New Product Introduction (NPI) Buyer

POSITION PURPOSE  Lead procurement activities from concept through production launch, ensuring supplier readiness, cost competitiveness, component availability, and risk mitigation.

Position Summary

The New Product Introduction (NPI) Buyer is responsible for leading procurement activities supporting the successful development and launch of new products. Acting as the primary procurement interface for Engineering, Program Management, Operations, Quality, and Suppliers, the NPI Buyer ensures supplier readiness, cost competitiveness, component availability, and risk mitigation from concept through production launch.

This role is embedded within cross-functional product development teams and is accountable for sourcing strategy execution, supplier selection, quote management, launch readiness, and commercialization of new products. The NPI Buyer plays a critical role in accelerating time-to-market while achieving quality, cost, delivery, and sustainability objectives.

Key Responsibilities

New Product Program Leadership

·    Participate as the Procurement representative on NPI program teams.

·    Support product development from concept through production launch.

·    Drive procurement activities through stage-gate milestones.

·    Ensure sourcing timelines align with engineering and launch schedules.

·    Support Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) and product revisions throughout development.

Strategic Sourcing

·    Identify, evaluate, and select suppliers for new product components and assemblies

·    Lead RFQ/RFP processes for prototype and production requirements.

·    Analyze supplier quotations and negotiate commercial terms

·    Develop sourcing recommendations based on total cost, quality, risk, capacity, and technology considerations.

·    Collaborate with Category Managers to align NPI sourcing decisions with long-term sourcing strategies.

Supplier Readiness & Launch Management

·    Assess supplier manufacturing readiness and capacity.

·    Coordinate supplier APQP and launch activities working closely with Supplier Development Team.

·    Track tooling, PPAP approvals, first article inspections, and qualification milestones.

·    Conduct supplier readiness reviews and escalate launch risks.

·    Ensure suppliers can support prototype, pilot, and production volumes.

Cost Management

·    Develop should-cost and target-cost analyses.

·    Support value engineering (VE) and value analysis (VA) initiatives.

·    Identify cost reduction opportunities early in product development.

·    Track cost performance versus program targets.

·    Support business case development and program financial reviews.

Risk Management

·    Identify supply chain risks associated with new technologies, capacity constraints, sole-source suppliers, and geopolitical factors.

·    Develop mitigation plans for launch-critical components.

·    Monitor long lead-time material requirements.

·    Drive dual-source strategies where appropriate.

·    Escalate supply continuity risks to procurement and business leadership.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner closely with:

·    Engineering

·    Product Management

·    Program Management

·    Manufacturing Operations

·    Quality

·    Supplier Quality Engineering

·    Planning & Logistics

·    Category Management

·    Finance

Key Deliverables

The NPI Buyer is accountable for:

·    Sourcing plans for all assigned programs

·    Supplier nomination recommendations

·    RFQ completion and analysis

·    Program BOM cost tracking

·    Supplier launch readiness reviews

·    Capacity and risk assessments

·    Tooling and PPAP status tracking

·    Procurement stage-gate approvals

·    NPI savings and cost optimization initiatives

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree in:

·    Supply Chain Management

·    Business

·    Engineering

·    Operations Management

·    Related discipline

Experience

·    5+ years of procurement, sourcing, commodity management, supply chain, or engineering experience.

·    Experience supporting product launches or new product development programs.

·    Experience working with suppliers in technical or manufacturing environments.

·    Automotive, HVAC, industrial equipment, electronics, aerospace, or other complex manufacturing experience preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

Technical Skills

·         Strategic sourcing

·         Cost modeling and should-cost analysis

·         Contract negotiation

·         Supplier development

·         Manufacturing processes

·         BOM analysis

·         ERP/MRP systems

·         Launch management methodologies

·         APQP / PPAP preferred

Leadership Competencies

·         Strong project management skills

·         Ability to influence without authority

·         Executive communication capabilities

·         Cross-functional collaboration

·         Analytical problem-solving

·         Risk management mindset

·         Strong sense of urgency and accountability

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Category

KPI

Launch Execution

100% sourcing completion prior to launch gates

Supplier Readiness

On-time PPAP and qualification approval

Cost

Achievement of program cost targets

Delivery

Supplier launch OTD

Risk

Number of launch-critical supply disruptions

Productivity

RFQ cycle time

Value Engineering

Cost savings delivered through design phase

Quality

Supplier PPM during launch

Working Capital

Inventory and lead-time optimization

Sustainability

Compliance with supplier sustainability requirements