Senior Technical Buyer

About the role

The Senior Technical Buyer is responsible for end-to-end sourcing, purchasing, supplier management, and expediting technically complex materials, components, equipment, and services supporting engineering, manufacturing, and product operations. This role converts engineering and production requirements into executable supplier commitments and ensures cost, quality, delivery, documentation, and compliance requirements are met. The successful candidate combines strong commercial judgment with the technical aptitude needed to support a project-oriented, low-volume/high-mix manufacturing environment and works closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Program Management, Finance, and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned purchases from requisition and RFQ through supplier selection, PO placement, delivery, and closeout.
• Source raw materials, precision-machined components, fabricated parts, commercial hardware, equipment, and technical services.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, BOMs, MRP requirements, project schedules, material callouts, GD&T, and quality clauses before supplier commitment.
• Prepare RFQs, analyze quotations, negotiate pricing and commercial terms, and recommend suppliers based on technical capability, total value, quality, lead time, and risk.
• Issue and administer purchase orders and subcontracts in accordance with company procedures, delegated authority, and applicable contract requirements.
• Identify, evaluate, qualify, onboard, and manage suppliers based on technical, quality, delivery, capacity, and commercial requirements.
• Monitor supplier performance, including delivery, quality, responsiveness, cost, and capacity, and coordinate recovery actions when needed.
• Manage open orders, obtain supplier acknowledgments, expedite shortages and late deliveries, and communicate supply risks and mitigation plans.
• Coordinate supplier quality issues with Quality and Engineering, including containment, nonconformance disposition, root cause analysis, corrective actions, replacement, and rework.
• Support the Quality Management System (QMS), including supplier quality records, audits, corrective actions, applicable controls, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain accurate supplier, item, lead-time, pricing, and PO data in ERP/MRP systems and ensure procurement records are complete and audit-ready.
• Support cost analysis, make/buy evaluations, supplier negotiations, cost-reduction initiatives, and identification of long-lead, sole-source, and capacity risks.
• Provide procurement updates to internal stakeholders and serve as an escalation point for complex purchases, supplier negotiations, delivery recovery, and commercial disputes.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required. An associate or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive purchasing, sourcing, planning, or supplier-management experience in a manufacturing or project-oriented technical environment.
• Demonstrated ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, material callouts, and GD&T.
• Demonstrated experience sourcing complex machined parts, fabricated components, raw materials, equipment, or technical services to engineering requirements.
• Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems, purchase-order administration, supplier negotiations, quote analysis, supplier qualification, expediting, and open-order management.
• Ability to demonstrate sound judgment in supplier selection, strong follow-through on commitments, and clear communication of procurement risks to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and standard business systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in turbomachinery, aerospace, precision manufacturing, engineered products, prototype development, or a similar technical or regulated industry.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes, material specifications, supplier quality requirements, and nonconforming material disposition.
• Experience supporting supplier audits, corrective actions, capability reviews, and supplier development activities.
• Experience with Infor Cloud Suite ERP/MRP functionality.
• Familiarity with government-contract purchasing requirements, including FAR/DFARS flow-downs, when applicable.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPM, CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent.

Skills

• Strong negotiation, supplier management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret technical, quality, and schedule requirements and translate them into clear supplier commitments.
• High attention to detail, commercial judgment, accountability, and consistent follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, changing requirements, and urgent delivery needs in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills when working with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of competitive bidding, purchasing ethics, contract terms and conditions, cost analysis, and procurement best practices.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while appropriately escalating significant cost, schedule, technical, and supplier-performance risks.