Senior Buyer

Howmet Aerospace•Mauston, WI

About The Position

The Senior Buyer develops and executes sourcing and procurement strategies aligned with production goals and financial forecasts. The role processes requisitions and purchase orders and manages procurement through receipt, acceptance, invoicing, and payment. It negotiates supplier pricing and terms, leads contractual negotiations, identifies cost reductions, and monitors market trends, raw material prices, and lead times. The Senior Buyer identifies, evaluates, and qualifies suppliers; monitors supplier performance; and works with underperforming suppliers on corrective and recovery plans. The position also pursues cost savings, mitigates supply-chain risks, tracks the procurement budget, and collaborates with Manufacturing, Operations, Engineering, Quality Control, and Finance to align materials with production schedules. It provides executive leadership with information about shortages, price changes, and risk recovery timelines.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
5 to 7+ years of progressive purchasing, sourcing, or procurement experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
Advanced proficiency and ability to learn new systems.
Strong data analysis skills to evaluate supplier spend, forecast demand, and conduct price and cost breakdowns.
Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, such as metal fabrication, machining, electronics, or raw material assembly, depending on the relevant niche.
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.

Nice To Haves

Professional certification such as CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management), CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional), or CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply).

Responsibilities

Develop and execute long-term sourcing and procurement strategies aligned with production goals and financial forecasts.
Process requisitions and place purchase orders, managing each procurement through receipt, acceptance, invoicing, and payment.
Negotiate vendor pricing and terms to achieve value for purchasing expenditures.
Lead supplier contract negotiations covering NDAs, terms and conditions, and long-term agreements.
Identify and implement cost reductions for new and series-production products and services.
Evaluate market trends, raw material price fluctuations, and lead times to inform purchasing decisions.
Identify, evaluate, and qualify suppliers based on cost, capacity, quality, and delivery reliability.
Negotiate supplier pricing, commercial terms, payment schedules, and master service agreements.
Monitor supplier quality, delivery, and responsiveness using KPIs.
Work with underperforming suppliers to establish recovery, corrective, and preventative action plans.
Identify cost savings through strategic sourcing, volume rebates, and alternative material evaluations without compromising quality.
Assess and mitigate supply-chain risks, including geopolitical disruptions, sole-source vulnerabilities, and capacity constraints, by developing 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 executive leadership with visibility into material shortages, market price shifts, and risk recovery timelines.