Senior Buyer / Head of Purchasing / Sourcing Strategist
About The Position
The Senior Buyer / Head of Purchasing / Sourcing Strategist is responsible for leading the organization’s sourcing, supplier management, and purchasing strategy across a diverse manufacturing environment including LED lighting, plastic injection molding, and metal tube bending for automotive applications. This role goes beyond transactional purchasing. It is a strategic leadership position that ensures material availability, cost competitiveness, supplier performance, and long-term supply chain resilience. The role directly impacts profitability, production continuity, and customer satisfaction by aligning sourcing decisions with business objectives. The purpose of the role is to ensure the organization consistently has the right materials, from the right suppliers, at the right cost, at the right time, while building a supply base that supports quality, innovation, and growth.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field
- 7+ years of purchasing/sourcing experience in manufacturing
- Experience in one or more of the following: Plastic injection molding, Electronics / LED components, Metal fabrication / tube bending, Automotive or Tier 1 / Tier 2 supply chains
- Strong negotiation and supplier management experience
- Proven track record of cost savings and supplier development
- Highly proactive and results-driven
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Comfortable making decisions in fast-paced environments
- Excellent communicator and relationship builder
- Able to balance strategic thinking with day-to-day execution
Nice To Haves
- Experience leading or mentoring a purchasing team
- Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems
- APICS / CPSM or similar certification
- Experience working with global suppliers
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies across key commodities (resins, electronics, metals, components)
- Identify, qualify, and develop high-performing suppliers domestically and globally
- Lead supplier negotiations, contracts, and long-term agreements
- Drive dual sourcing and risk mitigation strategies
- Lead cost reduction initiatives through negotiation, design collaboration, and process improvement
- Partner with engineering on value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE) efforts
- Monitor market trends (commodities, resins, electronics) and adjust strategies accordingly
- Oversee purchasing processes including PO placement, order tracking, and supplier communication
- Ensure alignment between demand planning, production schedules, and material supply
- Resolve supply disruptions quickly and effectively
- Establish and monitor supplier KPIs (quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness)
- Lead supplier reviews and corrective action processes
- Build strong, professional relationships with key suppliers
- Collaborate with Engineering, Production, Quality, and Finance
- Support new product launches with sourcing strategy and supplier readiness
- Act as a key contributor in S&OP / production planning discussions
- Lead and develop buyers/planners (if team structure exists)
- Establish standard work, best practices, and accountability systems
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
