Within the Innovation Process to develop new ifm products, the Project Buyer is an active member of the cross-functional project team and is responsible for all project related purchasing and planning activities of materials, services and supplies until the Start-of-Production.

The Project Buyer is in close interaction with engineering, quality, logistics, manufacturing and finance and is responsible for all materials in our new products (electrical and mechanical parts).

Position Responsibilities

• Directly supports development engineering projects including all related purchasing and planning activities to meet project timelines, target costs and quality objectives.

• Collaborate closely with product management, product development, quality, logistics, manufacturing, suppliers/manufacturers, and the ifm central purchasing organization in Germany.

• Work towards becoming a subject matter expert on new product development cycle, purchasing and material planning.

• Requisition processing of all project related quotation requests and purchase orders for engineering team.

• Maintain purchase order status and shipment tracking information in SAP.

• Maintain purchasing information in SAP and ensure proper hand off to production, operational purchasing and lead buyer organization.

• Conduct vendor conferences and negotiate with vendors on large and complex purchases

• Manually plan new finished goods in SAP, release initial production orders and facilitate the hand off to production Buyer/Planners.

• Provide purchasing analytical support and operational analysis for the organization.

Candidate Requirements 

• Working knowledge of an ERP system (SAP preferred)

• Excellent organizational skills, a high sense of urgency, and exceptional critical thinking and analysis skills are a necessity

• Self-starter with ability to work independently and react quickly to changing priorities

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business or Engineering.

• An ideal candidate would be able to demonstrate the technical skill set needed to work with suppliers on target costing. 

• Solid project management and communication skills are required with the ability to work effectively across multiple functional disciplines and with people in various geographies.

Company Culture

Learn more about ifm

Company Description

ifm prover USA, in Malvern, PA, has earned the distinguished Top Employers certification for 2020 and 2021 in North America for our outstanding people practices. ifm prover USA is a subsidiary of ifm electronic gmbh, a global company with over 8,750 employees in 165 countries serving 155,000  customers worldwide. Our core business is the development and production of sensors and controls for industrial automation and process applications.

"Exceptional success can only be achieved when the employees believe in the company and when they know that they are treated in a fair and honest way."  -ifm philosophy

ifm is a privately-owned company whose success can be attributed to three guiding principles: Employees First, Customer Loyalty, and Safe Growth. With a supportive and collaborative culture, ifm welcomes new ideas and fosters honest communication and trust. Distinguished by their individual capabilities and contributions, every employee plays a role in the success of our business, so that we may provide innovative solutions to meet and exceed our customer’s business needs. ifm is dedicated to ensuring employees are engaged, enabled, and empowered to realize their full potential in a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment filled with meaning and a shared sense of purpose.

“We have amazing products, but best of all we have amazing people. This is a core value of our success.” - Roger Varma, CEO, ifm efector

ifm prover USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability or handicap, marital or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state or local law.