Supply Specialist
Arad, AR, RO
About VAT Group
At VAT, we change the world with vacuum solutions. As the world’s leading supplier of high-performance vacuum valves, we have been driving innovation for more than 60 years. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, we operate from our headquarters in Haag, Switzerland, with manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia and Romania, as well as sales and service hubs around the world. We are guided by our passions integrity, teamwork, customer centricity, and innovation – always working together as #oneVAT.
Joining us means becoming part of a passionate, international team where your voice is heard, your ideas matter, and your career growth is supported.
MAIN ROLE AND ACTIVITIES
1. NPI Supply Chain Design and Execution
• Supply Chain Concept Development: Evaluate, design, and implement the optimal supply chain concept for new products. Focus on ensuring resilience, elasticity, and optimized material flow for future serial production.
• "Design for Supply Chain" Execution: Actively participate in design reviews. Establish the supply chain setup during the development phase.
• Risk Management & Mitigation: Assess potential supply chain risks (e.g., single sourcing, long lead times). Develop and execute mitigation measures, including identifying alternative sources and implementing buffer strategies.
• COGS Management: Analyze product costs and actively identify opportunities for COGS optimization through design changes or sourcing strategies via Cost-Saving-Initiatives and volume based price reduction ratios.
2. NPI Project Execution and Coordination
• Cross-Functional Team Membership: Serve as the primary supply chain representative within the cross-functional NPI project team (Engineering, Project Management, BU, Quality).
• Interface Coordination: Coordinate seamlessly with internal and external stakeholders - including suppliers, engineers, Category Management, and Operations - to ensure alignment on schedules and requirements.
• NPI Workflow Management: Manage and execute the supply chain deliverables within the NPI Product Approval Workflow and PLM system, as well as production scheduling and material steering.
3. Supplier Readiness and Initial Supply Chain Management
• NPI Sourcing Execution: In alignment with Category Management, decide on supplier selection for NPIs. Manage the onboarding of new suppliers required for NPI.
• Supplier Readiness: Ensure suppliers are ready for NPI builds and the ramp-up phase. Monitor capacity, quality, and delivery performance during the sample stages.
• Initial Supply Chain Management: Manage the initial Supply Chain pulls of new parts for prototypes and pilot series based on NPI forecasts. Handle cost negotiation for initial orders and manage inventory during the NPI phase.
4. NPI Control Tower and Serial Readiness
• Control Tower Execution: Responsible for the operative execution and monitoring of the NPI Orders Control Tower processes, ensuring effective oversight of the upstream and downstream supply chain.
• Master Data Setup: Set up and maintain all relevant supply chain master data (e.g., BOMs, planning parameters, MOQ, EOQ, sourcing rules) in D365 F&O to integrate NPI into regular MRP calculations.
• Data Integrity: Ensure high reliability and accuracy of master data throughout the NPI lifecycle.
• Handover to Serial Production: Execute the structured handover checklist to the Customer Order Planning and Supply Chain Planning (COP, SCP) teams. Ensure all documentation, parameters, and supply chain setups are complete and accurate for a smooth transition
5. Operational Escalation Management
• NPI Bottleneck Escalation: Proactively identify and escalate immediate risks to the NPI project timeline or product success (e.g., supplier delays, critical design changes impacting supply chain).
• Structured Problem Solving: Provide structured escalation to the Team Leader and Project Manager, including clear impact analysis and proposed solutions.
KEY EXPERIENCES & COMPETENCIES
− Education: Higher technical or commercial education (e.g., HF, FH, or Bachelor's degree) with a focus on Supply Chain Management, Procurement, or Engineering.
− Professional Experience: 3+ years of professional experience in a comparable role (e.g., NPI Planner, Project Buyer, Supply Chain Engineer), ideally within a fast-paced, HMLV manufacturing environment.
− Technical & Analytical Skills: Highly developed analytical skills with a solid technical understanding of manufacturing processes. Ability to manage high complexity, analyze costs (COGS), and maintain a structured approach.
− Technical Proficiency (Mandatory): Expert knowledge in mechanical and electromechanical products. Expert proficiency in ERP systems (MS Dynamics 365 F&O strongly preferred). Advanced Excel skills (complex formulas, pivot tables, data modeling) are mandatory. Experience with PLM systems is a significant advantage.
− Supply Chain Design Knowledge: Strong understanding of supply chain concepts, advanced planning concepts, including ATP/CTP logic, constraint management, risk management (e.g., multi-sourcing), and the NPI lifecycle.
− Project Management Skills: Proven ability to manage tasks within a complex project framework, ensuring timely delivery of milestones.
− Personality & Drive: Independent, resilient, and proactive personality with strong assertiveness, negotiation skills, and organizational talent. Excellent cross-functional collaborator.
− Languages: Very good Romanian and good English skills (both written and spoken). German is an advantage
Our commitment to inclusion, fairness and equal opportunities
We believe in meaningful careers, continuous learning, and equal opportunities for everyone to drive our innovation and success. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. If you have concerns, our compliance channel is available at our website. All reports are handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with our Code of Conduct.