Although John Deere is known for it's heavy painted metal, they embrace plastic parts where needed. In this role I learned about strategic supply management and the subtle influence of partner relationships. I had great mentors who really focused on building and maintaining relationships with our suppliers and including them as partners in our growth and vision for the future. This meant regular communication with our suppliers and sending a consistent message of our strategy, including them in the conversations about implementation. In this corporate position, influencing without authority and relationship building were huge factors for success.
John Deere, Moline, IL 05/2013 - 04/2014 | Indirect Supply Management Specialist, ABS/ASA Plastics
Managed strategic relationships for ABS & ASA plastics for John Deere North America and Europe regions
Collaborated with internal design centers and tiered suppliers to promote proprietary preferred plastic blends for high volume pricing, generating ~$380K yearly savings
Skills
Managing supplier-partner relationships
Promoting strategic initiatives to both suppliers and internal design centers in the US and Europe