Whirl-Pak is on a mission to make the world safer, healthier, and more productive. We are the leading provider of sterilized sampling and testing solutions used across multiple sectors including food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and environmental. Our 60-year-old brand has experienced significant growth in the past several years through product diversification and increased international presence.

Whirl-Pak is an operating company of Filtration Group. Filtration Group is a global market-leading provider of filtration consumables that drives innovation and delivers solutions across a broad spectrum of applications and end markets, with a focus on life sciences, indoor air quality, and industrial technologies.

Whirl-Pak is looking for a Buyer at our new HQ in Pleasant Prairie, WI. This is a critical role with the opportunity to make an impact on the growth of the business through improved execution of processes for procurement, inventory planning, logistics, and distribution. Reporting to the Operations & Supply Chain Manager, this individual will work cross-functionally across the organization, including the leadership team.

The Buyer will be responsible for purchasing, blanket order management/prioritization, inbound logistics, inventory management, and supplier relations. There will be an emphasis on the appropriate use of technology / ERP for streamlining ordering and “in-house” management for improving service to customers through accurate lead times.  

Purchasing

• • • Purchase products by creating and generating purchase orders using the ERP business system.
    • Purchase order maintenance for quarterly blankets and continuous maintenance of inbound logistics.
    • Continuously and effectively communicate with sales and customer service teams to provide insight into lead times, availability, and customer needs.
    • Maintain system purchasing parameters and sales demand data. Document and maintain tally sheets for regular inbound product shipments.
    • Procure and maintain inventory levels in support of the annual Business Plan while considering current customer demand.
    • Work with the commercial team to promote the sale, return, or disposal of discontinued inventory as required.
    • Collaborate with Engineering to resolve vendor-related quality issues as needed.
    • Maintain back-order levels at or below target levels.
    • Expedite overdue shipments when necessary
    • Maintain inventory and replenish indirect company supplies
    • Inventory Control and management

Supplier Relations

• • • Identify and help to evaluate new suppliers for secondary sources and/or new product opportunities.
    • Negotiate favorable costing, discounts, payment terms, advertising allowances, rebates, catalog allowances, lead times, and consignments.
    • Continuously maintain quality complaint portals with vendors.
    • Inform the sales team of problems with products discovered through customer complaints and input into the Teel portal or other ERP locations.
    • Travel - Represent Sampling at supplier meetings as required.

Demand & production planning

• • • Participate in monthly SIOP processes; monitor recent demand activity and include Sales input into the production scheduling process
    • Participate in the regular production planning process with key suppliers and contract manufacturers to determine inventory needs and communicate with suppliers to schedule production
    • Continuously manage inbound logistics for sterilization of products.
    • Be agile as needs of the organization change to ensure adequate inventory supply. A balance of supply and demand is the target.
    • Continually evaluate planning process for improvement opportunities and implement changes needed.
    • Work with commercial team and customer service to coordinate shipment and timely delivery of samples.

Facility Management

• • • Maintain facility maintenance schedule, schedule maintenance as necessary
    • Ensure machines and equipment are maintained
    • Assist in warehouse operation as needed

*Any and all other assigned tasks from management team*

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Our ideal candidate will be a highly action-biased and entrepreneurial operations executor. He/she must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and be comfortable working in a high-performance culture and high-trust environment. This person says what they will do, and does what they say, every single time. We also expect this individual to be:

• Self-starter/motivator requiring minimal supervision; trusted to deliver on commitments.
• Highly entrepreneurial, with a strong bias for action. Demonstrates an insatiable curiosity around our business, our products, our customers, and each of the industries we serve.
• Well-organized and able to manage details effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to work professionally with people in a team atmosphere and on an individual basis.
• Must have good listening and problem-solving skills.
• Adaptable and flexible to a changing environment.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a business-related field.
• Minimum of 3 years supply chain experience.
• Assertive, effective, and solid communication and negotiating skills.
• Familiarity with assigned purchasing materials, products, and equipment. Maintain knowledge of current market trends.
• Past experience working with an ERP system (Ideally Dynamics)
• Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Windows and Office software.
• Ability to read, write, understand, and communicate in English.
• Must be able to travel as required (estimate <5%).
• Warehouse Operations, Shipping and Logistics, and Prcurement familiarity is preferred.

More About Filtration Group

Filtration Group is on a mission to make the world safer, healthier and more productive. With a passionate workforce, global footprint and world class engineering and manufacturing capabilities, we are driving innovation and developing solutions across a broad spectrum of applications in the fast-growing and rapidly-evolving global filtration industry. We are committed to maintaining an entrepreneurial culture built on a foundation of trust and in which our leaders exhibit a strong bias for action.   

The Company began in 2009 and has rapidly grown organically and through a thoughtful acquisition strategy to be a global leader in the highly attractive filtration industry. Filtration Group has the broadest portfolio of solutions in the industry and has had a particular focus on building a leading platform of solutions focused on the Life Sciences and Indoor Air Quality end markets which are rapidly growing in the current market environment. Filtration Group produces mission critical products with high replacement rates.  Over 80 percent of the Company’s revenue comes from replacement / consumable products, many of which are specified into customer’s products or processes.  With revenues over $2 billion, Filtration Group is consistently recognized as the fastest growing and one of the largest filtration businesses in the world and has a global footprint of 141 facilities in 28 countries. Filtration Group has over 10,000 employees who are united in their Mission to make the world safer, healthier and more productive.