Job Description

Key Responsibilities
Procurement & Purchase Order Management
• Manage the complete lifecycle of purchase orders from creation through receipt.
• Ensure materials are delivered on time to support production and operational requirements.
• Monitor supplier acknowledgements and delivery commitments.
• Proactively identify supply risks and implement corrective actions before they impact operations.
• Expedite critical orders when required.
• Ensure purchase orders contain accurate pricing, quantities, delivery dates, freight terms, taxes, tariffs, and other commercial conditions.
• Maintain clear visibility of purchase order status and communicate updates to stakeholders.

Supplier Relationship & Performance Management
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with assigned suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance related to delivery, quality, responsiveness, lead times, and overall reliability.
• Resolve supplier issues quickly while minimizing operational disruption.
• Lead supplier negotiations and Request for Quotation (RFQ) activities.
• Evaluate suppliers based on total business value, including quality, cost, lead time, capacity, availability, and operational requirements.
• Identify and qualify alternate suppliers to improve supply continuity and reduce business risk.
• Escalate supplier performance concerns and sourcing risks as appropriate.

Strategic Sourcing
• Identify and evaluate new domestic and international suppliers to maintain a competitive and resilient supply base.
• Assess suppliers for capability, capacity, quality systems, financial stability, and long-term partnership potential.
• Support supplier diversification initiatives to reduce single-source dependencies.
• Recommend sourcing strategies that balance cost, quality, delivery, and business continuity.

Procurement Systems & Data Integrity
• Maintain accurate purchasing information within SAP, Coupa, and other procurement systems.
• Maintain supplier information records, source lists, pricing, minimum order quantities, standard order quantities, freight, tariffs, taxes, and other purchasing master data.
• Monitor purchase price variances and identify changes that exceed established thresholds.
• Maintain purchasing workbooks, reports, and procurement documentation to support accurate planning and reporting.

Cost Management
• Ensure purchasing activities align with approved budgets and standard costs.
• Monitor supplier price changes, tariffs, freight costs, and market conditions.
• Support cost reduction, cost avoidance, and supplier improvement initiatives.
• Investigate and resolve purchase price variances.

Operational Support & Issue Resolution
• Resolve purchasing-related issues including shipment shortages, damaged goods, incorrect deliveries, missing documentation, invoice discrepancies, and receiving issues.
• Partner with Warehouse, Planning, Operations, Engineering, and Accounts Payable to resolve procurement issues efficiently.
• Ensure purchasing issues are managed through to successful resolution.

Planning & Inventory Support
• Coordinate purchasing priorities with production schedules and demand forecasts.
• Ensure materials are available to support manufacturing requirements.
• Monitor inventory risks and proactively address potential shortages.
• Support planning activities through effective supplier communication and procurement execution.

Continuous Improvement
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes, supplier performance, cost efficiency, and operational effectiveness.
• Support procurement standardization and best practices.
• Contribute to departmental initiatives that improve supply chain performance.

Qualifications

Education
• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, or a related discipline is preferred.

Experience
• Five or more years of purchasing or procurement experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP.
• Experience with supplier management, RFQs, sourcing, and contract negotiations.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, inventory management, and supply chain operations.

Knowledge & Skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• High attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and procurement software.

Core Competencies
• Ownership and Accountability
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Planning and Prioritization
• Financial Acumen
• Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement
• Customer Focus

Success in This Role
A successful Senior Manufacturing Buyer is recognized as the trusted owner of their suppliers and procurement portfolio. They proactively anticipate supply risks, communicate effectively, make sound sourcing decisions, maintain accurate procurement data, and consistently ensure materials are available to support the business. They take ownership of problems, resolve issues with minimal supervision, and continuously seek opportunities to improve procurement performance and strengthen supplier partnerships.