Position Summary The Senior Buyer operates as a key resource in the Supply Chain function driving acquisition of high-quality goods and services at optimal value to Burlington Medical. Responsible for managing direct material suppliers including quality, delivery, cost savings, benchmarking, and communication of policies and procedures.
Location: Newport News, VA (Onsite)
Key Responsibilities - Manages supply base to ensure high performance in cost, terms, quality, and delivery.
- Looks for ways to improve Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) within the supply base.
- Support supplier development initiatives aimed at improving quality, delivery, and cost competitiveness.
- Resolve quality and delivery issues with external suppliers.
- Reviews supplier performance and drives root cause analysis and corrective actions.
- Helps determine disposition of non-conforming goods in collaboration with Quality.
- Creates and manages purchase orders, including rescheduling, cancellations, and invoice reconciliation.
- Maintains accurate supplier and cost data within ERP/MRP systems.
- Proactively communicates supply disruptions or material availability risks to stakeholders.
- Negotiates supplier lead times and ensures timely delivery commitments.
- Supports acquisition of purchasing activities as needed.
- Monitors and analyzes supplier performance using KPI dashboards.
- Develops and maintains supplier scorecards and performance dashboards.
- Tracks and improves supplier metrics including delivery, quality, cost, and lead time.
- Partners with Planning to support material flow aligned with production and inventory requirements.
- Collaborates with Supply Planning to optimize procurement demand and inventory strategies.
- Monitors supplier lead times and identifies opportunities for lead time reduction.
- Supports excess and obsolete inventory reduction initiatives.
- Facilitates design, specification, and lifecycle changes with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Supports new product introduction (NPI) and engineering changes for purchased materials.
- Ensures supplier records, specifications, and regulatory documentation are current and compliant.
- Ensure compliance with company policies and procurement guidelines.
- Leads or supports internal and external supplier audits.
- Collaborates with Engineering, Finance, Quality, Regulatory, and Operations to meet business objectives.
- Leverages supplier capabilities to support operational efficiency and growth.
- Plans and executes work proactively, anticipating risks and driving projects to completion.
- Maintains effective communication across internal and external stakeholders.
- Performs additional duties as assigned.
Education & Experience - Bachelor's degree in relevant field or 3+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain analytics experience.
- Experience in manufacturing or medical device supply chains preferred.
- Proven track record in cost analysis, supplier negotiations, and performance improvement initiatives.
Skills & Competencies Analytical Skills - Advanced data analysis and supplier performance evaluation
- Root cause analysis and problem-solving
- Ability to translate procurement data into strategic insights
Technical Skills - ERP / MRP system experience
- Advanced Microsoft Excel (data modeling, pivot tables, analytics, PowerBI)
- Understanding of manufacturing and supply chain processes
Professional Skills - Strategic negotiation and supplier relationship management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Effective communication and presentation of analytical findings
Core Competencies - Data-driven decision making
- Detail oriented
- Strategic sourcing and supplier development
- Supply chain risk mitigation
- Cost optimization and financial discipline
- Continuous improvement mindset
