Susan

Senior Buyer/Planner

Neuromodulation
Minneapolis, MN

Describe a typical day in your position.

I start my day by checking on my internal customers – manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. If either location is short of inventory, components to build with or finished product to send to our external customers, I work to expedite additional inventory to them. Depending on the issue, this alone could take the entire day. After that there isn't a "typical" pattern to my day. I work on new product development projects, inventory reduction initiatives, resolutions to quality issues, continuous improvement activities, and more.

What do you love about your job?

My job is something different every day, and the variety in the type of work keeps my job from getting boring. I also enjoy that I work with lots of people – both internally and externally – on a regular basis.

How does Medtronic's Mission show in your day to day work?

A key component of my job is ensuring that the right products are in the right place at the right time. By doing so, I know we will be able to help the patients who depend on Medtronic therapies for a full life.

What is challenging about your job?

The problems I encounter can rarely be solved by me alone. The hardest part of solving them is often identifying the right people from functions across the company and getting everyone together. Once we have the correct team assembled, we can develop and implement a plan to move forward.

What do you appreciate most about Medtronic?

There are a ton of opportunities within Medtronic, and I feel supported to grow professionally here. I am encouraged to see what opportunities are out there and to pursue projects within my current area that will get me where I want to be in the long run.

What is one random fact about you?

I can't stand chocolate. I really think my mother kept all the chocolate-loving genes for herself.

How do you balance your life?

When I'm at the office, I'm more than happy to work my butt off all day long. However, when I leave the office, I also leave work behind me so I can focus on family and friends while I'm at home. And when life happens during work hours, you have to deal with it. At those times I count on my co-workers to help around the office as needed, knowing that I will do the same for them when the situation is reversed.