Logistics Procurement and Operations Specialist II

This is a blended Procurement and Operations role that will support logistics-related procurement activities for US and Canada, as well as all domestic and international transportation operations for US and Canada. Under the Procurement umbrella, the role, will support the management of the transportation and warehouse spend in both US and Canada, under the Logistics Procurement and Operations manager. They will be expected to optimize value through cost reduction, innovation, avoidance of supply disruption, risk mitigation and growth throughout the supplier relationship life cycle. Their main objective is to provide data analysis, tracking and review of all Logistic supplier spend. It will be a very hands-on position that will require strong business acumen, excellent people skills, and an ability to improve processes on a continuous basis.

From an operational standpoint, the role will support all Transportation activities for Innophos in the US and Canada for domestic and international shipments. The role will support the Logistics Procurement and Operations Manager in overseeing Over-The-Road (OTR) modes of transportation such as Truckload and Less-Than-Truckload, as well as international modes such as Ocean and Air shipping.

The role will support approximately $30MM in transportation spend on behalf of Innophos and will partner with other Operations team members. The individual in this role acts as a leader that provides guidance to Customer Service, Commercial and Planning on various shipping issues. Lastly, the individual will manage the operational performance of the various suppliers against the expected results.    

A high degree of planning, analysis, and proactive contact is required with internal and external customers and stakeholders. The individual will also benchmark with other companies through industry and trade forums and help outline projections in the transportation marketplace. The Incumbent must excel in a team environment and be able to work under pressure and meet all deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

• Procurement
  • Support management of assigned key supplier relationships to deliver reliable supply and total cost effectiveness
  • Manage supplier performance metrics and schedule of key account Quarterly Business Reviews
  • Under the guidance of the Logistics and Procurement manager track supplier performance issues
  • Conduct supplier segmentation (critical, strategic, preferred, approved, operational) and develops, maintains, and communicates a preferred supplier and approved product/service list for the category
  • Support the maintenance of metrics, reports, work process documentation, and service logs for category
• Operations
  • Responsible for supporting a budget of approximately $25MM in Transportation spend across OTR and Export areas
  • Help define the strategic plan for Transportation at Innophos, defining carrier, technology and infrastructure mapping that best fits Innophos' needs
  • Provide strategic and operational guidance to team members
  • Identify alternative solutions and providers where necessary to ensure Innophos is able to service customers without significant disruption
  • Provide guidance to Commercial, Customer Service, and Planning, on any Transportation related matters, as well as market and trade insights in the Transportation industry
  • Manage and oversee route and rate setups in JD Edwards
  • Understand workflows in JD Edwards
  • Oversee the freight audit process, inclusive of accruals, to ensure shipments are invoiced accurately; Partner with Finance to ensure timely mapping against the monthly financial reporting
  • Lead the investigation and resolution of any complaints related to transportation and associated documentation delays
  • Manage the Claims process for any errors resulting from supplier negligence/fault
• Safety Responsibilities 
  • Ensures all transportation suppliers and shipments meet Innophos' safety, environmental and health protocols
  • Provides support for all safety and environmental initiatives
  • Proactively attempts to prevent all accidents and eliminate all unsafe conditions
  • Demonstrates management's commitment to safety

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Logistics, Operations, or Supply Chain Management preferred
• 4 or more years of Logistics Experience, primarily in the Transportation area, including domestic, imports and exports, with at least 5 years of experience in procurement

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Specialist knowledge of procurement concepts, global supply chain processes, activities, and trends
• Understanding of trade and regulatory requirements for international and domestic trade
• Excellent negotiation skills with both large and small suppliers globally
• Ability to communicate professionally with people at all levels of the organization as well as external contacts
• Advance knowledge of international and domestic shipping requirements, air/ocean documentation, INCOTERMS, and banking practices including Bank drafts, and Letters of Credit
• Working knowledge of common freight forwarder terms and activities
• Able to manage a high volume of complex orders from multiple shipping locations to multiple destinations
• Advanced analytical interpretation and problem-solving skills
• Unimpeachable ethics
• Experience with TMS
• LEAN/ Six Sigma experience
• Project management experience
• Deep understanding of the JDE transportation module
• Demonstrated ability to organize and manage multiple priorities
• Mastery of Excel, Access, Word, and other MS Office applications
• MRP/ERP experience required, E1 experience preferred
• Excellent organizational skills
• Solid decision-making skills
• Business, communication, change management, and customer service skills
• Ability to manage complexity and ambiguity and resolve conflicts that arise from balancing multiple priorities

Environmental and/or Physical Requirements 

• Work is generally performed within an office environment, with standard office equipment available

About Innophos

Innophos is a leading international producer of specialty ingredient solutions that deliver far-reaching, versatile benefits for the food, health, nutrition and industrial markets. We leverage our expertise in the science and technology of blending and formulating phosphate, mineral and botanical based ingredients for our customers.

Our people are the heart of our organization and the foundation of our success. We are driven by our core values of safety, diversity, integrity and collaboration.  

Headquartered in Cranbury, New Jersey, Innophos has manufacturing operations across the United States, in Canada, Mexico and China and sells into over 70 countries.