Description

General Position Summary

The Supply Chain Specialist has broad ranging responsibilities in all aspects of Supply Chain operations. This position is responsible for processing orders for products received by EDI system, email or personally from customers or company employees. This position is also responsible for managing inventory through database, maintaining, and analyzing the company inventory level required on a daily basis to meet customers’ demands, and creating and implementing logistics plans for products purchasing from Kurabe group companies and external vendors.

Essential Job Functions

Customer Service 

· Prepares for all necessary shipping documents and makes data entries into Phreebooks.

· Processes customer orders by sending information to the warehouses and freight forwarders.

· Creates sales orders and invoices.

· Sends advanced shipping notices (ASN) to customers via EDI or emails.

· Arrange courier shipments (eg: FedEx, UPS, and DHL) for prototype and service part orders. 

· Files all customer sales orders related documents. 

· Receives forecasts from customers and updates an inventory matrix.

· Coordinates with the warehouses to release the required parts on due date when received the release orders from customers.

· Creates purchase orders for prototypes, service parts and/or materials to Kurabe group companies or external vendors based on requests from sales and engineering teams. 

· Follows up on orders and coordinates shipping schedules with Kurabe group companies or external vendors to ensure delivery by specific dates.

· Communicates with customers, carriers, freight forwarders and suppliers when issues arise on the shipments.

· Negotiates with customers on order quantities or delivery schedules when inventory shortage or shipment delay is expected.

· Checks shipping orders to ensure they are accurate with regards to quantity shipping.

Inventory Control / Order Analysis

· Updates the inventory matrix and Phreebooks based on forecasts from customers.

· Receives shipping notices from Kurabe group companies and inputs data of inbound shipments into Phreebooks and update inventory matrixes.

· Sends the information of inbound shipments to the warehouse and freight forwarders.

· Communicates with EDI and ERP system providers to maintain and improve the current EDI system and establish new EDI connections with WMS systems of the warehouses.

· Arranges shipments for returning products to Kurabe group companies or external vendors.

· Manages prototype and service parts inventory stored at KAC office.

· Reconciles inventory reports between Phreebooks and WMS of each warehouse and performs inventory valuation on a monthly basis.

· Reconciles open order balance referring to order balance matrixes from KIJ and updates Phreebooks.

· Prepares order planning matrixes and create order/delivery plans analyzing past delivery records, the latest forecasts from customers and market information. 

· Establishes release and delivery procedures for new customers coordinating with the warehouses, freight forwarders and customers. 

Logistics 

· Issues RFQ to freight forwarders for estimated shipping cost (Air, Ocean, and Truck), understands all charges shown in the quote, and calculate estimated cost as per KAC sales request.

· Makes cost analyses regarding logistics and inventory management at the warehouses.

· Makes and implements logistics plans optimizing the cost and shipping time frame.

· Keeps monitoring inbound shipments from Vietnam and Japan and communicate with many different freight forwarders and KAC's notified party for smooth operation of U.S. drayage to eliminate unnecessary additional costs, such as container storage and extra chassis fees. 

· Confirms details of invoices from the forwarders and warehouses, and make sure all charges are correct. If there are any additional charges, ask them the reasons and how it could be removed or lowered.

· Collects the latest information about the status of the global logistics supply chain and share it with KAC sales team and management. 

· Understands the new normal in global logistics matters after COVID 19 pandemic and keep adequate inventory level in KAC warehouses.

· Understands the rules of USMCA and Mexico logistics regulations such as IMMEX and make plans on how it could be applied to KMX business. 

Other & Miscellaneous

· Creates and updates standard operating procedures (SOP).

· Creates barcode shipping labels based on AIAG or customer standards.

· Makes efforts to gain product knowledge and familiarize with the product markets.

· Seeks constant improvement, more efficient and less expensive ways and means in work processes.

· Performs special projects and other miscellaneous duties as assigned by the Logistics & Inventory Planning Manager and Management.

· Reports to work based on company schedule and complies with all company policies and procedures.

· Follows up to complete any assigned work.

· Maintains high ethical standards in the workplace.

· Maintains good communication with supervisors, staff members and outside contacts.

· Responsible for maintaining a clean and safe working area.

Requirements

 Language Skills

· Superior English and Japanese language skills – Native or native-like Japanese proficiency preferred.