Buyer - Directs (Contract)

Humanoid; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive hourly rate

Free breakfasts and snacks

Team events

Collaborative robotics team culture

Job summary

Humanoid, a Cambridge, MA robotics company, is seeking a Buyer - Directs for an operational procurement role focused on P2P execution, supplier communication, and tactical sourcing across Humanoid’s direct material categories.

You will support the SCM Lead and partner with teams in London, Boston, and Vancouver to ensure continuity of supply, cost performance, and operational excellence in Mechanical, Electronics, Electromechanical, Cables & Harnessing, and Software.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of direct procurement experience in manufacturing or tech sectors.
• Degree in Business, Law, Engineering, or related field.
• APICS/ASCM CPIM or ISM-CPSM certification desirable.
• Strong knowledge of contract terms, negotiation, and export controls.

Responsibilities

• Conduct market research to identify cost-saving opportunities and risks.
• Support RFx processes, negotiations, and contract execution.
• Drive cost, lead-time and efficiency improvements with KPIs.
• Process POs in SAP and maintain supplier data accurately.
• Coordinate with Production, Engineering and Planning to meet needs.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical thinking

Education

Business/Engineering degree

Tools

SAP

MRP/ERP

Google Workspace

Slack

Job description

Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 - our rapidly developed humanoid platform being deployed in real industrial environments - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.

About The Role

We are seeking a Buyer - Directs for an operational procurement role focused on P2P execution, supplier communication, and tactical sourcing support across Humanoid’s direct material commodity. The role supports the SCM Lead, you will partner with teams in London, Boston, and Vancouver in delivering continuity of supply, cost performance, and operational excellence across Mechanical, Electronics, Electromechanical, Cables & Harnessing, and Software commodities.

This role supports the Commodity teams in sourcing activities but does not own commodity strategy or supplier selection decisions.

What You’ll Do

• Conduct market research to identify cost‑saving opportunities and understand price trends and supply risks.
• Support sourcing initiatives, including RFx processes, negotiations, and contract execution.
• Drive cost, lead‑time, and efficiency improvements with measurable KPIs.
• Capture business requirements and translate them into clear commercial packages.
• Negotiate optimal commercial terms (pricing, payment terms, lead times, Ts & Cs).
• Conduct price analysis and cost‑breakdown validation to ensure fair and equitable pricing.
• Process requisitions and purchase orders in line with procurement policies.
• Maintain accurate PO and supplier data within SAP and associated systems.
• Resolve supplier performance issues, discrepancies and understand the escalation process
• Communicate to internal stakeholders as appropriate.
• Minimize risk to continuity of supply by carrying out supplier risk assessments for the portfolio’s suppliers and implementing corrective actions as required.
• Support continuous improvement of procurement processes, documentation, and tools.
• Deliver KPI’s relating to cost, cash, quality, service and continuity of supply for the commodity proposals.
• Run MRP (SAP) and ensure timely availability of direct goods and services.
• Experience of implementing Supplier Relationship Management techniques / tools with suppliers (RMMs, Score Cards, Monthly Performance Reviews (MPRs), Communications Plans, Risk Management, DnB report, Sanctions list etc.)
• Support Production, Engineering, Quality, and Planning teams to meet manufacturing needs.
• Directly support the SCM Lead in the regional area

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of direct procurement experience, ideally in manufacturing, robotics, technology, aerospace/defense or automotive.
• Proven experience working within scaling direct procurement functions.
• Degree in Business, Law, Engineering, or related field.
• APICS/ASCM CPIM or ISM-CPSM certification desirable.
• Strong understanding of contract law, commercial terms, and negotiation frameworks.
• Awareness of export controls (including EAR) relevant to robotics and technology.

Technical Skills

• Proficient in Google Workspace, Slack, and database management.
• Experience with MRP/ERP systems; SAP essential.
• Good analytical, numerical, and planning capabilities
• A good understanding of the Legal Aspects associated with contracting within the Robotics industry
• Procure-2-Pay and tactical procurement experience (Essential) across the following direct commodities pillars
• Mechanical Systems
• Electronics & Electrical
• Electromechanical Systems
• Cables & Harnessing
• Software & Digital Licensing (P2P support)

Behavioral Skills

• Good negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Ability to work cross‑functionally in a fast‑paced, engineering‑driven environment.
• Highly organized, adaptable, and able to manage shifting priorities.
• Professional, motivated, and able to operate autonomously.

What We Offer

• Competitive hourly rate, based on experience
• Office perks: free breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and regular team events
• Collaboration with top-tier engineers, researchers, and product experts in robotics
• Startup culture prioritizing speed, transparency, and minimal bureaucracy