Tactical Buyer

What you'll do:

Eaton's IS AER MSD division is currently seeking a Tactical Buyer. This role is based in Orchard Park, NY.
The expected annual salary range for this role is $69,000 - $101,000 a year.


Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.


Job Summary:
The Tactical Buyer is responsible for managing day-to-day procurement activities by monitoring demand, issuing RFQs, negotiating pricing, and ensuring timely placement and management of purchase orders to support uninterrupted material flow. The role ensures full compliance with U.S. Government procurement regulations, maintains accurate purchasing data in Oracle, and provides reliable delivery commitments to internal stakeholders. The Tactical Buyer resolves operational issues such as invoice discrepancies, RIHOLDs, NCRs, and ECO-driven changes by coordinating closely with suppliers, Receiving, Quality, and Engineering.


Job Responsibilities:
• Monitor demand daily, issue RFQs promptly, and negotiate pricing to minimize cost increases and support financial performance.
• Place, manage, and expedite purchase orders to ensure material availability, maintaining a clear and accurate PO log and resolving overdue, unconfirmed, or exception driven orders.
• Maintain audit ready compliance folders and ensure all procurement activities tied to U.S. Government contracts and DPAS rated orders comply with ITAR, EAR, FAR, DPAS, and related regulations, including strict control of technical data and supplier documentation.
• Provide timely and reliable delivery commitments to internal stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate purchasing data-including supplier information, pricing, and lead times-in Oracle.
• Investigate and resolve invoice holds and price/quantity discrepancies to ensure timely payment and prevent supply interruptions.
• Process ECO notifications, communicate updates to suppliers, and update purchase orders to align with revised engineering requirements.
• Process NCRs by coordinating supplier RMAs and ensuring timely RTV transactions.
• Work closely with the Receiving team to resolve RIHOLDs promptly.
• Utilize digital supply chain tools and analytics platforms to enhance efficiency, transparency, and data driven decision making.
• Engage the Strategic Procurement team to initiate negotiations on contracts, pricing, and terms to secure competitive, compliant long-term agreements.
• Execute sourcing strategies for assigned commodities to drive cost savings, reduce risk, and strengthen supplier capability.
• Maintain and update the SOTIF database, monitor supplier KPIs, and drive performance improvements as needed.
• Manage supplier relationships within assigned categories by holding regular weekly/monthly calls with critical suppliers to review performance, risks, and open actions, and by reviewing the weekly Open Order Report for all assigned suppliers to ensure on time delivery and timely issue resolution.
• Support plant inventory targets through effective coordination and collaboration with cross functional teams.
• Collaborate with planning, production, engineering, and quality teams to support component gating, engineering changes, and resolution of inbound material issues.
• Support plant and divisional project initiatives by contributing to cross functional efforts, ensuring timely execution of assigned tasks, and providing procurement expertise as needed.

Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and 1 year of supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment; OR
• Associate degree from an accredited institution and 3 years of supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment; OR
• High School Diploma/GED from an accredited institution and 5 years of supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship now or in the future.
• No relocation assistance will be provided for this position. Only candidates who currently reside within 50 miles of Orchard Park, NY facility will be considered. Active-Duty Military Service members are exempt from this geographic requirement.
• This position requires access to information and/or hardware subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must qualify as U.S. Persons under ITAR, which includes U.S. Citizens, U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders), Political Asylees, and Refugees.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to read and interpret basic engineering drawings and blueprints to verify material requirements, specifications, and supplier deliverables. Proficient Microsoft Office experience
• ERP system experience (SAP, Oracle)
• Skilled experience with negotiation
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to work under pressure with a strong sense of urgency, effectively prioritizing tasks in a fast paced, time sensitive environment.

We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Eaton believes in second chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws.

You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

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We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.