Senior Buyer (Site)

GKN Aerospace•Wellington, KS

About The Position

The Senior Buyer is accountable for local commercial management and assigned non-strategic sourcing within a geographical area, typically a larger site or a cluster of smaller sites. The role manages in-contract modifications, transfers, and new products, ensuring competitive sourcing in line with aerospace commodity strategy. It also manages supplier delivery for parts sourced through modifications, transfers, or new products until First Article Inspection (FAI) is achieved. The Senior Buyer reports on procurement activity and site reviews, serves as the interface between programme and commodity management for new sourcing and change programmes, and supports supplier selection and industrialisation activity. The role oversees supplier performance, purchase-order demand, site procurement processes and data, inventory, cost reduction, supplier development, and commercial issue resolution.

Requirements

BSc degree or equivalent in Business, Engineering, or Science; alternatively, five years of experience in lieu of a degree.
At least five years of relevant business experience.
Previous experience in procurement or commercial roles.
Previous experience with MRP.
Previous experience with a domestic or international supply base.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships with a supplier network and insight into supplier processes.
Track record of leadership working with cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

GKN Aerospace experience.
MCIPS or related qualifications.
Negotiation and contract negotiation experience.

Responsibilities

Manage the geographical area, normally a larger site or a cluster of smaller sites.
Report procurement activity and conduct site reviews for the area of responsibility.
Serve as the interface between programme and commodity management for new sourcing and change programmes, in line with group commodity strategy.
Support commodity managers with supplier selection RFQs and RFPs for the region using e-sourcing tools.
Support major parts and supplier transfers and industrialisation.
Manage minor parts and supplier transfers and industrialisation through to FAI.
Drive implementation of global and regional agreements within the geographical area.
Transfer parts from purchase orders to schedules, including negotiating transitions from schedules to consignment or DLF arrangements.
Manage supplier purchase-order demands to secure cost, quality, and delivery objectives.
Manage site procurement change control, export control, and ITAR.
Deliver, maintain, and ensure the integrity of the site bill of materials.
Ensure item and contract data is updated and maintained.
Flow down enabled customer materials, pricing, and skyline forecasts to suppliers.
Develop and support site cost-reduction opportunities and supplier development plans in line with business requirements.
Manage supplier risk, including use of rate-readiness templates and awareness of Dun & Bradstreet financial information.
Manage raw-material inventory levels for purchase-order parts in line with programme targets and start dates.
Resolve invoice queries related to pricing.
Act as an escalation point for supplier cost or contractual issues, working with commodity management when further escalation is required.