Buyer Team Leader

Job Description

Job Description

Southworth International Group, Inc. (SIGI) is the world’s largest manufacturer of ergonomic material handling equipment for vertical lifting and work positioning. Our products are designed to improve worker productivity while reducing the potential for worker injuries. Anywhere where workers are lifting and positioning items, handling pallets, working with parts in containers or transporting loads in a factory or warehouse, SIGI has a product to make the job faster, safer, and easier.

The Buyer Team Leader is responsible for leading and supporting the daily activities of the purchasing team while ensuring the timely procurement of materials, components, and services required to support business operations. This position provides coaching, training, and guidance to buyers and serves as a resource for procurement processes, supplier management, and continuous improvement initiatives.

In addition to team leadership responsibilities, the Buyer Team Lead manages selected international suppliers and sourcing activities, ensuring cost competitiveness, quality, delivery performance, and compliance with applicable trade requirements. The role works closely with domestic and global suppliers, internal stakeholders, and supply chain leadership to ensure continuity of supply, operational efficiency, and achievement of organizational objectives.

The Buyer Team Lead supports the development of procurement talent, drives process improvement initiatives, and contributes to strategic sourcing efforts while building the leadership capabilities required for future advancement within the Supply Chain organization.

The position is based at Southworth International Group, Inc. (SIGI) in Manila, AR.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and developmental feedback to procurement team members
• Assist with onboarding, training, and development of new procurement employees
• Support workload balancing, task prioritization, and escalation management within the purchasing team
• Mentor team members and help build departmental capability and succession readiness
• Provide input on employee performance, development plans, and career progression discussions
• Participate in candidate interviews and hiring recommendations for procurement positions
• Support corrective action discussions and coaching efforts in partnership with Supply Chain leadership and Human Resources
• Lead departmental training initiatives and monitor completion of required development activities
• Lead cross-functional projects, process improvements, and digital transformation efforts within the supply chain function
• Present supplier performance, sourcing initiatives, cost savings projects, and procurement metrics to leadership
• Exercise decision-making authority related to supplier selection, sourcing recommendations, procurement priorities, and continuous improvement initiatives within established company guidelines
• Monitor supplier performance related to quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost
• Support trade compliance requirements and documentation associated with domestic and international purchases
• Manage assigned international suppliers and commodity categories
• Execute sourcing activities for imported materials, components, and finished goods
• Identify supply chain risks associated with global sourcing and develop mitigation plans
• Coordinate with suppliers, freight providers, brokers, and internal stakeholders to support international procurement activities
• Lead supplier negotiations for assigned international suppliers to achieve cost, quality, and service objectives
• Support supplier audits, business reviews, and strategic sourcing initiatives involving international suppliers
• Analyze market conditions, tariffs, freight trends, and supplier capacity constraints impacting global supply
• Collaborate with Supply Chain leadership on supplier development and cost reduction opportunities

Qualifications - Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field preferred
• 5+ years of procurement, sourcing, or supply chain experience with international supplier exposure
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications
• APICS/CPIM/CSCP certification preferred or willingness to pursue professional development
• Demonstrated ability to influence others, lead projects, and drive results without direct authority
• Experience managing complex supplier negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives
• Experience utilizing procurement metrics and data analysis to support business decisions

Measures of Success

• Achievement of supplier scorecard targets for quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness
• Annual cost savings and cost avoidance objectives achieved
• Inventory turn and working capital goals achieved
• Critical supplier continuity and risk mitigation plans maintained
• Procurement team training and development objectives completed
• Internal customer satisfaction with procurement support and responsiveness
• Successful onboarding and development of new team members
• Bench strength and succession readiness within the procurement function
• Successful completion of cross-functional projects supporting operational and strategic initiatives
• International supplier on-time delivery performance achieved
• Import cost management objectives achieved
• Trade compliance requirements maintained with no significant violations
• Supplier risk mitigation plans developed and maintained for key international suppliers
• Successful execution of international sourcing projects and supplier transitions

Working Conditions

• Office and manufacturing environment
• Interaction with domestic and international suppliers
• Occasional travel may be required for supplier visits, audits, trade events, and business meetings
• Occasional work outside normal business hours to support international suppliers and time zones

We’re an Equal Opportunity Employer: You’ll receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.

We’re only hiring those authorized to work in the United States. We do not currently sponsor immigration visas.

SIGI does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies. Any unsolicited resume will become the property of SIGI.