Technical Buyer

Sauder Family Companies•Archbold, OH

1d•$57,000 - $76,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Sauder Family Companies is seeking a detail-oriented Technical Buyer to support critical purchasing and supply chain needs across its family of businesses. This role can be hired at either the Technical Buyer I or Buyer II level, depending on the candidate's experience. The Technical Buyer I focuses on sourcing and procuring materials and services to support operational success through supplier relationship management, negotiations, and effective purchasing practices, ensuring a reliable supply chain, cost competitiveness, and uninterrupted business operations. The Technical Buyer II takes a more strategic approach, leading complex commodities and supplier development initiatives, conducting complex negotiations, analyzing market conditions, and collaborating with internal stakeholders to improve supply chain performance, reduce costs, and ensure continuity of supply. This is a hybrid role with some work time spent at the Archbold, Ohio office.

Requirements

Working knowledge of procurement, sourcing, supplier management, inventory planning, and manufacturing supply chain practices.
Strong negotiation skills with the ability to evaluate supplier proposals, influence favorable terms, resolve issues, and balance cost, quality, delivery, and business requirements.
Demonstrated experience using ERP systems to manage purchasing, supplier, inventory, and demand-related data.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, with the ability to analyze purchasing, supplier, cost, and inventory data.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Detail-oriented and organized.
Strong analytical skills.
Ability to interpret basic engineered drawings, specifications, bills of material, and technical requirements related to purchased materials or components.
Ability to evaluate supplier performance, identify supply risks, recommend corrective actions, and escalate issues appropriately.
Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering Technology or related field with a minimum 4 years applicable experience preferred.
Experience with purchasing, sourcing, supplier evaluation, supplier auditing, supplier negotiations, and supplier performance management.
Experience in a manufacturing environment, including exposure to production schedules, material requirements, inventory controls, quality standards, and engineered drawings or specifications.

Responsibilities

Sources, selects, and negotiates with suppliers to secure goods, services, materials, and production-related components at the lowest total cost of ownership while meeting quality, delivery, and operational requirements.
Develops and executes procurement strategies to optimize cost, quality, lead times, inventory availability, and continuity of supply.
Ensures compliance with company policies, industry standards, and ethical sourcing practices.
Collaborates with operations, engineering, quality, planning, and other cross-functional teams to determine procurement needs, specifications, and timing requirements.
Maintains visibility in each facility where assigned commodities or purchased products are used and brings commodity suppliers into the applicable production, assembly, or operational areas to strengthen supplier understanding of product applications, usage requirements, and business needs.
Identifies and evaluates potential suppliers to ensure that they meet quality, cost, and reliability standards.
Develops and implements effective negotiating strategies.
Maintains strong relationships with existing suppliers and negotiates favorable terms, including pricing, payment terms, lead times, service expectations, and delivery requirements.
Manages the supply base to ensure materials, equipment, components, and services meet current and future production needs.
Monitors supplier performance related to cost, quality, on-time delivery, responsiveness, capacity, and overall reliability.
Manages continuous improvement and cost-reduction projects within assigned commodities to improve total cost, quality, delivery, and supplier performance.
Recommends consolidation, standardization, and alternative sourcing opportunities to eliminate waste, reduce cost, and improve supply chain efficiency.
Reviews and maintains appropriate inventory levels, safety stock, reorder points, and order quantities by analyzing ERP demand, forecast, consumption, and production-planning data.
Develops and maintains necessary records and files for efficient operation.
Maintains accurate supplier, item, pricing, lead time, purchasing-related, and demand-related data in ERP systems.
Collaborates with quality assurance, product engineering, operations, and suppliers to ensure purchased products meet quality, safety, drawing, specification, and performance standards.
Addresses supplier quality, delivery, and service issues promptly and effectively to minimize production disruption.
Facilitates corrective and preventive action plans with suppliers and internal stakeholders to support root cause resolution and sustained improvement.
Monitors commodity markets, supplier capacity, lead times, pricing trends, tariff impacts, and industry conditions to anticipate risks and identify opportunities.
Evaluates new technologies, materials, suppliers, and process improvements that may support cost, quality, supply continuity, or operational objectives.