Senior Buyer
Senior Buyer
Reports To: Purchasing Manager
Position Summary
Join a highly specialized aerospace manufacturer supporting mission-critical aviation and defense programs through the production, repair, and service of complex engineered products. Operating within a highly regulated environment, this organization has built a longstanding reputation for technical excellence, precision manufacturing, and operational reliability. Supporting customers across both commercial and defense sectors, the company plays a critical role in delivering products where safety, performance, and quality are essential to mission success.
The Senior Buyer will serve as a strategic partner to Operations, Engineering, Quality, Planning, and Finance, leading procurement initiatives that directly impact production performance, customer delivery commitments, supplier relationships, and overall supply chain efficiency. This position is responsible for sourcing complex components and services, developing supplier strategies, mitigating supply chain risk, and ensuring material availability in support of a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead procurement activities for aerospace components, raw materials, assemblies, and specialized processing services supporting production and customer delivery commitments.
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies while managing RFQs, supplier negotiations, and cost-reduction initiatives.
- Analyze MRP requirements, production schedules, and inventory levels to ensure material availability and minimize supply chain disruptions.
- Evaluate and manage supplier performance across quality, delivery, capacity, compliance, and continuous improvement objectives.
- Ensure purchase orders accurately reflect engineering specifications, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory and quality flow-down requirements.
- Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Planning teams to resolve supplier issues, mitigate risks, and support operational excellence.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field required.
Experience
- 5+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience within aerospace, defense, aviation, manufacturing, or another highly regulated industry.
- Experience sourcing complex components, raw materials, and specialized manufacturing services.
- Hands-on experience utilizing ERP/MRP systems to support procurement and production planning.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong understanding of manufacturing supply chains, procurement best practices, and supplier relationship management.
- Knowledge of aerospace quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer flow-down requirements.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of materials (BOMs), and technical documentation.
- Proven supplier negotiation, contract management, and cost analysis capabilities.
- Experience managing supplier performance, mitigating supply chain risk, and resolving delivery or quality issues.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate across Engineering, Operations, Planning, Quality, and Finance.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting aerospace, defense, military, or OEM manufacturing programs.
- Familiarity with AS9100, ITAR, FAR, DFARS, export compliance, and government contracting requirements.
- Experience sourcing precision-machined components, forgings, castings, assemblies, and special processing services.
- Professional certification such as CPSM, CSCP, CPIM, or similar supply chain credential.
FAQs
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