Supply Chain Specialist - Abbott Nutriton - Columbus, OH - ABBOTT LABORATORIES - Columbus, OH

Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 73,000 people. Please note that candidates need to be eligible to work in the U.S. without Abbott sponsorship.

JOB DESCRIPTION:Primary Function / Primary Goals / Objectives:
A. Department function/objective:
The Customer Service & Transportation Department is responsible for controlling the flow of product and all customer service activities to support the market demand of AI affiliates and direct customers. The department is responsible for the coordination of production and distribution of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and US manufactured products. This includes both finished goods and delivery of raw materials/commodities to support global manufacturing facilities. The department is responsible for monitoring and executing the Master Arrival Schedule to support the worldwide supply chain.

There are several fundamental areas of logistics activities performed by this department:

1) Coordination of distribution and export of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and US manufactured products

2) Act as primary liaison between supply division logistics operations and affiliates

3) Monitor worldwide demand for US manufactured products and take appropriate actions to resolve problems

4) Monitor key performance indicators, perform root cause analysis and implement corrective action plans. Regularly issue performance reports

5) Issue requirements for air, ocean and truck services to transportation service providers

6) Coordinate new product launch and product conversions

7) Ensure export compliance related to Regulatory, Customs, Financial, and other areas as defined (e.g. DEA for Controlled Substances)

8) Execute the Master Arrival Schedule to assure replenishments are meeting market demand.

B. Primary function:
The function of the Customer Service Specialist position is to monitor and execute affiliate level warehouse replenishments. Coordinate the distribution of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and U.S. manufactured products required to support AI market demand while maintaining desired customer service levels. This position has the responsibility for allocating, shipping, export documentation, maintaining system data and communicating changes to the master arrival schedule.

Major Responsibilities:
Responsible for implementing and maintaining the effectiveness of the quality system.

Shipping

The Customer Service Specialist is responsible for the creation of the export shipment, allocation of product, coordination of the shipment with the source warehouse and coordination of the shipment with the transportation service provider. The position is responsible for assigning and maintaining accurate date specific departure dates for shipments in a robust system that generates the Master Arrival Schedule to the foreign affiliate/customer. In addition, the position carries the responsibility to minimize transportation expenses while maximizing container utilization and maintaining Class A customer service performance.

Documentation

The Customer Service Specialist must obtain freight expense by mode of transportation, e.g., air, ocean, truck by calculating total kilos and cubic meters and entering the traffic data into the BPCS Traffic Module. The position has the responsibility to invoice and post all shipments that generates a transaction through ISA and transfers inventory carrying cost to the foreign affiliate/customer. The position also has the responsibility to coordinate the creation of additional documentation requirements, e.g., health certificates, USDA certificates, etc. The accuracy of the data is critical in order to export the product out of the source country (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the U.S.) and into the country of destination. The position has the responsibility to prepare credit/debit memos when required and maintain Departure Folders that contain the Shippers Letter of Instruction, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Schedule B Summary, Pick List and Posting Register. The Departure Folders must be maintained for 7 years due to U.S. tax requirements.

Systems Data

The Customer Service Specialist maintains all foreign affiliate/customer requirements for allocating, shipping, documentation and transportation service providers. The position maintains all foreign affiliate/customer master and ship to files, order, and shipment and customer specific item notes. The position has the responsibility to coordinate all foreign affiliate Distribution Resource Planning (DRP) parameters, process and apply DRP files, create and maintain item/affiliate specific IWI/IWIC files, create and maintain item/affiliate specific Direct Distribution Relationships, add and delete DRP items as required and coordinate item conversions and new product introductions in foreign markets.

KPI’s

The Customer Service Specialist conducts root cause analysis to identify improvements to KPI performance and implement corrective actions. The position has responsibility for the performance of Class A KPI’s listed below.

• MAS Conformance


• Internal and External Customer Service


• Master File Accuracy


• Dock-to-Stock


• Complete Documentation


• Backorders


• Shipment Preparation Time


• Transportation Lead Time

Master Arrival Schedule

The Customer Service Specialist maintains the Shipping Schedule Master, Operations Calendars and Departure Calendars for all foreign affiliates/customers. Within the Shipping Schedules, the position is responsible to maintain segmented office shipment preparation time, excess documentation time, source warehouse shipment preparation time, dwell time, transportation time and foreign affiliate/customer dock to stock time. Each calendar is warehouse and item specific. The system contains over 4000 items and 1200 calendars. Other responsibilities of the position are to review, monitor and take action to all Master Arrival Schedule exception messages and foreign affiliate/customer negative BOH reports. Track all foreign affiliate/customer in-transit items assuring arrival receipts are received and to resolve all outstanding receipts. Ensure all foreign affiliate/customer requirements are met in the Distribution Resource Planning firming process and accurately assign scheduled ship dates to customer orders. Assistance is provided in the area of Inventory Management by finding solutions for short dated product to minimize exposure / loss to Abbott.

Communications

The Customer Service Specialist conducts verbal, written and face-to-face communications, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. with all foreign affiliates to fully understand requirements and work with them to improve their in-country customer service performance. The position is the main foreign affiliate liaison for all communications for product exported from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The position must coordinate customer requirements with internal and external customers, e.g., division accounting, commercial areas, product planners, transportation service providers, third party inspection companies, source warehouses (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and U.S.), etc. In addition, regular communications must be maintained with internal and external customers for continuous improvement in shipping products to all foreign affiliates/customers.

Position interaction with internal/external contacts:
The Customer Service Specialist serves as the focal point for all activities relating to the distribution of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and U. S. manufactured products.

This position collaboratively communicates with affiliates, supplier warehouses, transportation service providers, and freight forwarders to support AI markets.

The Customer Service Specialist is responsible for developing and maintaining effective relationships with other NOLA departments, supply divisions, regulatory, finance, Q.A., labeling, affiliates, transportation service providers, and freight forwarders to support changing business needs.

This position provides distribution support to assure site and division customer service and transportation cost objectives are achieved.

The Customer Service Specialist influences the affiliates, supply divisions, transportation service providers and freight forwarders through establishing logistics expertise.

Education:
Bachelor’s Degree preferred (Logistics Management or Business Administration fields preferred) or equivalent work experience

Membership and active participation in logistics/transportation associations preferred.

APICS certification preferred

Background:
Knowledge of applicable regulatory standards and requirements for infant formula and nutritionals.

Strong teamwork skills required to work effectively in a team environment and establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external supply chain partners.

Effective written and oral communication skills are required to facilitate information flow across the supply chain.

Initiative and innovation skills are required to identify and implement business process improvements.

Excellent organization and follow up skills are critical to ensure timely distribution of product and communication across the supply chain.

Knowledge or experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred:

Distribution, Operations, Customer service, or Transportation

Total combined years of experience preferred- 2 plus years

International logistics experience preferred.

Accountability / Scope/Budget:
Supports customer sales – $360MM annually

Directly impact transportation budget – $20MM annually

Supports transportation cost savings and avoidances in excess of $2MM annually

Supports on-time delivery of more than 15M air, ocean and truck shipments

Supports the movement of 70MM kilos of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and U.S. export product

Reduced distribution costs through improved balance between supply and demand

Reduced distribution costs through improved product consolidation and direct shipments

The Customer Service Specialist handles the day-to-day issues and questions independently and requests assistance from the Customer Service Team Leader and/or Manager, Customer Service & Transportation when necessary. This position is expected to take initiative to seek continuous improvement to the supply chain.