Strategic Buyer

Job Description

Job Description

We are looking for a Strategic Buyer to join our team in Syracuse, NY and play a key role in ensuring our manufacturing operations have the equipment, materials, and production parts needed to meet customer requirements. In this role, you will work in a global supply environment, partnering closely with suppliers and internal teams to achieve the best quality, delivery, and Total Cost of Ownership. This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive procurement professional who enjoys negotiation, supplier management, problem-solving, and making a measurable impact on business performance. Interested? Keep reading!

Your responsibilities will include coordinating Production Part Approval Processes (PPAPs), as well as supporting production ramp-up and ramp-down activities and supplier onboarding in accordance with company standards. You will serve as a primary escalation point for supplier quality and delivery issues, document supplier performance, and support corrective actions to improve on-time delivery and overall supplier performance. You will maintain lead-time, vendor management, procurement master data, and SAP/ERP information while monitoring supplier capacity against forecasts and working with production and sales to address potential supply gaps. You will manage supplier relationships by evaluating technical capabilities, risk, and performance; supporting supplier development and visits; coordinating supplier releases; and maintaining an effective supplier base. You will lead RFx activities, negotiations, and supplier award processes while identifying and driving cost-improvement opportunities. You will collaborate with engineering, product development, production, sales, quality, and other cross-functional teams to ensure successful implementation of projects and changes. In addition, you will resolve vendor returns and purchase order discrepancies, including pricing and quantity errors; manage standard versus purchase pricing and price-change reporting; create and maintain Service Level Agreements; support reimbursement activities; and proactively coordinate with internal departments to forecast and secure future material requirements.

We are looking for a proactive and results-oriented procurement professional with a degree or relevant education in logistics, supply chain, business administration, manufacturing, quality, technology, process engineering, or a related field. You should have at least three years of experience in parts and supplier management, with strong business acumen and a proven track record of delivering results as a Buyer. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, as is the ability to influence others and build effective relationships across functions and with external suppliers. You should bring advanced negotiation, critical-thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to identify and lead cost-improvement initiatives. Experience with ERP systems, particularly SAP, is strongly preferred, as are excellent Microsoft Office skills, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. We value individuals who are flexible, creative, dependable, adaptable, detail-oriented, and willing to take a hands-on, “can-do” approach to challenges. Excellent command of English, both written and spoken, is required.

We also appreciate candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to teamwork, continuous learning, and process improvement. The ability to establish productive partnerships, share best practices, and drive consistent procurement processes across internal and external stakeholders will help you succeed in this role. Experience working in a manufacturing environment, supporting new product development or production changes, managing supplier corrective actions, and developing suppliers would be highly beneficial. We value individuals who demonstrate corporate responsibility, communicate professionally with internal and external customers, take ownership of their work, and consistently focus on safety, quality, and organizational effectiveness. Candidates who are comfortable leading change, working through complex supplier issues, and balancing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment will stand out.

We offer you an interesting, challenging, and responsible position where you can make a direct impact on our manufacturing operations and supplier performance. You will work alongside experienced professionals in a collaborative and multicultural environment where teamwork, continuous learning, and process improvement are encouraged. This is an excellent opportunity for professional growth within a dynamic organization, with opportunities to develop your procurement, supplier management, negotiation, and business skills while working closely with teams across the organization. We support our employees in reaching their potential and contribute to an environment where people work together, share knowledge, and support each other.

Main responsibilities:

· Coordinate Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) activities and support production ramp-up and ramp-down.

· Onboard suppliers according to company standards and requirements.

· Act as a primary escalation point for supplier quality and delivery issues.

· Monitor and document supplier performance and support supplier corrective actions to improve on-time delivery.

· Maintain supplier lead-time and vendor management information.

· Monitor supplier capacity against production forecasts and work with production and sales to resolve capacity or demand misalignments.

· Manage supplier relationships, including evaluating technical capabilities, risk, and performance.

· Trigger and support supplier development activities, supplier visits, supplier releases, and ongoing supplier performance management.

· Maintain accurate supplier and procurement information in SAP/ERP systems.

· Lead RFx, negotiation, and supplier award processes.

· Identify and lead cost-improvement initiatives.

· Collaborate with engineering, product development, product architecture, production, quality, sales, and other cross-functional teams to ensure timely project implementation.

· Handle vendor returns and resolve purchase order errors related to pricing, quantities, and other discrepancies.

· Apply technical knowledge to effectively manage procurement activities within the assigned area of responsibility.

· Monitor standard price versus purchase price and manage pricing and price-change reporting.

· Own and maintain procurement master data.

· Create and maintain Service Level Agreements with suppliers.

· Proactively work with internal departments to forecast material requirements and ensure supply continuity.

· Support continuous improvement initiatives, share best practices, and help establish consistent procurement processes.

· Support and follow up on supplier reimbursement activities.

· Perform other duties as assigned.

What we expect from you

· A bachelor's degree or relevant certificate in logistics, supply chain, business administration, manufacturing, quality, technology, process engineering, or a related field is preferred.

· At least three years of experience in parts and supplier management, procurement, purchasing, or a related manufacturing environment.

· Strong supplier management, negotiation, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

· Demonstrated ability to identify and lead cost-reduction and process-improvement initiatives.

· Strong business acumen and the ability to partner effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

· Ability to influence others, manage change, and work effectively across functions.

· Proven ability to take ownership of Buyer deliverables and resolve complex problems in a timely and professional manner.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an excellent command of English.

· Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

· ERP experience is strongly preferred, particularly SAP or a similar procurement system.

· A flexible, creative, dependable, and adaptable approach, with a strong “can-do” attitude.

· Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.

· Commitment to teamwork, continuous learning, safety, and continuous improvement.

· Ability to work onsite consistently to support manufacturing requirements.

· Ability to work at a workstation for extended periods and perform occasional bending, stooping, and crouching.

· Ability to meet the physical requirements of working in both office and manufacturing environments.

We also appreciate

· Experience with PPAP, supplier development, new product introduction, production ramp-up/ramp-down, or manufacturing change management.

· Experience managing supplier quality and delivery corrective actions.

· Experience working with global suppliers and cross-functional teams.

· Experience negotiating material pricing, contracts, Service Level Agreements, and commercial terms.

· Strong technical knowledge related to manufacturing, production processes, materials, or engineering.

· A demonstrated commitment to attention to detail, corporate responsibility, communication, organizational effectiveness, teamwork, continuous learning, dependability, adaptability, diversity, and safety.

· A continuous-improvement mindset and willingness to challenge existing processes and identify better ways of working.

· The ability to build trusted relationships while holding suppliers and internal stakeholders accountable for commitments and results.

Physical demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, and have hand and finger dexterity. The employee is regularly required to see, talk and hear. In an office setting, the employee may occasionally, stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee will frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work environment

This job operates in and out of a professional office environment. This position will have work that may be in an office or manufacturing setting. This position interacts with both internal and external customers in a professional, courteous manner, while keeping information confidential as needed. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, filing cabinets and copiers. While in the manufacturing environment, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to humid conditions; fumes or airborne particles; heat; cold; risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately loud. Mandatory PPE’s must be worn as required.

We offer a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401K, long and short-term disability, life, training, tuition reimbursement, and Paid Time Off (PTO).

Location: Syracuse, NY .

Pay Range: $63,000-$75,000 Annually (DOE)

Note, that this role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization.

We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found.

Bluefors Cryocooler Technologies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of disability status, veteran status, or any other New York State or federally protected characteristic.