Vendor Manager

Overview

The Waco Filters Vendor Manager will report to the Director of Engineering and will be based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Vendor Manager will support Waco Filters by serving as the lead point of contact for our supply chain. They play a pivotal role in Waco Filters’ success by driving efficiency and success with documentation control, inventory, sourcing, and data analysis. The Vendor Manager will have a strong understanding of the Waco Filters portfolio, strategic accounts, proper internal controls surrounding contracts and documentation, general vendor management best practices, and data analysis to setup and monitor key performance indicators.

The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated quick learner, highly organized and focused, with sufficient vendor management expertise and a strong bias for action. The candidate will possess a customer-centric mindset, documentation control skills, sound communication skills, analytical skills, & the ability to adapt positively to changing business demands through problem solving. The Vendor Manager must also effectively collaborate with all levels of the organization and be comfortable presenting and utilizing video and/or phone conferencing tools.

Responsibilities

• Create, store, and maintain all contracts, agreements, pricing & cost savings documentation in an orderly and easily accessible fashion
• Negotiate standard & special pricing agreements with new and existing vendors with favorable terms and optimizing costs while ensuring quality standards are met
• Process changes relating to contracts, agreements, and documentation as necessary within ERP system
• Monitor and communicate project process and contract timelines to Waco Filters team
• Track and update commercial team with inventory levels related to strategic account facilities
• Maintain consignment, designated, and vendor managed inventory agreements
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data related to strategic accounts
  • Provide actionable insights and support key performance indicators
• Maintain dashboards to report monthly, quarterly, and annual strategic account metrics
• Assist strategic accounts team with building and updating business reviews
• Document cost savings from special pricing, rebates, better terms, and make & hold programs
• Collaborate with Director of Engineering to identify potential cost savings alternatives
• Identify areas of concern to reduce risk by working with commercial team to address secondary sources or inventory options with customers
• Arrange contract terms with price commitments from vendors
• Manage pricing increases with suppliers or price lists
• Schedule regular inventory counts by territory at all consignment warehouses
• Visit vendors, conduct reviews and audits as necessary
• Assist with proposals and other initiatives needed for successful implementation outcomes
• Track, maintain, and monitor commercial conversion efforts
• Support the commercial team with quoting and cross-referencing process
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Must be able to effectively develop and deliver sales and marketing presentations in a variety of settings
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for responding to questions from both internal and external customers
• Proficient at influencing others while demonstrating a confident and positive attitude
• Must possess strong problem-solving skills to lead resolution efforts focused on creating an exceptional quality for our customers
• Knowledge on business strategy, relationship building, and negotiations is required
• Ability to work independently as a self-starter, take initiative to provide solutions in the absence of perfect data
• Must be able to adapt and work effectively with a variety of changing situations
• Possess excellent organizational skills with very effective attention to detail
• Robust time management skills are essential
• Skilled at working within deadlines and prioritizing multiple projects with minimal supervision to meet changing business needs
• Demonstrated organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality
• Must be committed to utilizing all available resources while striving for continuous improvement, both professionally and for business success
• Advanced skills and abilities with Microsoft Office; specifically, Outlook, Word, Power BI, and PowerPoint
• Working knowledge of teleconference tools

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Supply Chain Management, or related field is required; or in absence of degree, five (5) years of experience in vendor management, supply chain, and/or distribution management related role is required
• Three (3) years of vendor management or supply chain management experience is preferred; Ideally in a high-volume production manufacturing or distribution environment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, Power BI, ERP Systems, and various analytical tools is required
• Ability to effectively communicate, both written and verbal, with all levels of the organization and with external customers is required
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy with sound organizational skills
• Proven track record of successfully managing large, long-term projects
• Willingness to work side-by-side with all levels of the team

Ideal Attributes

• Exceptional attitude!!
• Driven to succeed – creative, self-starter
• Trusting & supportive leader with ability to help the Waco Filters team succeed
• Excellent problem-solving skills & entrepreneurial mindset
• Must be a strong team-player with the ability to work autonomously
• Strong Bias for Action! Willingness to take ownership of identifying & implementing solutions!
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills as well as ability to utilize appropriate e-mail and telephone etiquette
• Strong time-management skills and the ability to organize and prioritize

Travel

• This role may require up to 25% travel (overnight expected) to visit customers, end users, collaborate with team members, and participate in industry events.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to do the following:

• Sit or stand for prolonged periods.
• Must be able to traverse customer sites and climb stairs by standing and walking
• Work flexible hours.

This is a general description of the Duties, Responsibilities and Qualifications required for this position. Physical, mental, sensory, or environmental demands may be referenced to communicate the way this position traditionally is performed. Whenever necessary to provide individuals with disabilities an equal employment opportunity, Filtration Group will consider reasonable accommodations that might involve varying job requirements and/or changing the way this job is performed, provided that such accommodations do not pose an undue hardship.

Filtration Group is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all team members, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetics, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  We believe the work we do and the mission we spread is at it’s best when everyone feels free to be their most authentic self.

More About Filtration Group

Filtration Group is on a mission to make the world safer, healthier, and more productive. With a passionate workforce, global footprint and world class engineering and manufacturing capabilities, we are driving innovation and developing solutions across a broad spectrum of applications in the fast-growing and rapidly-evolving global filtration industry. We are committed to maintaining an entrepreneurial culture built on a foundation of trust and in which our leaders exhibit a strong bias for action.

Waco Filters is part of Filtration Group. Filtration Group is a global market-leading provider of filtration consumables that drives innovation and delivers solutions across a broad spectrum of applications and end-markets, with a focus on life sciences, indoor air quality, and industrial technologies.

The Company began in 2009 and has rapidly grown organically and through a thoughtful acquisition strategy to be a global leader in the highly attractive filtration industry. Filtration Group operates across a wide variety of attractive end markets and produces mission critical products with high replacement rates. Over 80 percent of the Company’s revenue comes from replacement / consumable products, many of which are specified into customer’s products or processes.

With a global workforce of nearly 10,000 dedicated team members and a footprint that spans 27 countries, we are committed to partnering closely with our customers to further our mission to make the world safer, healthier, and more productive.

Cultivating Talent and building strong Teams are critical to our success. We know that fulfilling our mission is only possible when we foster an entrepreneurial culture built on a foundation of trust, in which our leaders exhibit a strong bias for action. Join us as we build a truly remarkable company that will long outlast us!