Associate Category Specialist

Associate Category Specialist
Do you enjoy being involved in procurement for manufacturing and new product development? Hypertherm Associates is looking for an Associate Category Specialist with experience supporting procurement of industrial materials and equipment including electronics, tooling, and capital equipment to join our Waterjet team in Kent, Washington. In this role, your supply chain experience will be utilized to assess and mitigate risk, support new product introduction (NPI) activities, cultivate and execute cost savings initiatives, and execute projects.
Join our unique business where you'll find plenty of opportunities to showcase your strengths, learn new skills, and drive process and procurement improvements. If you're ready to make a real impact, we want you on our team!
Hypertherm Associates is the world leader in industrial cutting solutions. We are a 100% Associate-owned company with a no-layoff philosophy for over 55 years!
As an Associate Category Specialist, you will:
Support the team in helping ensure materials are delivered on time, at the best available price, and meet quality requirements
Work with guidance from experienced team members to communicate with suppliers about pricing, deliveries, inventory changes, and product updates
Gather and share supplier performance information to support sourcing decisions, team discussions, and follow-up actions
Assist with identifying, tracking, and documenting cost-saving opportunities for current manufacturing and future projects
Create and update purchase orders and related documentation by following established processes and guidance
Support contract compliance, invoicing questions, and Engineering Change Order activities by reviewing information and tracking details with guidance
Participate in cross-functional meetings and cost reduction projects by completing assigned tasks, gathering data, and supporting project follow-up
Who you are and the experience you will bring:
A Bachelor’s Degree in a related discipline with 2-3 years supply chain experience
Proven analytical skills (cost/benefit analysis, make/buy decision-modeling, etc.)
Strong written and verbal presentation and communication skills
Proven experience in contract development and negotiation skills
Strong attention to detail
Preferred experience to differentiate you:
ISM and/or APICS certification
Green/Black Belt Certified
Knowledge of Lean/JIT Methodology
Knowledge of Purchasing modules in Oracle or similar ERP system
Location: Kent, Washington or New Brighton, MN
Travel: Up to 10% domestic
Why join Hypertherm Associates?
Global, 100% employee-owned company for over 55 years
Profit-Sharing
Employee Stock Ownership
Five days/year Community Service Time
Strong commitment to Environmental Stewardship
Stable, growing organization with a no-layoff philosophy
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Hypertherm Associates is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome all applications. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
At Hypertherm Associates, we are committed to building an inclusive diverse, flexible, and collaborative environment. If our mission resonates with you, but you don’t meet all posted requirements, we encourage you to still apply. We will evaluate your application materials and may suggest alternative roles that better leverage your strengths and talents. For positions with multiple levels, we will evaluate your prior experience to determine the level within our organization you are best aligned based upon the job applying.
CURRENT ASSOCIATES OR TEMPORARY ASSOCIATES: Please apply via your internal Workday career account.
$72,828.00-$121,377.00 AnnualThis is the base pay range that an applicant can expect to make upon hire. Pay within this range will vary based upon relevant experience, skills, and education among other factors.