Purchasing and Logistics Coordinator (Accounting Background / English-Japanese Bilingual Preferred)

Company & Position

Work Location: 4809 N. Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640

This is a unique and challenging opportunity in supply chain support and global parts procurement supporting Tohos factory in Nagoya Japan and our growing customer base in N. America. This position will allow you to apply your background and skills in supply chain, procurement, and logistics to the field of semiconductor equipment. The Purchasing and Logistics Coordinator role is a combination of both desk work and physical tasks. The ideal candidate will embrace both sides of the job without hesitation. An early career or experienced, detail-oriented coordinator with experience in purchasing, supply chain, logistics, international shipping, and low volume basic inventory tracking will excel in this position.

Starting Salary

$75K + benefits (401(k), health, dental, and vision insurance)

Responsibilities

Order Processing

1. On behalf of our internal Field Service and Contract Manufacturing operations, source industrial parts.

2. Receive RFQs and contact vendors for pricing and lead times, by email and phone call.

3. Manage vendor relationships to maintain delivery, quality, price, and performance and set up new relationships as needed.

4. Process new vendor forms, outgoing W9 and re-sale certification.

5. Work with Accounting Team to enter new items and vendors into QuickBooks as needed.

6. Prepare and send invoices to customers and process vendor bills.

7. Facilitate Quality issues, RMAs, Vendor Credits and communications between customer and vendor.

8. Manage all order processing, including preparing quotes, purchase orders and sales orders.

9. Meet with Accounting Team monthly to discuss order status and expected ship dates.

10. On a daily basis, update company excel tracker with RFQs, order status, incoming shipments, and outgoing shipments and inform partners and management of delays or issues.

Parts Processing

1. Track and receive shipments at Toho Inc office or manage delivery to factory in Japan or other locations.

2. Effectively communicate and coordinate between U.S. and Japan operations on status of jobs.

3. Receive and inspect all inbound packages including repackaging, documenting, photographing, and relabeling with internal part numbers.

4. Organize open orders in the office in designated area until ready to ship.

Packing and Logistics

1. Manage inventory of shipping supplies.

2. Package items safely for both domestic and international shipping and label accordingly.

3. Work with third party shipping companies for shipments of hazardous materials.

4. Arrange shipments using online portals or direct communication with freight forwarders.

5. Manage relationships with shipping companies: obtaining quotes, processing invoices, holding regular meetings, negotiating rates, etc.

6. For international shipments, prepare and submit required customs documentation, including

7. HTS code assignments.

8. Assist with shipping and customs and other operational areas as needed for back-up support.

Inventory Support

1. Track inventory levels and based on forecasts, maintain sufficient stock by requesting quotes from vendors and preparing purchase orders.

2. Place orders with vendors and track incoming shipments.

3. Receive and inspect parts and process necessary forms to pay vendors and add the parts to Toho inventory.

4. Maintain documentation on company server.

5. In coordination with the Accounting Team,

a. Enter new parts/vendors into systems as needed.

b. Remove parts from inventory systems as demand requires from Field Service and Metrology divisions.

Requirements:

1. Degree from an accredited institution in Accounting, Supply Chain, Library Sciences, or Business Administration

2. QuickBooks training and certification preferred

3. Excel training or experience preferred

4. Japanese language a plus

Skills Required

1. Interact well with customers and answer questions professionally on the phone, by email and in person, promoting customer satisfaction

2. Strong negotiation skills to obtain optimum price, delivery and quality assurance from vendors

3. Strong mathematical and accounting skills

4. Fluent in English (reading, writing and spoken) Knowledge of the Japanese language a plus

5. Computer literate (Win11, Word/Excel /Outlook, QuickBooks)

6. Able to articulate technical details and requirements

7. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a small group

8. Effective time management and productivity

9. Strong Business etiquette, Interpersonal Communication

10. Coordinate and manage information exchange between customers and partner companies

11. High level of organizational skills

Physical and Mental Requirements:

1. The ability to travel by car, air, boat, train, and bus both domestically and internationally up to 25%.

2. Able to independently move and/or lift packages (up to 50 lbs.).

3. The ability to walk, stand, turn, climb, kneel, sit for extended periods, reach, lift, carry, push, talk, hear and see are basic requirements.

4. The ability to use an office phone, cellphone, fax, photocopier, computer keyboard, laptop and other electronic business tools and related software.

5. Mental requirements include, but are not limited to, the ability to concentrate, take initiative, cope with stress, adapt to and stay alert in a business environment and use independent judgment to accomplish all Duties and Responsibilities and Goals.

6. Primarily in an office environment with extended periods of sitting at a desk.

7. Periodic evening teleconferences or video conferences with Asia requiring shift change or over-time at company discretion.

What is Toho Technology? (see )

Based in Chicago, Illinois, Toho Technology Inc. is small business with a staff of 10 motivated professionals operating with an entrepreneurial spirit on the northwest side of Chicago. Our team is diverse and multi-lingual, and the President of Toho Inc. is an American citizen, fluent in Japanese, with over 20 years of experience living in and doing business in Japan. To support a growing, global customer base, since 2001, Toho Technology Inc. has established a significant presence throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, with local sales staff, applications engineers, and field service engineers.

Toho Technology Inc builds upon the history of Toho Technology Corporation, a family-owned company first founded in Nagoya, Japan in 1819. In the first 100 years of business success, the company expanded operations and continued to meet the growing need for newer products and innovative solutions. In Post-War Japan, Toho soon emerged as a distributor and manufacturer of industrial electronics and new technologies with a foundational relationship with Hitachi and other local electronics manufacturers. Today, 850 people strong and based in Nagoya, Japan, Toho boasts an expanded sales and manufacturing team in China, and Indonesia. Toho Technology Inc. sells original Toho equipment and also distributes for key strategic U.S. partner companies to the semi and compound semiconductor markets worldwide.