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Senior Buyer

Intuitive Surgical
Full-time
On-site

Company Description

At Intuitive, we are united behind our mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the potential of physicians to heal without constraints.

As pioneer and leading company in the field of robotic-assisted surgery, we strive to foster an inclusive and diverse team, committed to making a difference. For more than 25 years, we have worked with hospitals and care teams around the world to help solve some of healthcare’s hardest challenges and advance what is possible.

Intuitive has been built by the efforts of great people from diverse backgrounds. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere—we strive to foster an inclusive culture built around diversity of thought and mutual respect. We lead with inclusion and empower our team members to do their best work as their most authentic selves.

Passionate people who want to make a difference drive our culture—our team members are grounded in integrity, have a strong capacity to learn, the energy to get things done, and bring diverse, real-world experiences to help us think in new ways. We actively invest in our team members to support their long-term growth so they can continue to advance our mission and achieve their highest potential. 

Join a team committed to taking big leaps forward for a global community of healthcare professionals and their patients. Together, let’s advance the world of minimally invasive care.

Job Description

Primary Function of Position:

Manages procurement of direct materials to support business requirements: including purchase order management, sourcing, support contract negotiations, spend analysis, inventory management, and supplier performance management.
Leverages enterprise tools and systems to drive continuous improvement techniques identify and complete key procurement initiatives and enhance the performance of the purchasing function.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Reviews, administers, and manages purchase orders and delivery commitments to designated suppliers as necessary to support production and/or sales requirements within the business.
  • Reviews, interprets, and communicates material demand forecast and manages capacity planning for assigned commodity groups and/or supplier relationships.
  • Supports alignment of production supplier requirements and sourcing strategies with those of product development (NPI) for designated suppliers/commodities to ensure uninterrupted material availability, alignment of risk, and cost goals with vision for the business.
  • Owns performance management and improvement efforts for designated suppliers, providing information to strategic purchasing for supplier business reviews.
  • Utilizes lean sourcing principles (kanban, consignment and other similar material pull methods) to achieve 100% material availability and optimize on-hand inventory.
  • Embraces continuous improvement techniques to drive toward attainment of key purchasing metrics (supplier on-time delivery, quality, inventory turns, problem shelf, expedited inbound freight, vendor scrap, E&O reduction).
  • Leverages problem solving skills and develops countermeasures to implement long-term solutions to identified problems.
  • Coordinates engineering change order activity with suppliers and other functional groups.
  • Coordinate with strategic purchasing price changes due to cost reduction initiatives, volume pricing or requested by supplier.
  • May mentor colleagues within the supply chain organization.
  • Supports assigned commodity team by identifying and driving closure of risk mitigation and cost reduction opportunities, understanding commodity trends across the market, mentoring teammates, and supporting commodity projects as assigned.
  • Support Strategic purchasing with the creation, negotiation, and management of commercial agreements – covering cost, quality, and delivery terms.

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

  • BA degree in economics, Industrial Business Management Assistant or equivalent and 5+ years of purchasing experience in a regulated industry manufacturing environment (medical device preferred).
  • Significant computer experience including MS Office products and ERP systems, preferably SAP and Agile. Strong Excel skills.
  • Knowledge of and experience working with kanban systems and other lean principles.
  • Working knowledge of buying, material planning, master scheduling, and forecasting.
  • Demonstrates concern for precision and thoroughness.
  • Proven ability to consistently achieve stretch goals and objectives.
  • Ability to provide positive direction by encouraging peers to have a commitment to high standards of quality and performance.
  • Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects successfully.
  • Good communication and collaboration skills (written and verbal) interacting with partners, suppliers and internal stakeholders across different time zones
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, 90% English. Italian will be condsidered as an advantage
  • Strong negotiation skills and experience
  • Expected to travel to both domestic and international suppliers.

Additional Information

Intuitive is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

Shift: Day