Buyer, Sr.

Traka (Assa Abloy); Mequon (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Traka (ASSA ABLOY) seeks a Senior Buyer to keep production moving, manage supplier relationships, and drive cost improvements. You will negotiate pricing and lead times, analyze demand and inventory, and collaborate across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Customer Service.

In a fast-paced manufacturing environment, you will train and mentor new buyers, develop SOPs, and lead continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring on-time delivery and optimal cost.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of purchasing, supply chain, materials planning, or inventory management experience.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and Excel.
• Ability to negotiate with suppliers and build strong partnerships.
• Enjoys data analysis and problem solving.
• Understanding of manufacturing environments and production schedules.
• Ability to read engineering drawings or work with technical products.
• Strong communication with warehouse teams, suppliers, and leadership.
• Calm under pressure and capable of juggling multiple priorities.
• Proactively seeks process improvements and cost reductions.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier relationships and sourcing to keep production moving smoothly.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, contracts, and service agreements.
• Forecast demand and production schedules to stay ahead of inventory needs.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Customer Service teams.
• Lead cost-reduction and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Troubleshoot shortages, delays, and supplier challenges before they affect customers.
• Create and improve purchasing processes, SOPs, and best practices.
• Train and mentor new buyers and support the purchasing team.
• Drive supplier performance in quality, delivery, and cost competitiveness.
• Turn data into decisions via reporting and inventory analysis.

Skills

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

Negotiation

Data analysis

Engineering drawings

Communication

Process improvement

Inventory planning

Supplier partnerships

Problem solving

Tools

SQL

ERP Systems

Job description

# Buyer, Sr.# Senior Buyer### The person who keeps production moving, inventory flowing, and suppliers on their toes.Are you the kind of person who gets a little too excited about lead times, supplier negotiations, inventory turns, and finding a better way to do things?Do you love solving supply chain puzzles before anyone else even knows there's a problem?If your answer is "yes," keep reading.We're looking for a **Senior Buyer** to become a key member of our team. In this role, you'll be part strategist, part analyst, part negotiator, and part firefighter. You'll help ensure our manufacturing operations have exactly what they need, when they need it, at the best possible cost.No two days are the same. One minute you're negotiating pricing with a supplier, the next you're analyzing inventory trends, helping resolve a production issue, leading a cost-reduction initiative, or coaching a new buyer.If you thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and enjoy making a tangible impact on the business every day, we'd love to meet you.## What You'll Be Doing Managing supplier relationships and sourcing materials that keep production running smoothly. Negotiating pricing, lead times, contracts, and service agreements. Staying one step ahead of inventory needs by analyzing demand, forecasts, and production schedules. Working closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Customer Service teams. Leading cost-reduction and continuous improvement initiatives without sacrificing quality or service. Troubleshooting shortages, delays, and supplier challenges before they become customer problems. Creating and improving purchasing processes, SOPs, and best practices. Helping train and mentor new buyers and serving as a go-to resource for the purchasing team. Driving supplier performance in quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness. Turning data into decisions through reporting, forecasting, and inventory analysis.## What Makes You a Great FitYou might be our ideal candidate if you:* Have 5+ years of purchasing, supply chain, materials planning, or inventory management experience.* Know your way around ERP/MRP systems and Excel.* Can negotiate confidently while building strong supplier partnerships.* Enjoy digging into data and solving problems.* Understand manufacturing environments and production schedules.* Can read engineering drawings or have experience working with technical products.* Communicate effectively with everyone from warehouse teams to suppliers to senior leadership.* Stay calm under pressure and know how to juggle multiple priorities.* Naturally look for ways to improve processes and drive results.## Bonus Points If You Have Experience with JD Edwards, QAD, or similar ERP systems Purchasing or Supply Chain certifications (CPP, CPSM, APICS, etc.) Experience creating cost models or conducting sourcing analyses SQL or database skills Spanish language skills## What Success Looks LikeYou don't just place purchase orders.You identify risks before they happen.You strengthen supplier relationships.You improve processes.You reduce costs.You improve service levels.You help the business grow.Most importantly, you make sure our customers get what they need when they need it.## Why You'll Love It Here* High-impact role with visibility across the organization* Opportunity to lead and influence without direct reports* Collaborative team environment* Continuous improvement culture where your ideas matter* Variety, challenge, and no shortage of opportunities to make a difference### Ready to put your supply chain expertise to work?Join us and help turn great planning, strong supplier partnerships, and smart purchasing decisions into exceptional customer experiences.**Apply today and become the supply chain superhero behind the scenes.** **We are the ASSA ABLOY Group** Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access.As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.Application due2026-10-30FunctionSupply ChainExperience levelMid-senior levelOffice presenceOnsiteLocationMequon, Wisconsin, United States