Job Information
Bridgestone Americas Senior Sourcing Manager, Packaging in Nashville, Tennessee
Company Overview
Wherever you work and whatever role you fill, when you represent the Bridgestone name you know that you are a valued teammate who is part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality.” We start by offering each teammate more than just a salary. We provide formal training, competitive performance incentives, paid vacation and holidays, healthcare packages for full-time and part-time employees, and a 401k plan to help build your future.
We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they are allowed to bring their whole selves to work and know they are supported. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve. So, show us what you’re made of. Show us the smart stuff, the tough stuff, the bold, beautiful and brave stuff. Because who you are is what we need.
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee and is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone Americas and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.
Job Category
Quality
Position Summary
The Senior Sourcing Manager, Packaging is responsible to lead the development of packaging solutions for new and existing finished goods and components. Leads the procurement process, defining strategy for the commodity, and ensuring supplier quality, delivery, and cost optimization are realized. As a member of the Procurement team, this position will engage the supply base to bring packaging solutions across multiple business functions and geographies to define all stakeholder needs. Plant and Customer requirements must all be considered related to any quality, delivery, and/or cost issues.
The scope of this role includes inbound and outbound packaging requirements. including: Expendable Packaging, Labels, Corrugated boxes, Returnable Containers, and pallets. This position is responsible to work with cross functional teams to recommend, review, test, and identify costs for various packaging design proposals, identify and drive opportunities to standardize materials to reduce complexity, and enable volume leveraged pricing for packaging components.
This position guides supplier adherence to current packaging standards and maintains responsibility for the Firestone Vendor Packaging Standards. Completes packaging approval with internally involved departments for supplier components. Work with customers’ packaging and labeling requirements and facilitates internal processes to meet those requirements. Total process view for packaging (container flow, impact on production, etc.) Implement annual process improvements to reduce costs and improve quality of delivered parts
Responsibilities
In the Senior Sourcing Manager, Packaging role you will:
Sourcing lead for expendable and returnable packaging solutions, labels, pallets, wrapping etc. from a global supply base.
Define and implement procurement strategy for packaging commodity to align with the objectives of the business unit.
Manage all contracting requirements with supply base to secure favorable terms for Firestone Airide
Optimize packaging / labelling supply base for cost, lead-time, quality, regionalization, standardization, supply assurance, and compliance with customer, regulatory, and internal requirements
Guide Suppliers for packaging adherence to current Firestone Airide packaging standards
Support component suppliers to define suitable packaging specifications that meet Firestone and Customer requirements for new projects.
Stay current on engineering changes / new model changes as related to packaging and participate in project Stage Gate meetings for the introduction of new products to the market
Complete packaging specification approvals with internally involved departments
Support Returnable container inventory processes with logistics and manufacturing functions, and work with the customer to calculate the correct quantity required
Facilitate as needed regular maintenance of returnable packaging
Lead Packaging projects with multiple project phases, and developing deliverables over the duration of the project
Facilitate information, between Marketing, Procurement, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality and vendors of packaging.
Facilitate designs, tests standards and guidelines for packaging solutions for the organization's products and components
Align with engineering to define packaging requirements to support assembly line layout/process flow
Evaluate, manage, and select packaging suppliers/vendors; periodically conduct vendor reviews.
Troubleshoot new and existing packaging problems involving designs, materials, processes, and monitors corrective actions internally and with OEM customers.
Identify and implement cost saving initiatives related to packaging materials, labor, efficiency, transportation, and storage.
Define and propose Engineering Change Orders for changes to existing packaging designs
Submits OEM packaging forms and obtains the necessary approvals
Sourcing of new packaging as required, ensure compliance to company standards, manage contractual agreements with vendors
Periodically review packaging materials and investigates optimization projects (e.g., consolidate where possible, remove obsolete materials, standardize the range of packaging offered). Maintains a packaging database (carton sizes, partition sizes and quantities, pad sizes, coating/non-coating)
Assist and support operations with technical knowledge for experiments/test methodologies on packaging materials and structures to determine performance attributes best suited to maintain product quality, integrity, and maximize shelf-life.
Ensure projects remain on schedule by proactively driving tasks for on-time completion, highlighting potential risks to task completion, timely responses to communications, and actively participating in project team meetings.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree Required – Packaging, Industrial Eng, Manufacturing Mgt, Logistics, Supply Chain
2-4 years of procurement/packaging/logistics/industrial engineering experience across multiple direct packaging material categories
SAP Experience - Preferred
Ability to use Microsoft products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams
Experience negotiating price, contracts, for direct material and service
Experience of both corrugated and flexible packaging materials including structures, functionality, and performance of the product
Experience in product commercialization from development of packaging material to shipment of product – Tier 1 Automotive preferred
Container Management experience -preferred
Ability to Assess supply and quality risks with suppliers, strong RFQ/RFP execution skills
Apply and join our team to begin a career at Bridgestone Americas. Trust your talent; trust the journey. Be Bridgestone.
At Bridgestone Americas we value Diversity. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals, and teams. We are creating a workplace that fosters a culture of acceptance where you are free to be your true self because what we need is who you are.
Minimum Qualifications
Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a master’s degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent work experience
Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. It is our policy to consider for employment all individuals regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Employment Eligibility
If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.