Job Title: Senior Buyer
Department: Operations
Reports To: Senior Manager Production Planning
SUMMARY: The Senior Buyer is responsible for the strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, and material availability required to support production, customer demand, and company growth objectives. This position plays a critical role in ensuring continuity of supply, reducing procurement risk, managing supplier performance, and supporting production schedules in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
The Senior Buyer serves as a key liaison between suppliers, Production Planning, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality to ensure materials are delivered on time, at the required quality standards, and at the best total cost.
The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical skills, supplier relationship management experience, and a deep understanding of MRP-driven manufacturing environments.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:
Procurement & Supplier Management
- Manage assigned supplier portfolio and maintain strong supplier relationships.
- Issue and manage purchase orders, blanket orders, and long-term agreements.
- Monitor supplier delivery performance, quality performance, and capacity constraints.
- Lead supplier negotiations involving pricing, lead times, payment terms, and contractual requirements.
- Identify and qualify alternate sources of supply to mitigate risk.
- Support strategic sourcing initiatives and supplier consolidation efforts.
- Conduct supplier business reviews and continuous improvement discussions.
Production Support
- Ensure material availability to support production schedules and customer commitments.
- Review MRP recommendations and execute purchasing actions accordingly.
- Expedite critical material shortages and manage recovery plans with suppliers.
- Collaborate with Production Planning to prioritize supply issues impacting revenue and customer deliveries.
- Analyze shortages, inventory levels, and supply risks.
Inventory & Cost Management
- Manage inventory levels to support company objectives while minimizing excess and obsolete inventory.
- Support inventory optimization initiatives.
- Monitor supplier pricing and identify cost savings opportunities.
- Evaluate total cost of ownership when making sourcing decisions.
Supplier Performance & Risk Management
- Track and report supplier on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness, and capacity.
- Develop corrective action plans for underperforming suppliers.
- Identify supply chain risks and proactively develop mitigation plans.
- Monitor long-lead and sole-source components.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Engineering on new product introductions and supplier selection.
- Partner with Quality on supplier corrective actions and qualification activities.
- Support Operations, Manufacturing, and Planning teams during production escalations.
- Participate in Engineering Change Order (ECO) implementation activities.
Systems & Reporting
- Maintain accurate procurement data within the ERP system.
- Generate reports related to supplier performance, shortages, and inventory health.
- Drive process improvements that reduce manual workarounds and increase visibility.
- Support ERP implementation, enhancement, and continuous improvement efforts.
Miscellaneous Responsibilities
- MUST LOVE GUNS!
- Up to 15% travel
This position is expected to be onsite.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
None
ITAR Requirements
EXPORT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
- This position must meet U.S. export control compliance requirements. To meet U.S. export control compliance requirements, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.
EXPORT CONTROL DETAILS
- US based job, US Person required
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of purchasing or procurement experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong experience working within ERP/MRP systems. Experience with Epicor, SYSPRO, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle, or similar ERP systems preferred.
- Experience managing suppliers and negotiating commercial agreements.
- Experience with supplier development and strategic sourcing initiatives.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and relationship management abilities.
- Experience within defense, aerospace, electronics, electro-optics, firearms, or regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
- Experience supporting ITAR and export-controlled products preferred.
- Experience managing electronic, machined, and custom-manufactured components preferred.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to negotiate and write contracts.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts and interest, analyze quotations and quantify requirements using MRP calculations.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
- APICS, CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, or similar certification preferred.
COMPUTER SKILLS
Intermediate to Advanced Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and Outlook. MRP skills in a Manufacturing environment required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This position requires the incumbent to stand, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl occasionally and regularly requires walking, sitting, talking, and using hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee may occasionally lift up to 20 pounds. The employee will be required to use a computer and talk on the phone.
Specific vision abilities required by this job are close, distance, color and peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate in an office environment. (Examples: business office with computers and/or computer printers, light traffic)
Employment with B.E. Meyers & Co. is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, Veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.