Purchasing Specialist (Indirect) - Military Flight Controls Division

Position Summary

Procures indirect goods and services to support business operations while ensuring the best overall value, quality, service, and compliance. Responsible for sourcing, bidding, negotiating, and managing supplier relationships for non-production purchases such as MRO, facilities, professional services, office supplies, equipment, and other operational needs. Partners with internal stakeholders to understand requirements, evaluate supplier proposals, manage purchase orders, and support cost savings, supplier performance, delivery, and contract compliance.

Essential Functions

• Sources, evaluates, and selects qualified suppliers for indirect goods and services, including but not limited to MRO, facilities, tooling, equipment, office supplies, professional services, utilities, and other non-production business needs.
• Develops and maintains supplier relationships to ensure competitive pricing, reliable service, quality performance, and alignment with business requirements.
• Solicits and evaluates proposals/quotations from suppliers and negotiates prices and terms to achieve optimum results for the company. Prepares and conducts market surveys and bidder conferences to gather or provide information necessary to select subcontractors. Assembles pre-award documentation required for anticipated subcontracts.
• Develops company negotiation strategies based on an evaluation of cost and pricing data. Conducts fact finding investigations. Negotiates long-term contract agreements with key indirect suppliers to obtain effective prices, terms, products, and services.
• Plans and conducts major contract negotiations. Prepares subcontracts, statement of work, supplier data requirement lists, contractual documents and amendments as required to comply with contract specifications.
• Coordinates with Accounts Payable, Receiving, Quality, Facilities, Engineering, Operations, and other departments to resolve procurement-related issues.
• Processes purchase requisitions and issues purchase orders that accurately reflect price, schedule, terms, and conditions as negotiated with suppliers. May include orders with international suppliers and/or subcontractors involving import/export trade.
• Applies and may lead continuous improvement initiatives to improve the efficiency of internal systems and processes within the division. Develops, coordinates, and implements improvement initiatives with key suppliers. Recommends actions by analyzing and interpreting data and making comparative analyses.
• Administers subcontracts by interpreting and implementing the terms, conditions, and/or provisions of the purchasing agreements. Develops and administers all reporting procedures with subcontractors on rates of expenditure and analyzes such expenditures against allowed budgeted amounts.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing trade publications, establishing networks, and/or participating in professional associations.
• Complies with federal, state, and aerospace industry regulations; ensures adherence to requirements and advises management on needed actions. Complies with Government/Commercial Practices Manual (GPM/CPM) policies and procedures.
• Acts as consultant to management on major matters. Establishes goals and objectives required to complete projects. Identifies mentoring needs. Trains and mentors less experienced employees. May provide leadership to others in department or to ad-hoc teams. May serve as functional expert.
• Shares specialized knowledge with others. Represents company on specific projects. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed. Work assignments may include cross-functional or project team responsibilities (e.g., continuous improvement).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (BA) in Business Administration or related field (e.g., finance, law/contract law; program management), and experience which has provided both theoretical and practical knowledge in the field.
• Demonstrated ability to perform the essential functions of the job typically acquired through eight or more years of increasingly responsible experience in contract administration or procurement.
• Certificate in Purchasing Management (CPM) or Contracts Management desired.
• Advanced, specialized knowledge of material requirements planning methods, principles, industry practices, and policies.
• Knowledge of complex legal and regulatory requirements related to government procurement regulations, or similar commercial or FAA requirements.
• Ability to effectively assess, lead, and implement continuous improvement in critical and/or high-impact areas.
• Proficient with standard business application software and specialized purchasing and/or materials systems (e.g., electronic data interface (EDI) or manufacturing resource planning (MRP) systems).
• Ability to work on complex problems where in-depth analysis and evaluation of situations or data frequently require complicated negotiations.
• Ability to solve a wide range of unique problems of considerable scope and complexity that may require new approaches or significant modification of standard procedure.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex policies and recommend changes to procedures.
• Ability to respond to significant inquiries or complaints from subcontractors, customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
• Ability to communicate effectively and make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on complex topics to division management, bidders, suppliers, and customers.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to effectively demonstrate team member competencies and participate in goal setting, performance feedback, and self-development activities.

Pay

Pay Range: $102,305 to $162,590 annually. Participation in Annual Incentive Program.

Benefits

• Comprehensive coverage for medical, prescription drugs, dental, vision, voluntary optional life, accident insurance, hospital indemnity insurance and critical illness insurance with competitive premium cost.
• 401(k) Plan with company matching contributions at 100% of the first 5% of pay.
• Company provided defined-contribution retirement plan with annual contribution equal to 3% of pay.
• Career development and tuition reimbursement.
• Paid parental leave, short and long-term disability programs, adoption assistance, a Care.com membership and financial planning assistance are provided at no cost to you.
• Supplemental benefit programs including identity protection, legal protection, and pet wellness are available at competitive rates.
• Paid Time Off and Company-Paid Holidays.