Buyer 3

Metrea•Tampa, FL

1d•$95,000 - $105,000

About The Position

The Buyer III is a strategic partner and subject matter expert responsible for lifecycle management of complex products and services. The role provides leadership within the Purchasing team, mentors junior staff, manages critical vendors, and partners with Strategic Sourcing to develop long-term strategies and manage vendor performance and relationships. The position supports the Aerospace Engineering Group’s Part 21 efforts, with particular responsibility for purchasing operations at the Metrea Aircraft Integration Center (MAIC) Part 145 Repair Station. It maintains and improves purchasing operations in accordance with enterprise standards and guidance, ensuring requirements derived from engineering data are addressed, ERP requirements are managed, required vendor audits are supported, vendor relationships are developed, and purchasing transactions are facilitated. This is a full-time exempt position with typical hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and shifts may change to meet business needs, and exempt employees must be available on call as needed. The role operates in an office, aircraft hangar, and warehouse setting and may require up to 10–20% travel, including international travel.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent demonstrated experience.
5–10+ years of procurement experience, with a heavy emphasis on aerospace or aviation.
Demonstrated experience negotiating high-value contracts and conducting strategic sourcing.
Demonstrated ability to mitigate global supply chain risks.
Competence in aerospace manufacturing processes and/or aircraft systems.
Knowledge of Aviation Part Numbers, Alternate Part Numbers, and National Stock Numbers.
Proficiency in understanding the documentation required for a part to be airworthy, such as FAA Form 8130-3.
Extensive experience with typical business software applications, including Excel, Power BI, and Teams.
Seasoned commercial awareness.
Experience interacting with and counseling senior business leaders.
Demonstrated ERP/MRP proficiency, including managing assigned parts, item masters, and vendor records, and running reports to evaluate and forecast requirements that support material availability while optimizing cost and inventory levels.
Ability to travel up to 10–20%, including internationally.
Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

MBA or specialized Master's degree.

Responsibilities

Identify material needs and vendor qualification requirements; create and manage RFQs; negotiate pricing, lead times, and other operational requirements; and place and manage purchase orders.
Support negotiations for high-value Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) and Master Service Agreements (MSAs).
Monitor purchase order status and proactively expedite shipments to meet aircraft entry-into-service, maintenance production schedule, and AOG requirements.
Perform cost analysis and market research to identify savings opportunities and improve procurement strategies.
Conduct macro-economic analysis and monitor industry and geopolitical trends to anticipate changes in aircraft component and key raw material pricing and availability.
Represent procurement in FILE and Operations meetings to align operations and maintenance production targets with vendor capacity.
Resolve purchase order and invoice discrepancies, handle returns for defective materials, and address supply chain bottlenecks.
Build and maintain vendor relationships and assess vendor performance.
Identify underperforming critical vendors and participate in cross-functional Tiger Teams, such as Quality, Engineering, and Logistics, to improve vendor manufacturing processes.
Ensure purchasing activities comply with applicable aerospace industry standards, regulations, and company policies.
Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve procurement performance.
Manage assigned parts, item masters, and vendor records in ERP/MRP systems, and run reports to evaluate and forecast requirements.