Senior Buyer

About the role

The Senior Buyer is a pivotal figure in our purchasing department, responsible for strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, and cross-functional collaboration. Reporting directly to the Purchasing Manager, this role requires a minimum of 8 years of purchasing experience in a manufacturing setting, with a proven track record of leading negotiations and managing supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Leads sourcing strategy and negotiates pricing, terms, and long-term supply agreements for raw materials, hardware components, MRO supplies, and professional services.
• Manages supplier performance, scores, and improvement plans, and leads investigations into supplier non-conformances.
• Develops category strategies for assigned commodities, balancing cost, quality, lead time, and supply risk.
• Owns supplier qualification, onboarding, and contract negotiation, and establishes and deepens strategic relationships with vendors.
• Owns and audits MRP system parameters, oversees past-due and open-order reports, and manages inventory strategy for assigned categories.
• Serves as a mentor and technical resource to Buyers, supports purchase order execution, and resolves complex quantity, price, and invoice issues with Accounting.
• Represents Purchasing in cross-functional and leadership discussions on sourcing strategy, supply risk, and vendor performance.

Requirements

• Minimum 8 years of purchasing experience in a manufacturing company, including experience leading negotiations and managing key supplier relationships.
• Prior experience mentoring, training, or informally leading other buyers or purchasing staff.
• Advanced experience with MRP/ERP systems (preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central).
• Strong working knowledge of Bill of Materials (BOM) and Where-Used reports.
• Experience with supplier quality processes, including First Article Inspection (FAI), root cause analysis, and corrective action (CAPA).
• Demonstrated negotiation skills and experience developing or reviewing supplier contracts and agreements.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, data analysis) along with Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and interactive communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and project management skills, with sound judgment for operating with a high degree of autonomy.

Benefits

Competitive compensation range of $70,000 - $90,000 annually, plus comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, paid time off, and holidays. Equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.