Senior Buyer

**THIS POSITION IS BEING RECRUITED FOR INTERNALLY - RECRUITERS/AGENCIES PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT**

The Senior Buyer – Outside Processing is responsible for managing the flow of parts and materials through external processing suppliers, from purchase order creation through vendor completion and return of material.

The role serves as the primary link between the company, outside processing vendors, and internal departments such as Materials, Production, Quality, Inspection, Engineering, and Sales.

The statements included in this description are intended to reflect in general the duties & responsibilities of the classification & are not to be interpreted as being all-inclusi ve.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the generation, management, and receipt of all outside processing purchase orders (POs), ensuring accurate quantities, specifications, priorities, and required completion dates.
• Review open PO reports, production schedules, grinding/NDT requirements, shipping calendars, and upcoming material needs to identify priority jobs and potential schedule risks.
• Communicate directly with outside processing vendors to place orders, confirm receipt and acknowledgement, obtain estimated completion/delivery dates (ECDs), monitor status, and resolve open PO issues.
• Establish and maintain a weekly cadence for obtaining and updating ECDs for all parts currently at outside processing.
• Coordinate with vendors to schedule pickups, deliveries, and expedited work based on production requirements and changing priorities.
• Work closely with the Materials Manager, Plant Manager, Quality, Inspection, Engineering, Production, Sales, and other departments to prioritize outside processing requirements and maintain schedule alignment.
• Participate in production, planning, materials, on-time delivery, grinding/NDT, and other meetings related to outside processing activity.
• Conduct regular Gemba walks and follow-up activities to identify material, processing, documentation, or scheduling issues that may impact production.
• Respond to and resolve vendor, Sales, Quality, and Production questions regarding PO requirements, specifications, quantities, priorities, ECDs, and processing status.
• Coordinate emergency MRBs, material splits, additional test pieces, and reprioritization requests as required to support production schedules.
• Identify and address incorrect or missing PO information, including BOM discrepancies, incorrect quantities, incomplete traveler documentation, and missing test pieces.
• Monitor vendor performance against committed dates and escalate delays, missed ECDs, and other risks to the appropriate internal leadership.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with outside processing vendors and develop an understanding of the processes, capabilities, lead times, and requirements associated with each vendor.
• Develop and maintain vendor priority lists and communicate changing priorities based on production and customer requirements.
• Coordinate material requirements in advance of scheduled processing to allow vendors to forecast, slot, and plan capacity.
• Review upcoming material and outside processing requirements and coordinate with vendors to prevent potential production delays.
• Research customer specifications, heat-treat procedures, and other applicable requirements when appropriate to resolve vendor questions and reduce unnecessary delays.
• Identify recurring BOM, PO, documentation, communication, and handoff issues; document trends and coordinate corrective actions with Quality, Engineering, Production, and other affected departments.
• Support continuous improvement of the outside processing workflow, vendor communication, PO accuracy, ECD/ETD tracking, and cross-functional handoffs.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of PO status, vendor commitments, ECDs/ETDs, open issues, and required follow-up actions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain, or technical field and 2-3 years of similar experience, 5 years of experience in lieu of a degree

Experience :

• Previous experience in purchasing required
• Strong knowledge of ERP and MRP systems and processes
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills preferred; Advanced skills preferred
• Strong interpersonal and analytical skills
• Must be able to read, write and speak English.
• Continuous Improvement experience preferred.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Must be able to work in a manufacturing plant using all applicable PPE.
• Ability to multitask and stay organized
• Ability to work on a team, as well as independently with minimal supervision.
• Must be thorough, detail oriented, accurate and able to work with all levels of employees.
• Must have Strong communication skills and be customer centric.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• This position will require some travel in and around the manufacturing plant
• Able to wear steel toed shoes, a hard hat, safety glasses and hearing protection as needed
• Able to work safely around moving equipment and machinery
• No lifting or operating of machines or equipment is necessary