Job SummaryThe Senior Buyer reports to the Purchasing Manager and is responsible for procurement of materials, inventory levels, supplier management, and continuous improvement in support of production operations.
Essential Job Functions- Procure materials & equipment in support of production and internal operations.
- Negotiate basic price, terms, and conditions through ethical and professional negotiations; obtain quotes, place and expedite orders and resolve discrepancies as needed.
- Manage material flow and inventory levels, of assigned commodities, to ensure proper flow of materials to production.
- Understand and communicate specifications, as well as design changes, to suppliers.
- Maintain and update costs in the system to ensure accurate reporting.
- Continually assess supplier capabilities via periodic visits to their facilities.
- Monitor supplier performance and communicate performance results.
- Follow-up with suppliers on continuous improvement activities including corrective actions related to performance.
- Manage communications of non-conforming materials to and from suppliers.
- Builds and maintains strong cross-functional relationships, effectively collaborating with internal stakeholders to align procurement strategies with business objectives.
- May provide leadership to assigned team members, including overseeing day-to-day activities, conducting performance evaluations, and supporting employee development.
- Acts as a change agent by identifying opportunities for improvement and driving adoption of new processes, tools, and best practices across the department.
- Participate in and support continuous improvement efforts to increase efficiency, reduce costs and achieve company goals.
- Identify supply sources for new materials and purchase the required materials to support those efforts.
Requirements
- BA or BS degree (Business, Operations Mgmt., Supply Chain Mgmt., related) strongly preferred with 5+ years of experience in a purchasing, materials management, or supply chain role.
- Previous project leadership and experience leading change, both internally and externally, required.
- Demonstrated experience with ERP/MRP systems and demand-base planning systems is essential. Experience with Epicor is a plus.
- Experience with Lean Manufacturing, and/or Six Sigma strongly desired.
- Experience using Microsoft Office Suite required.
- APICS certification strongly desired.
- Requires strong problem solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
- Must display excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work with all levels of an organization.
- Some travel may be required.
