Strategic Technical Buyer

Keenfinity•Burnsville, MN

8h•$82,000 - $115,000

About The Position

The Strategic Technical Buyer plays a key role in leading procurement activities for various projects, ensuring timely and cost-efficient sourcing from prototype through SOP. This role drives supplier selection, commercial negotiations, contracting, and cross-functional alignment with Engineering, Project Management, Quality, Manufacturing/Logistics, and Finance to secure supply continuity and meet project goals for cost, schedule, and quality. The position also requires strong technical and manufacturing-process knowledge to understand how components are made, assess supplier capability and readiness, and leverage deep commodity expertise to ensure strategic sourcing decisions and long-term supply performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum 3 years of experience in Supply Chain, Purchasing/Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, or Supplier Management within project‑based environments.
Strong negotiation skills and demonstrated project/program management capability (communication, time management, risk assessment, critical thinking, organization, and problem‑solving).
Proficiency with Microsoft software tools (Excel, Power BI, Teams, SharePoint) and experience supporting digitalization initiatives.
Knowledge of supply chain and logistics activities, with experience in new product sourcing and cross‑functional project work.
Technical understanding of mechanical/electrical components and key manufacturing processes (e.g., machining, metal fabrication, plastics molding, surface treatments, assembly).
Hands‑on experience conducting supplier capability assessments, including on‑site audits of manufacturing processes, capacity, quality systems, and technical maturity.
Strong commodity knowledge (metals, plastics, engineered components) applied to supplier selection, cost modeling, and sourcing strategy.
Experience participating in DFM or technical design reviews with engineering and suppliers.
Ability to set priorities, manage deadlines, and work independently in fast‑paced project environments.
Normal Office environment, working at the computer.
Ability to travel up to 25% domestically or internationally.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the purchasing project plan throughout the development cycle, coordinating procurement activities, tracking milestones, and ensuring readiness at each gate while meeting targets for quality, cost, and part availability.
Identify, qualify, and onboard suppliers; conduct RFQs/RFPs; and recommend sourcing decisions based on cost, risk, capability, and strategic fit. Prepare and execute award proposals aligned with commodity strategies.
Lead commercial negotiations for pricing, tooling/NRE, logistics assumptions, and contract terms. Develop should-cost and cost-breakdown models and track cost, quality, and sample availability through NPI.
Prepare and manage NPI-related contracts (NDAs, development, tooling, software), ensuring clear ownership of tooling, IP, volumes, and change-management requirements, along with complete documentation and sourcing traceability.
Manage initial tooling orders, conduct DFM/technical reviews with suppliers and Engineering, secure Quality Gate approvals, and ensure component readiness through SOP with a smooth handover to Logistics for serial production.
Drive supplier readiness by validating tooling completion, manufacturing process maturity, capacity, and ramp-up capability.
Stay current with technologies, market trends, and emerging suppliers to support innovation, benchmarking, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
Support in-depth supplier capability assessments—reviewing manufacturing processes, automation, quality systems, capacity, and scalability—to evaluate technical fit and long-term supplier readiness.
Maintain strong commodity expertise (metals, plastics, electronics, mechanical assemblies) to support sourcing strategies, cost modeling, supplier selection, and negotiations.
Partner with Engineering on DFM to translate design and manufacturing requirements into sourcing decisions and supplier strategies for prototype through serial production.
Identify and recommend suppliers for development builds and production scaling and manage indirect sourcing needs such as certifications and software licenses.
Evaluate supplier production technologies and manufacturing processes for feasibility, quality, and alignment with part requirements. Interpret engineering drawings to support manufacturability, cost drivers, and design reviews.
Perform cost-breakdown analyses (materials, cycle time, scrap, tooling, labor, overhead, capital) to support strategic and commercial decisions.
Partner with Strategic Purchasing to refine long-term category strategies and drive cost-down initiatives through process, material, and tooling optimization.