• Education Reimbursement for Continued Learning
• Training and Development programs 

Additional Offerings:

• Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Repayment
• Lifestyle Account
• Childcare Reimbursement Account
• Elder Care Support
• Wellbeing Program
• Community Service and Engagement Programs
• Product Programs

Honda is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.