The Aerospace Corporation

Buyer III

The Aerospace Corporation$84K — $126K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, or related field
  • 4-6 years of experience in strategic sourcing or supplier management
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook
  • Understanding of the end-to-end procurement lifecycle
  • Advanced project management skills for procurement schedules
  • Strong financial acumen for pricing strategies and bid evaluations

Responsibilities

  • Lead sourcing and procurement of indirect goods and services
  • Evaluate sourcing activities and analyze supplier performance
  • Conduct market analysis to inform sourcing strategies
  • Develop negotiation strategies and contract structures
  • Administer sourcing events and manage supplier selection
  • Forecast product and service demand to align with business needs
  • Implement evaluation procedures for supplier performance

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
  • Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
  • Flexible work schedules, including telework options
  • Generous 401(k) plan with company-paid benefits and immediate vesting
  • Education assistance programs
  • Professional growth and development opportunities
  • Relocation assistance
  • Inclusive work environment promoting teamwork and respect
Full Job Description

Job Summary

The Supply Chain department manages all aspect of procurement for The Aerospace Corporation. As a Strategic Sourcing Buyer Level III – Indirect Goods and Services, you will apply for your experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and category leadership to deliver value across multiple business areas.  You will partner with internal stakeholders and suppliers to drive operational efficiency, manage costs, and support innovation while ensuring compliance with corporate and government procurement requirements. 

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, onsite at one of our campus locations in El Segundo, CA or Chantilly, VA

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Lead the sourcing and procurement of indirect goods and services to drive competitive value, supplier performance, and operational excellence across the enterprise.
  • Evaluate and improve sourcing activities, analyzing supplier performance, market conditions, and cost structures to identify opportunities for efficiency and innovation.
  • Conduct formal market analysis to assess market trends, behaviors, and cost drivers to support sourcing strategy development.
  • Develop negotiation strategies, contract structures, and pricing models to ensure best value outcomes and risk mitigation.
  • Administer sourcing events (RFPs, RFIs, RFQs), lead supplier selection, and manage negotiations and award processes in alignment with category strategies.
  • Forecast and plan product and service demand for assigned categories and contracts, ensuring alignment with business needs.
  • Implement procedures and tools to continuously evaluate supplier performance, cost competitiveness, and deliverability.
  • Manage post-award supplier performance through Supplier Relationship Management, continuous improvement initiatives, and innovation across assigned categories.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Buyer III:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain or related field
  • 4-6 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or supplier management.
  • Strong skills in Microsoft Office: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook
  • Demonstrated understanding of and experience with the end to end procurement lifecycle – from sourcing strategy through supplier management.
  • Advanced Project management skills to build, manage, and meet effective procurement schedules
  • Advanced financial acumen and analytical skills required to construct pricing strategies/exhibits, conduct bid evaluation, and justify pricing reasonableness

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

  • Ariba/SAP experience
  • Aerospace industry experience
  • Experience setting up strategic purchasing agreements related to indirect categories including but not limited to: office supplies, IT-related materials & services, marketing-related services, capital, HR related services (recruitment, training, contract labor), travel management services, professional services (consultants), facilities maintenance/repair/operations, and design/construction sourcing methodologies (ex: Job Order Contracts)

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below.  Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

$84,600.00 - $126,900.00

Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

  • Operate Strategically
  • Lead Change
  • Engage with Impact
  • Foster Innovation
  • Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

  • Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

  • Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

  • Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

  • 401(k) Plan 6 Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

  • Flexible spending accounts

  • Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

  • Relocation assistance

  • Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

  • Education assistance programs

  • An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

About The Aerospace Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation is a nonprofit corporation that operates a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) headquartered in El Segundo, California. The corporation provides technical guidance and advice on all aspects of space missions to military, civil, and commercial customers. Aerospace also designs and develops spacecraft, sensors, and other systems in support of national security, civil, and commercial customers. The corporation has more than 4,000 employees and operates a number of laboratories and test facilities across the United States.
Learn more about The Aerospace Corporation
Size
4,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1960

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