Position Summary
The Strategic Buyer is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that support manufacturing operations through competitive cost, reliable supply, strong supplier performance, and continuous improvement.
This role serves as a key connection between the U.S. regional business and the Global Procurement and Category Management organization, ensuring global sourcing strategies, category plans, procurement standards, and savings targets are effectively implemented within the local manufacturing environment.
The Strategic Buyer will manage sourcing initiatives for direct materials, components, services, and other production-related spend while partnering closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance, and Supply Chain teams. The role will focus on supplier negotiations, cost reduction, risk mitigation, supplier development, and ensuring continuity of supply to support production requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Purchasing
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies for direct materials, components, and manufacturing-related spend.
- Support plant and operational requirements by identifying qualified suppliers that meet cost, quality, delivery, and capacity expectations.
- Conduct supplier and market analysis to identify sourcing opportunities, cost trends, and potential supply risks.
- Lead sourcing events including RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs.
- Evaluate and select suppliers based on total cost, quality, delivery performance, technical capabilities, capacity, and supply reliability.
- Implement global category strategies while accounting for U.S. manufacturing and regional business requirements.
Supplier Management
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key manufacturing suppliers.
- Negotiate pricing, contracts, payment terms, lead times, service levels, and other commercial agreements.
- Monitor supplier performance across quality, cost, delivery, service, and responsiveness.
- Partner with suppliers and internal teams on corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Support supplier development efforts to improve quality, delivery performance, cost competitiveness, and capacity.
- Conduct supplier reviews and escalate performance issues when necessary.
Cost Reduction & Value Engineering
- Identify and execute cost reduction initiatives across purchased materials and services.
- Analyze spend, material costs, supplier pricing, and market trends to identify savings opportunities.
- Partner with Engineering and Operations on value engineering, specification changes, material substitutions, and design-to-cost initiatives.
- Identify opportunities for supplier consolidation, volume leverage, and improved commercial terms.
- Track and report realized cost savings, cost avoidance, and other procurement improvements.
- Work with Global Procurement to identify and deliver savings opportunities for the U.S. manufacturing business.
Supply Continuity & Risk Management
- Identify supplier, material, capacity, geopolitical, and logistics risks that could impact production.
- Develop sourcing alternatives, dual-source strategies, and contingency plans to reduce supply disruption.
- Work closely with Supply Chain and Operations teams to address shortages and supplier constraints.
- Support urgent production requirements and supplier recovery activities when necessary.
- Monitor supplier capacity and lead times to ensure alignment with current and future production demand.
Cross-Functional Manufacturing Support
- Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, and Product Development teams.
- Support new product introductions, engineering changes, and manufacturing improvement initiatives.
- Provide sourcing expertise during supplier selection, product development, and production planning activities.
- Communicate supplier risks, cost opportunities, and sourcing recommendations to key stakeholders.
- Ensure purchasing decisions align with production schedules, customer requirements, and broader business objectives.
Contract Management & Procurement Operations
- Negotiate and manage supplier contracts, commercial agreements, and pricing structures.
- Ensure supplier agreements comply with company policies, legal requirements, and procurement standards.
- Manage contract renewals, supplier commitments, and performance requirements.
- Utilize ERP and procurement systems to manage sourcing activity, supplier information, spend data, and reporting.
- Maintain accurate procurement documentation and supplier records.
Continuous Improvement & Performance Management
- Track procurement KPIs including cost savings, supplier quality, on-time delivery, sourcing cycle time, and supplier performance.
- Identify opportunities to improve purchasing processes, supplier performance, and procurement efficiency.
- Support standardization and implementation of procurement best practices across manufacturing operations.
- Use data and analytics to improve sourcing decisions and supplier performance.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Finance, Operations, or a related field.
- 3–6+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, purchasing, procurement, or category management within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience sourcing direct materials, components, or production-related goods and services.
- Strong supplier negotiation and relationship management experience.
- Understanding of manufacturing operations, production requirements, lead times, supplier capacity, and quality expectations.
- Experience supporting cost reduction, value engineering, or supplier development initiatives.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to analyze spend, pricing, supplier, and market data.
- Experience with ERP and procurement systems such as SAP, Oracle, Coupa, or similar platforms.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to manage multiple sourcing initiatives and supplier priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.