Buyer / Direct Procurement Specialist (212902)

Aquent; North Reading (MA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquent is partnering with a globally recognized leader to hire a skilled Buyer to drive procurement for critical materials. You will own supplier relationships, manage purchase orders, monitor availability, and mitigate risks affecting production schedules.

The role emphasizes hands-on procurement in ERP, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration with Planning, Commodity Management, and Supply Chain leadership.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience as a Buyer or direct procurement professional, owning supplier relationships and programs.
• Experience purchasing production materials or components, electronics, PCBAs, electromechanical assemblies or hardware.
• Proficient with ERP systems for PO execution, rescheduling, and supply-demand tracking.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel, PivotTables, and data lookups.
• Experience with SQL querying and data-visualization tools such as Tableau or Amazon QuickSight.
• Strong communication across functions and stakeholders, multitasking in fast-paced environments.
• Bachelor’s degree or certification in a relevant field is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Purchase materials and equipment from suppliers, including electromechanical assemblies, PCBAs, hardware, and non-inventory items.
• Manage supplier relationships and monitor KPIs reported to senior leadership.
• Provide procurement data and insights for scorecards and business reviews.
• Plan material requirements and maintain accurate supply and delivery schedules in ERP.
• Communicate forecasts and material needs clearly to suppliers.
• Identify supply risks and develop mitigation strategies with planning.
• Monitor open POs, expediting, and delivery commitments.
• Support Global Commodity Management with supplier relationships and supplier performance.
• Resolve PO receiving errors and assist with invoice reconciliation.
• Manage supplier returns including NCRs, RMAs, and MRB materials.
• Identify process-improvement opportunities and lead cross-functional teams.

Skills

ERP systems

PivotTables

Data lookups

SQL querying

Tableau

Amazon QuickSight

Communication

Organizational skills

Procurement ownership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Humanities, or related field

APICS or Six Sigma certification

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Aquent is partnering with a globally recognized leader in innovation to find an experienced procurement professional. This is an opportunity to support the flow of critical materials, strengthen supplier performance, and contribute to products and programs with a global impact.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly organized and proactive Buyer with direct procurement experience to support our client's supply chain operations. In this role, you will manage suppliers and component portfolios, execute and maintain purchase orders, monitor material availability, and help mitigate risks that could affect production or program schedules.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience purchasing production materials or components, working within an ERP system, and independently managing supplier performance. This is not a transactional purchasing coordinator role; it requires ownership, sound judgment, strong analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively across suppliers, Planning, Commodity Management, and Supply Chain leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Purchase materials and equipment from suppliers, including electromechanical assemblies, electronic components, printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs), hardware, and non-inventory items.
• Manage supplier relationships and monitor key performance indicators reported to senior Supply Chain leadership.
• Provide procurement data and insights for monthly scorecards and quarterly business reviews.
• Plan material requirements, manage inventory levels, and maintain accurate supply and delivery schedules within the ERP system.
• Communicate forecasts, delivery requirements, schedule changes, and material needs clearly to suppliers.
• Identify supply chain and material-availability risks while maintaining transparent reporting on material flow.
• Partner with the Planning team to communicate risks and develop effective mitigation strategies for internal stakeholders.
• Monitor and update open purchase orders, expedites, delivery commitments, and changing material requirements.
• Support the Global Commodity Management team with supplier relationships, performance monitoring, supply constraints, and new product or program development.
• Resolve purchase-order receiving errors and assist with invoice reconciliation.
• Manage supplier returns, including Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs), Return Material Authorizations (RMAs), and Material Review Board (MRB) materials.
• Identify process-improvement opportunities and lead cross-functional teams through implementation.

What You'll Bring

• 2+ years of experience as a Buyer or direct procurement professional, with ownership of supplier relationships, programs, and sizeable component portfolios beyond transactional or purchasing-coordinator responsibilities.
• Experience purchasing production materials or components, ideally including electronics, PCBAs, electromechanical assemblies, or hardware.
• Proficiency with ERP systems for purchase-order execution, rescheduling, and supply-and-demand tracking.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills, including creating and manipulating PivotTables and performing data lookups.
• Experience with SQL querying and/or data-visualization tools such as Amazon QuickSight or Tableau.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across functions.
• A self-motivated approach and the ability to operate independently in a demanding but collegial environment.

Stand Out With

• A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Humanities, or another relevant field.
• APICS or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience independently leading supplier reviews, business reviews, or performance-management calls.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, hardware, electronics, automotive, aerospace, robotics, or another complex production environment.