Senior Buyer – Aerospace & Defense

MOHR Talent; New Hope (MS); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

MOHR Talent is seeking a Senior Buyer to join its procurement team in New Hope, Mississippi. You will lead strategic sourcing, supplier management, and end-to-end purchasing for aerospace and defense programs, ensuring quality, delivery, and regulatory compliance.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of procurement experience within aerospace or defense, strong negotiation skills, and a proven track record in cost reduction and material availability.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of procurement or purchasing experience, preferably in aerospace or defense.
• Strong strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, cost reduction and purchasing of highly engineered materials and components.
• Experience with RFQs, purchase orders, supplier performance, and order tracking.
• Knowledge of ITAR, DFARS, and FAR requirements.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, cross-functional manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Strategic sourcing and supplier management to improve cost, quality, and delivery.
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, terms, and lead times.
• Manage end-to-end procurement for assigned commodities.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, Production and Supply Chain to ensure material availability.
• Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions.
• Drive cost reductions across materials and components.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Negotiation

Cost reduction

Procurement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management/Business/Engineering

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

SAP

Oracle

Job description

Senior Buyer – Aerospace & Defense

Compensation: $80,000–$90,000 Base Salary
Location: New Hope, Mississippi

Position Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to join its procurement team supporting a highly regulated aerospace and defense manufacturing environment. This individual will be responsible for strategic sourcing, supplier management, purchasing, cost reduction, and material availability while ensuring procurement activities meet strict quality, delivery, cost, and regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of procurement experience, preferably within aerospace or defense, with a strong background in strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, cost reduction, and purchasing highly engineered materials, components, subassemblies, and design‑to‑specification items.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and develop suppliers based on quality, cost, delivery, technical capability, and compliance requirements.


• Develop and execute strategic sourcing initiatives that improve cost, quality, lead times, and supply chain reliability.


• Negotiate supplier contracts, pricing, terms, lead times, and commercial agreements.


• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers.


• Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions when necessary.


• Identify and mitigate supplier and supply chain risks.


• Drive measurable cost reductions across materials, components, subassemblies, and design‑to‑specification items.

Procurement & Purchasing

• Manage the end‑to‑end procurement process for assigned commodities and categories.


• Prepare and issue Requests for Quotation (RFQs).


• Evaluate supplier quotations and negotiate pricing and terms.


• Generate and manage Purchase Orders (POs).


• Track orders and ensure materials arrive according to production requirements.


• Resolve supplier, pricing, quality, and delivery issues.


• Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier documentation.

Inventory & Material Management

• Optimize inventory levels to support production requirements while minimizing excess and obsolete inventory.


• Coordinate purchasing activities with demand forecasts and production schedules.


• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Production, and Supply Chain to ensure material availability.


• Identify potential shortages and proactively develop solutions.


• Support production schedules by maintaining reliable material flow.

Aerospace & Defense Compliance

• Ensure purchasing activities comply with applicable aerospace and defense requirements.


• Maintain working knowledge of:
  
  
  
  • ITAR
  
  
  • DFARS
  
  
  • FAR
  
  


• Maintain accurate procurement documentation for audits and reporting.


• Support import and export compliance requirements.


• Coordinate with logistics and other internal teams to ensure compliant movement of materials.


• Ensure suppliers meet applicable regulatory, quality, and contractual requirements.

Cost Reduction & Supplier Negotiations

• Develop sourcing strategies designed to achieve measurable cost savings.


• Analyze supplier pricing and identify cost‑reduction opportunities.


• Negotiate pricing on materials, components, subassemblies, and engineered products.


• Evaluate alternative suppliers and sourcing strategies.


• Balance cost reduction objectives against quality, delivery, technical, and compliance requirements.


• Monitor market conditions and industry trends that could impact material pricing or availability.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Engineering regarding technical specifications and design‑to‑specification components.


• Collaborate with Quality to address supplier quality issues.


• Work with Production to maintain material availability and manufacturing schedules.


• Coordinate with Supply Chain and Logistics regarding inventory and material movement.


• Communicate supplier risks, shortages, pricing concerns, and delivery issues to internal stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing and procurement processes.


• Develop strategies to improve supplier performance and supply chain efficiency.


• Stay current on market conditions, supplier capabilities, and industry trends.


• Support initiatives focused on reducing costs, improving lead times, and minimizing supply chain risk.


• Contribute to the development of procurement best practices.

Leadership & Mentorship

• Provide guidance and support to junior purchasing team members.


• Share procurement, sourcing, negotiation, and supplier management best practices.


• Assist team members with supplier challenges and problem‑solving.


• Support the professional development of less‑experienced buyers.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of procurement or purchasing experience, preferably within aerospace or defense.


• Strong strategic sourcing and supplier management experience.


• Demonstrated experience negotiating supplier contracts, pricing, terms, and lead times.


• Proven cost‑reduction experience involving materials, components, subassemblies, or design‑to‑specification products.


• Experience managing RFQs, purchase orders, supplier performance, and order tracking.


• Knowledge of ITAR, DFARS, and FAR requirements.


• Strong contract management and negotiation skills.


• Experience working with highly regulated or high‑specification suppliers.


• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.


• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capabilities.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Ability to operate effectively within a fast‑paced, cross‑functional manufacturing environment.


• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.


• Master's degree.


• Direct aerospace or defense procurement experience.


• Experience with SAP, Oracle, or similar ERP/MRP platforms.


• Experience purchasing highly engineered or design‑to‑specification components.


• CPSM, CPIM, APICS, ISM, or similar supply chain/procurement certification.


• Experience supporting manufacturing and production environments.

MOHR Talent is an equal‑opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws. We provide equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other protected status. If you believe you have been discriminated against or have concerns about our compliance, please contact our Human Resources department at [e-mail]