Senior Buyer

Job Description

Job Description

SENIOR BUYER

Department: Purchasing / Materials
Reports To: COO
Location: Lexington, South Carolina
Position Type: Full-Time, On Site

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Buyer is responsible for the timely, cost-effective procurement of materials, components, supplies, and services required to support the company’s manufacturing operations. This position manages assigned suppliers, monitors purchasing requirements, negotiates pricing and delivery terms, and ensures materials are available to support production schedules and customer requirements.

The Senior Buyer works closely with Materials, Production, Engineering, Quality, Accounting, and other departments to maintain an efficient and reliable supply chain. This position is expected to proactively identify and resolve material shortages, supplier issues, pricing concerns, and delivery problems while identifying opportunities to reduce costs, improve supplier performance, and strengthen the company’s purchasing processes.

The Senior Buyer is expected to exercise sound judgment, work independently, and take ownership of assigned purchasing responsibilities from initial requirements through supplier delivery and resolution of issues.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESPurchasing & Materials Management

• Review MRP/ERP requirements, inventory levels, demand, lead times, and production schedules to determine purchasing needs.
• Create, issue, and maintain purchase orders for assigned materials, components, supplies, and services.
• Ensure purchased materials are ordered in the correct quantities and delivered when required.
• Monitor open purchase orders and follow up with suppliers regarding delivery commitments.
• Proactively identify potential material shortages and take appropriate action to prevent production interruptions.
• Expedite materials when necessary to support production requirements.
• Maintain accurate purchasing information, including pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and supplier information.
• Review and maintain appropriate inventory levels in coordination with Materials Planning and Operations.
• Experience with HTS Codes used to classify and determine tariff rates.

Supplier Management

• Develop and maintain professional working relationships with assigned suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance related to quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost.
• Communicate company expectations and requirements to suppliers.
• Address supplier delivery, quality, pricing, and service issues in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with Quality regarding supplier quality concerns and corrective actions.
• Assist with identifying and evaluating alternate sources of supply.
• Maintain appropriate supplier records and documentation.
• Escalate significant or recurring supplier problems to management.

Pricing & Negotiation

• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, freight, minimum quantities, and other purchasing terms within established authority.
• Review supplier price increases and provide appropriate analysis and recommendations.
• Identify opportunities for cost reductions and improved purchasing terms.
• Support annual supplier pricing reviews and negotiations.
• Monitor material costs and communicate significant market or pricing changes to management.

Cross-Functional Support

• Work closely with Production and Materials Planning to ensure material availability.
• Partner with Engineering regarding specifications, engineering changes, bills of material, and new or revised components.
• Work with Quality to resolve supplier-related quality concerns.
• Coordinate with Accounting regarding purchasing documentation, pricing discrepancies, invoices, and supplier issues.
• Support Operations in resolving material shortages and other supply-related problems.
• Provide purchasing information and recommendations to management as needed.

New Product & Engineering Support

• Support sourcing activities associated with new products and engineering changes.
• Obtain supplier quotations for new or revised components.
• Assist Engineering and Operations in identifying capable and competitive suppliers.
• Evaluate supplier pricing, lead times, capabilities, and availability.
• Assist with supplier selection and qualification activities.

Cost Reduction & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and recommend opportunities to reduce material and purchasing costs.
• Assist with supplier consolidation and alternate-source initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve lead times, order quantities, payment terms, freight costs, and purchasing processes.
• Participate in continuous-improvement initiatives involving Purchasing, Materials, Production, Quality, and Engineering.
• Recommend improvements to purchasing procedures and systems.
• Maintain awareness of market conditions and supplier trends that may affect the company’s costs or supply.

ERP/MRP & Documentation

• Maintain accurate purchasing data within the company’s ERP/MRP system. Epicor experience, preferred.
• Ensure purchase orders accurately reflect quantities, pricing, delivery dates, specifications, and other requirements.
• Maintain purchasing records and documentation in accordance with company procedures.
• Review purchasing reports and data to identify discrepancies, trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain confidentiality of company pricing, supplier information, and other proprietary information.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Purchasing, or related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of purchasing/procurement experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing suppliers and purchasing materials in a production environment.
• Strong understanding of purchasing, inventory management, MRP/ERP systems, and supplier management.
• Demonstrated negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Ability to prioritize multiple requirements and work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience purchasing manufactured components, fabricated parts, machined components, stamped parts, welded components, hardware, or similar products.
• Experience working with an ERP/MRP purchasing system.
• Experience with supplier quality and corrective-action processes.
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, and bills of material.
• APICS/ASCM certification or other supply-chain certification.
• Experience with cost analysis and supplier negotiations.
• Experience supporting new product development or engineering changes.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Purchasing & Supply Chain

• Strong knowledge of purchasing and procurement practices.
• Understanding of manufacturing supply chains and material requirements.
• Ability to evaluate supplier performance and purchasing requirements.

Negotiation

• Ability to negotiate pricing, delivery, terms, and other purchasing conditions.
• Ability to develop productive supplier relationships while protecting company interests.

Analytical & Problem Solving

• Ability to analyze purchasing data, costs, inventory, lead times, and supplier performance.
• Ability to identify root causes and develop practical solutions to purchasing and supply problems.

Organization

• Ability to manage multiple suppliers, purchase orders, priorities, and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Communication

• Ability to communicate effectively with suppliers and internal departments.
• Ability to clearly communicate purchasing issues, risks, and recommendations to management.

Accountability

• Takes ownership of assigned suppliers, materials, purchase orders, and issues.
• Follows problems through to resolution rather than simply identifying them.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and makes timely decisions.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The Senior Buyer will routinely interact with:

• Purchasing/Materials
• Production
• Operations
• Engineering
• Quality
• Accounting/Finance
• Warehouse
• Scheduling/Planning
• Company Leadership
• External Suppliers and Service Providers

DECISION-MAKING & AUTHORITY

The Senior Buyer is expected to independently manage assigned purchasing responsibilities within established company policies, procedures, budgets, and approval limits.

The position has authority to:

• Negotiate routine supplier pricing and terms within established limits.
• Select suppliers from approved sources for assigned purchases.
• Expedite or adjust deliveries to support production requirements.
• Recommend alternate suppliers and sourcing options.
• Recommend cost-reduction opportunities.
• Escalate significant supplier, quality, cost, or supply-chain risks to management.

Major supplier changes, significant contracts, unusual expenditures, or purchases outside established authority require appropriate management approval.

PHYSICAL & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The position primarily works in an office environment but regularly interacts with manufacturing, warehouse, and production areas. The employee may occasionally be required to walk through the plant, attend supplier meetings, or visit supplier facilities.