Senior Buyer

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Our client is seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Buyer with a strong background in lean supply chain management to join the Purchasing Team. The ideal candidate will play a critical role in sourcing, negotiating, and managing supplier relationships while driving cost efficiencies, reducing waste, managing inventory design, and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality materials.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Strategic Sourcing and Procurement.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies aligned with lean supply chain principles.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers to ensure quality, cost, and delivery objectives are met.
• Negotiate contracts, terms, pricing, supply and/or stocking agreements to secure the best value.
• Supplier Relationship Management.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to foster collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Monitor supplier performance using metrics such as lead times, on time delivery and defect rates.
• Work with Suppliers too reduce waste and improve supply chain efficiency.
• Inventory Demand and Planning.
• Collaborate with inventory, planning and production teams to align purchasing with demand.
• Optimize inventory levels to minimize waste, excess stock, and stock-outs.
• Ensure inventory remains within design. Investigate, Pareto and Problem solve unfavorable trends.
• Cost Reduction and Waste Minimization.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs while maintaining or improving product quality.
• Use Value Stream Mapping and other lean tools to eliminate non-value-added activities in the Supply Chain.
• Monitor and manage purchase Price Variance to ensure cost effectiveness.
• Process Improvement.
• Lead initiatives to improve procurement processes, supplier collaboration, and internal workflows.
• Implement best practices in lean supply chain management to achieve operational excellence.
• Train and mentor team members on lean principles and procurement strategies.
• Data Analysis and Reporting.
• Analyze procurement data to identify trends, risk, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare and present reports on purchasing metrics, savings achieved, and supplier performance.
• Use data to support decision-making and align procurement activities with organizational goals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5 years of experience in procurement or supply chain roles, with a focus on lean practices.
• Strong knowledge of purchasing principles, cash flow, supplier negotiation, and contract management.
• Experience with lean supply chain methodologies, such as JIT, Kanban, and value stream mapping.
• Proficiency in inventory and procurement software (Epicor preferred).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Computer Science, Mathematics or a related field.
• Purchasing experience in the Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Energy, or Medical Device industries.
• Certification in supply chain management (e.g., Apics CPIM/CSCP, ISM CPSM).
• Experience with Six Sigma, Kaizen, or other continuous improvement frameworks.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in data analysis (E.g., advanced excel, R, Python, Power BI, Tableau).

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Excellent negotiation and communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Problem-solving mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Office based with occasional travel to supplier locations

BENEFITS START DAY 1:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance