Senior Buyer – Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing

Columbus, Mississippi | Full-time, onsite position

About the role

A growing aerospace and defense manufacturer is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to manage strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, negotiations, and purchasing activities for mission-critical manufacturing programs. This is an excellent opportunity for a buyer who understands engineered components, regulated manufacturing, supplier performance, and cost reduction.

Responsibilities

• Source materials, components, subassemblies, and engineered products.
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify suppliers.
• Manage requests for quotation, purchase orders, pricing, and delivery.
• Negotiate supplier contracts, costs, terms, and lead times.
• Develop and execute cost-reduction strategies.
• Monitor supplier quality, delivery, capacity, and performance.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Production, and Supply Chain.
• Maintain accurate and audit-ready purchasing documentation.
• Support ITAR, FAR, DFARS, and other applicable compliance requirements.
• Help improve procurement processes and guide junior buyers.

Requirements

• 5+ years of purchasing or procurement experience.
• Manufacturing procurement experience.
• Experience sourcing materials, components, subassemblies, or engineered products.
• Strong supplier negotiation and cost-reduction experience.
• Experience managing requests for quotation and purchase orders.
• Familiarity with ERP or MRP systems.
• Aerospace, defense, or government-contracting experience is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of ITAR, FAR, or DFARS is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree is preferred but not required for candidates with strong directly relevant experience.

Pay

Up to $110,000 + Benefits