Senior Buyer

Overview An established and expanding industrial equipment manufacturer with multinational ties is seeking a Lead Buyer/Planner to oversee direct material procurement and supply planning. This role sits at the intersection of procurement strategy, ERP-based planning, and supplier performance leadership—ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, data-driven environment. This position reports to the North American Purchasing Head and requires close coordination across U.S. and EMEA-based supply nodes. Mandarin or German language skills are considered a plus due to occasional coordination with tooling vendors and raw material brokers overseas. Key Responsibilities Supervise and develop a regional team of junior buyers; foster best practices in sourcing and materials planning. Utilize ERP (SAP preferred) for demand planning, PO generation, and raw material alignment across multi-shift operations. Execute sourcing strategies that drive cost optimization and quality improvement; lead vendor contract negotiations and supplier evaluations. Interpret commodity trends (e.g. stainless steel, castings, polymers) to make informed purchase decisions. Maintain procurement records: Source Lists, PIRs, Agreements, and contract frameworks. Lead vendor reviews and quarterly business performance sessions using custom-built dashboards. Represent procurement in daily S&OP and plant sync meetings. Collaborate with chemical engineering, production, and customer service teams to forecast and align raw material demand. Actively reduce obsolete inventory, rebalance slow-moving stock, and ensure audit compliance (ISO 14001 familiarity a plus). Enforce master data hygiene within ERP material records and supplier catalogs. Ideal Candidate Profile Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, or Business (equivalent European technical degree acceptable). 5–10 years of purchasing/planning experience in a regulated or engineered-products environment Steel buying is a big plus SAP experience (MM module), MRP and advanced Excel modeling required. Proven team leadership and procurement project delivery experience. Able to manage ambiguity, adjust to cross-border supply constraints, and lead vendor remediation plans. Global mindset; multilingual candidates encouraged to apply (Spanish, German, or Mandarin desirable but not required). APICS, ISM, or CIPS credentials are advantageous. Seniority level Mid-Senior level Employment type Full-time Job function Purchasing, Manufacturing, and Strategy/Planning Industries: Motor Vehicle Manufacturing, Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing, and Manufacturing Location: Muskegon, MI #J-18808-Ljbffr Rauch & Associates