Senior Buyer - Strategic Sourcing

TrellisWare launched in 2000 with an innovative culture striving to push technological boundaries in the area of wireless communications. We are now a worldwide leader in highly advanced algorithms, waveforms, and communications systems that range from small form factor radio products to fully integrated solutions.

At TrellisWare, we connect passion with purpose and together we make an impact- on our careers, our company, and the world. And you can too. If you love to innovate and collaborate in a dynamic environment where boundaries are being pushed, you belong at TrellisWare. Where the opportunity to serve is not a challenge but a gift. Where you're never going alone. Because there's too much at stake to go solo.

Our Operations Team is seeking an on-site Senior Buyer - Strategic Sourcing. You would be responsible for sourcing strategy, supplier performance, and procurement execution for critical electronics and ruggedized hardware used in advanced wireless communications systems. This is an on-site role for a procurement professional who brings strong experience in electronics, defense, aerospace, or other advanced manufacturing environments and can operate effectively at both strategic and tactical levels.

In this role, you will lead sourcing and supplier management activities for technically complex commodities, working closely with engineering, operations, quality, finance, and program teams. You will play a key role in ensuring continuity of supply, improving supplier performance.

Enhancing cohesiveness and maintaining team morale is a responsibility of all our team members, as is the ambition for self-improvement and talent development. Through this dedication to unity and professional advancement, each team member is directly impacting the successful outcome of TrellisWare's deliverables and setting the tone for our core values of delivering excellence, pushing boundaries, and empowering people.

The essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Lead strategic sourcing activities for specialized commodities such as Printed Circuit board components, custom CNC-Machined parts, RF antennas, radio battery packs, ruggedized custom cables, and other technical or engineered components.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies that align with business needs, program requirements, production schedules, and long-term supply chain objectives.
• Build, manage, and strengthen supplier relationships to ensure high performance in quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, commercial terms, and supply agreements in support of company objectives and procurement best practices.
• Monitor market trends, supplier conditions, capacity constraints, and material risks to proactively identify issues and develop mitigation plans.
• Evaluate current and prospective suppliers, including supplier capability, cost structure, performance history, and strategic fit.
• Drive supplier performance management through KPIs, scorecards, reviews, and corrective action follow-up.
• Identify and implement opportunities for cost reduction, value improvement, risk mitigation, and alternate sourcing.
• Partner cross-functionally with engineering, operations, planning, quality, finance, and project teams to support production, development, and changing business priorities.
• Prepare and execute purchase orders in alignment with negotiated terms, planning requirements, and organizational goals.
• Resolve supplier issues related to pricing, quality, delivery, invoicing, and overall performance with urgency and sound judgment.
• Translate procurement, supplier, and market data into actionable insights and recommendations for internal stakeholders.
• Support a collaborative team environment built on trust, accountability, continuous improvement, and respect.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and work experience requirements are:

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 7-10 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, purchasing, or supply chain roles within electronics, defense, aerospace, or similar advanced manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience sourcing technical, custom, or engineered products and components.
• Strong experience in supplier negotiations, supplier relationship management, supplier development, and supplier performance tracking.
• Experience working with supplier KPIs, scorecards, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Preferred:
  • Master's degree in supply chain, business, engineering, or related field.
  • APICS CPIM, CPSM, CPM, or similar professional certification.
  • Experience in an electronics CM or OEM environment.

To be considered for this position, you would need to meet, at a minimum, the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed here:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience translating large data sets and procurement analytics into business insights and action.
• Demonstrated success supporting multiple internal and external stakeholders, with strong attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and the ability to balance strategic sourcing initiatives with day-to-day execution.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems used to manage procurement plans, transactions, and material activity.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint, with advanced Excel skills required.
• Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong collaborative drive and interpersonal skills.
• Strong initiative, proactive work ethic and prioritization skills.
• Effective execution and decision making.
• Champion of change and promotes innovation.

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met in order to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable those with qualified disabilities.

• Able to frequently sit, stand, walk, use hands to fingers, handle or feel, reach within hands and arm's length, stoop, kneel, and crouch, talk and hear.
• Regularly required to sit for extended periods of time; frequently required to use office equipment such as PC, printer, telephone, etc.
• Able to regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Additional requirements are:

• U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.

Note: Many of TrellisWare's positions require a security clearance or the ability to obtain one. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Disclaimer - The above statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Nothing in the job description restricts the company's right to change, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time for any reason.

TrellisWare Technologies pays competitively according to the market in an individual's geographic location, in addition to their qualifications and experience. The posted range is annually and for individuals located in the San Diego, CA area.

San Diego, California Pay Range

$95,000-$115,000 USD

*TrellisWare Technologies, Inc. is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets Employer.*

Check out the Careers page for more information about working at TrellisWare Technologies.