James Nichols 802-***-**** cell

*** ******** **** aczgbs@r.postjobfree.com

Saint Albans, VT 05478 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimnichols2

Career Profile:

Strategic Sourcing and Purchasing professional with over fifteen years combined experience in areas of strategic sourcing, category management, supply chain, contracts and negotiations, and purchasing management, within the industries: Food/Pharma (private label) Manufacturing, Wholesale Electronics, B2B and B2C Packaging Distribution and Senior retail operations management tenures.

Professional Experience:

Perrigo Co. plc (Formerly, PBM Nutritionals LLC) Georgia, VT (2009-present)

Strategic Sourcing Manager (Category Management) 05/2012 – Present Present Budget and portfolio responsibility of $78mm in annualized spend that encompass Direct sourcing for Macro and Micro Ingredients, contracted commodities & complex blends, as well as, Primary, Retail-ready and Secondary packaging components.

Delivered 8 year total cost out/cost avoidance cost of goods savings of $8.9 mm with combined domestic and international sourcing for two manufacturing locations and offsite co-packer’s.

Sourcing of: spot and contracted “direct” items, pre-buy’s and L.O.D agreements

Domestic and International Vendor Base: brokers, distributors, blenders, direct manufacturing, as well as individualized ‘make to order’ primary and secondary suppliers.

42% Improvement in alternate/secondary supply network (since 2009), by directly reducing the number of ‘at risk’ single and/or sole source items.

YOY savings of $3.97mm in direct cost out relating to both Raw materials and Packaging (FY 2016). Additional $2.4mm FY17 YTD $ savings derived from contracts or cost avoidance negotiations.

Direct staff and Process for Supplier Approval Qualification for all (new, clinical, developmental, pre-commercial or existing /alternate) Raw materials and Packaging suppliers. Process management to include: sampling, documentation, bench-top testing review and QA coordinated site audits.

Chair, weekly Cross-functional process meetings to include multi departments (Purchasing, R&D, QA) Regulatory, Labs and offsite Sourcing)to achieve consensus for “approved for use”, clinicals’, projects, new commercial lines or alternate supplier base expansion.

Manage staff and provide direct resources in support of Plant Audits to include: Regulatory, FDA, SQF, ISO, Retailer, Organic and domestic and International certifications.

Designated as Primary plant contact for corporate and retailer initiatives involving “Sustainability” and “Ethical Sourcing” programs for both ingredients and packaging.

Proposed and Spearheaded Shrink Sleeve packaging line conversion project which will result in annual savings of $ 1.2mm in direct C.O.G’s and additional $279k in WH space and Operation’s efficiency.

Primary Packaging expertise to include: Plain and printed Cans (composite and metal), Labels (glue applied, shrink, ECLs, security and pressure sensitive), Sachets/Pouches, Plastics (tubs, lids, over caps, scoops) Corrugate (Primary - Retail ready & Point of purchase and Secondary packaging) Cartons/Trays, Pre-printed and Displays.

CapX project management for line equipment (case erectors & shrink sleeve), Tooling budgeting (print plates, cutting dies, Injection molds refurbishments) and Packaging engineering assistance.

Plant Purchasing Manager, PBM Nutritionals LLC, Georgia, VT 03/2009- 05/2012 Managed all aspects of sourcing and day to day procurement activities with $112mm in Purchase Order volumes to include: Direct Purchases of Ingredients, all Primary and Secondary packaging and select MRO/Indirect Items, vehicle/fleet and service contracts.

Manage $65mm spend portfolio, budgeting, days-on-hand reporting & inventory levels relating to both cost and turns. For Direct purchases of plant use Raw materials, all Primary and Secondary packaging, as well as, materials coordination with offsite 3rd party Tolling and Co-Packing operations.

Ushered in new Supplier Based Management program that transitioned plant from previous “Transactional Supplier Relationships”, to enhanced key “Strategic Supplier Partnership” resulting in cost savings, improved payment terms, and service improvements allowing for frequent expedited deliveries and preferred allocations, when faced with single source or scarcity in supply.

Direct oversight, coaching and development of department staff of 4 Buyer/Planners and Materials Coordinator, to ensure smooth daily purchase order processing and “just in time” inventory requirements of both forecasted and non-forecasted “make to order” finished goods.

Recapture of $97k against original COG’s, from sell- off of obsolete material to Secondary Market.

Savings of $112,000 from cost out indirect items (Uniform, Software, and Equipment P.M plans for main plant and Wastewater facility).

CapX projects : negotiations with suppliers on- T&C’s, pricing, rebates, and surcharge milestones

o$2mm Self-Generation site-based gassing systems-vs- delivered (make vs buy)

o$33mm Packaging line installation to accommodate new state of the art plastic

oIndirect Contracts Mgt: site vehicle purchases and service plan contracts ( uniforms, lab systems & wastewater plant systems )

Established weekly Cross-functional process meetings for Supplier Approval process to include: Purchasing, Regulatory, QA, Labs, and R& D to allow for material approval for use and facilitate usage problem-solving . Site support provided for site audits by FDA, SQF, ISO, Organics, Kosher and other Compliance organizations.

Huber + Suhner Inc, Essex, VT 04/2007- 02/2009 Account Manager and Sourcing Specialist providing dual support role of inside sales/customer service for east coast region, and intercompany sourcing for site production of cable and fiber optic connectors and assemblies for private contractors (DOD) transportation, Aerospace, communications and Automotive industries.

Temple Inland Packaging, Scotia, NY 06/2006 - 01/2007

Operations & Site Manager - recruited (from Franklin August) for emerging local warehouse and distribution site to provide regional packaging distribution and warehousing of various corrugate products.

Systems and Software:

ERP systems utilization to include:

SAP, BAAN, SYSPRO and SupplyWin

Global Document control systems: Ensure, Trackwise, Intellex, C.A.T.S – Corrective Action Tracking

Microsoft Office- as well as desktop design utilities (Corel, MGI, SnagIt) Cisco Telephony

Education:

B.S: Business Management 06/1990

Business Mgt. with targeted focus on Marketing strategies.

Champlain College, Burlington, VT

Contact this candidate