Recycle Fiber Buyer

Recycle Fiber Buyer

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

The opportunity:

The Recycle Fiber Buyer reports to the Region Manager to execute the purchasing and internal supply optimization to ensure recycle fiber quality, cost, and delivery necessary to best supply Smurfit Westrock mills. This role focuses on creation and maintenance of supply network, procurement strategies and the optimization of best value fiber supply to assigned mill(s). This position is part of a team responsible for purchasing 275-325k tons of recycled fiber annually (~$34-57M in annual cost) and managing procurement plans and inbound fiber quality for 925-975K tons annually for the Cowpens, Dublin, and Florence mills.

How you will impact WestRock:

• Position is responsible for open market and contract purchases of recycled fiber for the Smurfit Westrock mills representing 30-35% of the fiber supply demand.
• Direct interactions with 100 individual external fiber suppliers representing 240 shipping locations requiring ongoing negotiations, sourcing decisions, logistics planning, and regular business reviews.
• Responsible for weekly fiber allocation planning to meet mill consumption and inventory strategy requirements.
• Manages inbound fiber quality program and works with suppliers to meet mill quality standards and complete necessary corrective action plans.
• Interacts daily with fiber coordinators and logistics load planner to schedule loads, manage logistics issues, and coordinate deliveries with mill receiving.
• Manages fiber procurement plans with the Region Manager based on production plans and alignment with regional inventory strategy.
• Supports the Region Manager, Fiber Procurement to develop and implement annual sourcing strategies, financial forecasts, and productivity projects.
• Completes and maintains fiber contract documentation to meet WestRock compliance requirements.

• Define and lead the implementation of a procurement strategy to ensure fiber supply quality and quantify to optimize papermill operations.
• Evaluate best fiber sources.
• Work closely with Smurfit Westrock Recycle plants to ensure optimization of internal tons.
• Develops and drives data and metrics to ensure selecting the best fiber sources for the Smurfit Westrock enterprise, prioritizing the whole enterprise over a single site.
• Works closely across the business to ensure enterprise-wide view.
• Enters accurate purchase order information, updates order system with any changes.
• Serves as a point of contact for Mill questions, concerns.
• Communicates effectively with Mill, Accounting and Fiber Coordinator Resources to ensure accuracy of invoices, resolve any discrepancies.
• Using market knowledge, identifies threats and opportunities to achieving overall material flow and cost containment. Works closely with other team members to align strategy.
• Effectively understands and uses knowledge to accurately forecast demand, build/reduce inventory, adjust purchasing behaviors.
• Using knowledge & data to initiate changes to safety stock, drive inventory levels partnering with multiple resources to ensure intended results and consequences.
• Engages with customers and suppliers to anticipate concerns or issues. Resolves fiber coordination problem escalation.
• Works closely with logistics to secure transportation cost reductions, ensure delivery of materials on time.

Competencies:

• Negotiation - The ability to effectively produce outcomes to a situation to be best long-term benefit of the organization. Recognizes the degree of impact both short term and long term to all parties and makes best decisions to secure desired result.
• Business Acumen - The understanding of the financial, operational, and commercial impacts to delivering results to an organization. Ability to use that information to drive a strategy with understanding of risk and reward potential in both the long and short term.
• Customer Orientation - Ability to conduct business with the papermill's best interest in mind while acting as the day to day connection with the papermill recycle fiber suppliers to ensure WestRock is viewed as the destination of choice.
• Communication Skills - Communicate effectively with a variety of audiences from direct peers up to senior leadership within the Recycle division, as well as with internal teams and external suppliers. Clearly expresses ideas in a written and spoken format. Able to build rapport with and understand perspective of others. Effectively listens, speaks and writes in a business context. Capable of conveying key messages clearly and correctly. Identifies key stakeholders and impacted parties to define appropriate audience. Engages these resources to appropriately assess situation and adjust to appropriately deliver message. Asks questions and listens without advancing own perspective to ensure understanding. Concisely identifies key issues and constructs communication methods and message appropriate to audience.
• Creativity - Bring improvement ideas and a willingness to assist in implementing those ideas and solutions
• Ethics & Integrity - Behave in accordance with WestRock's core values all times and encourage the same behavior in others. Takes action based upon the best interest of WestRock and build trust with colleagues across the organization.
• Collaboration/Teamwork - Work effectively with others in the organization outside the line of formal authority both within your team, as well as with other teams or those in leadership to accomplish organizational goals and to identify and resolve problems.
• Results Driven - Focus on achieving both personal and team goals to exhibit our core value of Excellence. Understands metrics and works to achieve the goals set.
• Persuasiveness - Use appropriate interpersonal style and communication methods to gain acceptance of an idea, plan, activity, service or product from prospects and clients.
• Adaptable to Change - Able to shift with an ever-changing environment as business grows; learn new systems, perform tasks differently. Include behavioral/competency based skills and attributes. If a competency model exists for your group, use it as a starting point.

What you need:

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business, or related field preferred. One to three years of experience in purchasing, preferably in recycled materials, the paper industry, or manufacturing environments.
• Proficiency with procurement software and Microsoft Office Suite.

What we offer:

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability and excellence
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies and potential
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.

Smurfit Westrock Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating and maintaining a diverse workforce: Minorities/Females/ Disabled/Veterans.

Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.