Senior Buyer: Strategic Sourcing & Cost Optimization

Howmet Aerospace Inc.; Mauston (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k matching

Paid holidays

Vacation time

Career progression

Job summary

Howmet Aerospace Inc. in Mauston, WI seeks a seasoned Procurement Leader to develop long-term sourcing strategies and manage supplier relationships from requisition to payment, ensuring supply continuity aligned with production forecasts.

You will lead negotiations, drive cost reductions on both new and series production, monitor supplier performance with KPIs, and collaborate with Manufacturing, Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to ensure material availability and timely production

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or related field.
• 5 to 7+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, sourcing, or procurement within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Advanced proficiency and able to learn new systems.
• Strong data analysis skills to evaluate supplier spend, forecast demand, and conduct price/cost breakdowns.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing processes (e.g., metal fabrication, machining, electronics, or raw material assembly).
• Exceptional negotiation and conflict-resolution skills
• High attention to detail and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven manufacturing environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM, CSCP, or CIPS.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute long-term sourcing and procurement strategies aligned with production goals and financial forecasts.
• Process requisitions and place purchase orders to ensure a continuous supply of materials and services, maintaining responsibility for each procurement until all items are received, accepted, invoiced and paid.
• Negotiate pricing and terms with vendors to ensure best value for each purchasing dollar expended.
• Lead contractual negotiations with suppliers on NDA’s, Terms & Conditions and Long-term agreements.
• Identify and implement cost reductions on new and series production products and services
• Continuously evaluate market trends, raw material pricing fluctuations, and lead time to make proactive purchasing decisions.
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify new vendors and suppliers based on cost, capacity, quality standards, and delivery reliability.
• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, payment schedules, and master service agreements with suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance using KPIs for quality, delivery, and responsiveness.
• Partner with underperforming suppliers to establish recovery, corrective, and preventative action plans.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities through strategic sourcing, volume rebates, or alternative material evaluations without compromising quality.
• Access and mitigate supply chain risks, such as geopolitical disruptions, sole-source vulnerabilities, or capacity constraints, by developing secondary backup suppliers.
• Administer and track the departmental procurement budget.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Operations, Engineering, Quality Control, and Finance to align material availability with production schedules.
• Provide visibility into material shortages, market price shifts, and risk recovery timelines to executive leadership.

Skills

System proficiency

Data analysis

Manufacturing processes

Negotiation skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Howmet Aerospace Inc. in Mauston, WI seeks a seasoned Procurement Leader to develop long-term sourcing strategies and manage supplier relationships from requisition to payment, ensuring supply continuity aligned with production forecasts.

You will lead negotiations, drive cost reductions on both new and series production, monitor supplier performance with KPIs, and collaborate with Manufacturing, Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to ensure material availability and timely production