Position Summary
The Buyer is responsible for purchasing materials, components, supplies, and services needed to support production and operational requirements. This position manages purchasing activities from supplier selection and purchase order placement through delivery, while balancing cost, quality, lead time, and production requirements.
The Buyer will work closely with suppliers and internal purchasing, planning, production, engineering, warehouse, and logistics teams. The ideal candidate has experience purchasing within a manufacturing environment and can effectively manage suppliers, negotiate pricing and delivery terms, resolve material shortages, and maintain accurate purchasing information within ERP/MRP systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Purchase materials, components, supplies, and services based on production and operational requirements.
- Review purchasing requirements and issue purchase orders to approved suppliers.
- Request and evaluate supplier quotes based on price, lead time, quality, availability, and delivery requirements.
- Negotiate pricing, lead times, quantities, and delivery commitments with suppliers.
- Monitor purchase orders and supplier commitments to ensure on-time delivery.
- Manage supplier relationships and communicate regularly regarding pricing, production schedules, shortages, and shipment status.
- Identify potential material shortages or supply disruptions and develop recovery plans with suppliers and internal teams.
- Follow up on past-due purchase orders and resolve late, incomplete, or incorrect deliveries.
- Coordinate purchasing requirements with planning, production, engineering, warehouse, and logistics teams.
- Maintain accurate purchasing, supplier, pricing, lead-time, and delivery information within ERP/MRP systems.
- Review inventory and production requirements to prioritize purchasing activities.
- Resolve discrepancies involving pricing, quantities, specifications, invoices, and delivery commitments.
- Support supplier selection, qualification, and performance management activities.
- Assist with identifying alternate suppliers and sourcing options when required.
- Support cost-reduction, supplier performance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Office-based environment.
- Fast-paced manufacturing and supply chain setting with frequent interaction across internal departments and external suppliers.
- Requires strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple suppliers, purchase orders, and changing production priorities.
Required Skills & Experience
- Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Logistics, or a related field preferred.
- 2–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, materials management, or a related role.
- Experience creating, managing, and tracking purchase orders.
- Experience obtaining supplier quotes and evaluating pricing, lead times, and delivery commitments.
- Experience communicating directly with suppliers and managing supplier relationships.
- Experience negotiating pricing, quantities, lead times, or delivery terms.
- Experience resolving late deliveries, shortages, pricing discrepancies, or supplier-related issues.
- Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
- Experience coordinating with production, planning, engineering, warehouse, and logistics teams.
- Ability to analyze purchasing requirements and identify potential material or supplier risks.
- Strong organizational, follow-up, and time-management skills.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision‑making abilities.
- Ability to independently manage multiple suppliers, purchase orders, and deadlines.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience purchasing materials or components within a manufacturing or electronics manufacturing environment.
- Experience with SAP ERP/MRP systems.
- APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, or similar purchasing/supply chain certification.
- Knowledge of sourcing, purchasing, inventory control, materials planning, and supplier management practices.
- Experience supporting supplier negotiations, cost-reduction initiatives, or supplier performance improvement.
- Experience identifying and qualifying alternate suppliers.
- Ability to analyze purchasing and supplier data to identify cost, delivery, or supply risks.