NPI Buyer/Planner
As the NPI Buyer/Planner, you own material readiness for new product introduction PCBAs and components. From early prototypes through mass production, EVT/DVT, as well as the handoff to mass production stakeholders. You sit between Engineering and the Supply Chain teams, converting and assessing immature BOMs and shifting build schedules into placed POs, committed dates, and kitted builds that land on time.
This role is equal parts tactical buying, prototype planning, and cross-functional firefighting. You will work daily with Design Engineering, NPI, Manufacturing, Global Supply Chain, Quality, and Logistics teams to ensure pilot builds are clear-to-build in an environment where the design changes rapidly without notice.
Key Responsibilities
NPI Material Planning
- Convert engineering build plans and prototype schedules into time-phased material requirements for EVT/DVT/PVT and pilot builds.
- Plan against incomplete and rapidly changing BOMs; run BOM scrubs with Engineering to close gaps on part numbers, revisions, quantities, and reference designators before they become shortages.
- Identify long-lead and single-source parts early and drive risk-buy or bridge-buy decisions with Global Supply Managers.
- Build and maintain the NPI shortage list; publish clear-to-build status and recovery dates for each build event.
- Plan for build-specific overages using historical program data including attrition, engineering consumption, test consumption, and reliability samples.
Tactical Purchasing
- Own the RFQ-to-PO cycle for prototype and pilot material: request quotes, place POs, confirm acknowledgments, and track ETAs to dock.
- Expedite and de-expedite based on schedule movement; escalate supplier commit risk with clear impact statements.
- Manage buys against unreleased or non-standard parts, including drop-in samples, distributor spot buys, and broker sourcing when authorized.
- Reconcile pricing, MOQs, NRE, and tooling charges; flag cost drivers ahead of production quoting.
Change and Configuration Management
- Own material disposition for NPI Program(s) ECOs and deviations: scrap, rework, use-as-is, or run-out.
- Maintain accurate item master for BOMs, CTB/planning trackers, and lead times as well as cost in defined tools for transition into ERP as parts mature from prototype to production status.
Build Execution Support
- Partner with GSMs on consignment materials required for each build.
- Maintain inventory accuracy for NPI stock at quick turn suppliers, including reconciliation of Figure-consigned material.
Transition to Production
- Hand off part-level history, supplier commitments, lead times, and planning parameters to the production planning team at ramp.
- Feed EAU forecasts and demand signals to Global Supply Management to support supplier capacity and long-term agreements.
Process Improvement
- Identify recurring failure points in the NPI material flow and implement fixes to reporting, planning, and cross-functional handoffs.
- Improve the fidelity of build-readiness reporting so risks are mitigated early.
Qualifications
Education
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field or applicable industry experience for the role.
Experience
- 3–5 years in buying, planning, or materials management, with at least 2 years supporting NPI or prototype builds.
- Background in complex electromechanical hardware — robotics, aerospace, medical devices, automotive, or consumer electronics.
- Direct experience buying against immature BOMs and managing engineering change in a live build.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite) and PLM tools (Arena, Enovia, etc).
- Advanced Excel (XLOOKUP, pivot tables, shortage and coverage modeling); SQL or BI tooling a plus.
- Working fluency in reading BOMs; comfortable discussing tolerances, finishes, and component specs with engineers.
Core Competencies
- High urgency and strong follow-through: you have the ability close loops without being asked twice.
- Comfort operating with incomplete information and changing priorities.
- Clear, direct communication with engineers and suppliers alike; able to translate a slipped ETA into schedule impact leadership can act on.
- Strong attention to detail on revisions, dates, and quantities – this is a role where a single missed line item stops a build.