Buyer

Buyer

The Buyer executes the purchasing cycle for assigned direct material commodities and suppliers, converting demand signals from the MRP system into placed, confirmed, and delivered purchase orders. The position is accountable for material arriving on the date the production schedule requires it, at the negotiated price, with complete quality and export documentation.

Due to the complex nature of the work, the Buyer exercises independent judgment in supplier selection within approved sources, order quantity and timing decisions, expedite and de-expedite actions, and the resolution of pricing, delivery, and quality issues with suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

Purchase Order Execution:

• Convert MRP requirements and requisitions into purchase orders with correct part, revision, quantity, price, and required date.
• Obtain supplier acknowledgement on every order and reconcile acknowledged dates against need dates, escalating gaps before they become shortages.
• Maintain accurate order dates, quantities, and status in the MRP system so that planning and production are working from real data.
• Manage the open order book actively, including reschedules, cancellations, and de-expedites when demand moves.

Schedule Protection and Expediting:

• Monitor past due and at risk purchase orders daily and drive recovery with suppliers.
• Communicate confirmed recovery dates and residual risk to Planning, Production, and the Supply Chain Manager as soon as they are known.
• Identify alternate sources, partial shipments, premium freight, or substitutions when they are the difference between meeting and missing a customer commitment.
• Support shortage resolution in the daily production standup with current, verified information.

Cost and Supplier Performance:

• Negotiate price, lead time, minimum order quantity, and terms within delegated authority and document the outcome.
• Track and act on purchase price variance for assigned commodities and identify cost reduction opportunities.
• Monitor supplier on time delivery and quality performance, conduct performance conversations, and escalate chronic underperformance.
• Support supplier qualification, requalification, and corrective action with Quality and Engineering.

Compliance and Documentation:

• Ensure purchase orders carry the required quality clauses, certification requirements, and flow down requirements for the material being purchased.
• Verify certificates of conformance, material certifications, and inspection documentation are received with the material.
• Comply with ITAR and export control requirements governing supplier communication and technical data.
• Maintain purchase records to AS9100 and ISO 9001 retention and traceability requirements.

Continuous Improvement:

• Improve item level planning parameters, including lead time, safety stock, order policy, and minimum order quantity, based on actual supplier performance.
• Identify and reduce sources of expediting, premium freight, and excess inventory rather than managing around them.
• Support inventory accuracy, obsolescence review, and disposition of excess material.
• Participate in continuous improvement events affecting the supply chain.

Competencies

The ten competencies below define successful performance in this position.

1. Order Execution Accuracy. Places and maintains purchase orders with correct part, revision, price, quantity, and date, and keeps MRP data true to reality.
2. Schedule Ownership. Owns the arrival date of assigned material, drives recovery on late orders, and escalates risk early rather than after the miss.
3. Supplier Negotiation. Negotiates price, lead time, and terms effectively within authority and documents commitments clearly.
4. Cost Management. Understands and manages purchase price variance, total landed cost, and the cost consequences of expediting decisions.
5. MRP Fluency. Uses the system as the source of truth, understands how planning parameters drive signals, and maintains data integrity.
6. Problem Resolution. Resolves pricing, quality, and delivery disputes to closure rather than passing them along.
7. Attendance. Is present, on time, and ready to work as scheduled. Follows call-in and time reporting requirements and manages planned time off so that commitments to the team and the customer are not put at risk.
8. Culture. Lives the CCS values in daily work. Treats people with respect, communicates directly and without gossip, supports decisions once they are made, and contributes to an environment where people can do their best work.
9. Safety. Works safely and protects others. Follows all safety rules, procedures, and personal protective equipment requirements, reports hazards, incidents, and near misses immediately, and does not take shortcuts under pressure.
10. Compliance. Follows CCS policies, procedures, and the requirements of the quality and export control systems that govern the work. Completes required training, keeps accurate records, and raises concerns rather than working around a requirement.

Skills and Requirements

• Must be a US Person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR 120.15) due to the export controlled nature of CCS products and technical data.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related field preferred. Equivalent purchasing experience will be considered in place of a degree.
• Three or more years of purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment. Aerospace, defense, or another regulated industry preferred.
• Working knowledge of MRP systems and the ability to interpret and act on planning signals.
• Demonstrated negotiation experience with suppliers on price, lead time, and terms.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and revision levels sufficiently to purchase correctly.
• Working knowledge of AS9100 or ISO 9001 purchasing requirements, including quality clauses and certification requirements, preferred.
• Proficiency in Excel and standard business software.
• APICS CPIM, CSCP, or ISM CPSM certification preferred.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is continuously required to sit, stand, use hands and fingers, walk, carry, climb, bend, reach, turn, twist, push, and pull, talk or hear, and move within the areas of the facilities and parking lots. A computer is used to access, input, and retrieve data. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust and focus.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Custom Control Sensors, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of CCS to provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. The policy not to discriminate includes, but is not limited to, advertising for positions, recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, rates of pay, discipline and termination.