Manufacturing Company Buyer

Buyer FLSA: Exempt

Summary

The Buyer is responsible for managing the procurement of materials and products essential to supporting production and operations. This role focuses on securing optimal pricing, availability, and delivery performance through effective vendor negotiation and strategic sourcing.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Including, but not limited to: • Develop and issue bid packages, RFQs, RFPs, and statements of work (SOWs) aligned with project specifications and production requirements. • Lead sourcing strategies from project initiation through execution, including evaluating alternative suppliers, pursuing nearshoring opportunities, and mitigating supply chain risks. • Collaborate with Engineering and Operations teams to ensure procurement activities align with production schedules and quality standards. • Conduct commercial negotiations, resolve supplier issues, and ensure continuity of supply. • Analyze cost breakdowns for materials, labor, freight, and overhead to support total cost of ownership (TCO) decision-making. • Build and maintain supplier relationships to drive cost savings, improve lead times, and eliminate inefficiencies. • Monitor supplier compliance with pricing agreements, service-level requirements, and quality KPIs. • Support risk management initiatives, including supplier capacity evaluations, insurance documentation, and multi-sourcing strategies. • Manage the purchase order lifecycle—from creation through delivery—ensuring inventory levels consistently support production needs without overstocking or stockouts.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and cost-modeling skills to support value-based sourcing decisions. • Solid business acumen with the ability to evaluate commercial risk, vendor performance, and operational impact. • Knowledge of global sourcing strategies across services, components, and finished goods. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present insights to cross-functional teams. • Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across Engineering, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain. • Proficiency in INFOR (preferred). • Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel for cost analysis and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field preferred. • CPSM or CPM certification is a plus. • Minimum of 4 years of professional experience, including at least 2 years in procurement, sourcing, or category management. • Experience working with international suppliers and a strong understanding of import logistics is preferred. • Prior experience in a manufacturing environment is strongly preferred.

Position Type & Expected Hours of Work

• Full-time position operating on a 4/10 schedule (Monday–Thursday). Due to the demands of the role, flexibility to work outside standard hours may be required. • This is an on-site, full-time position.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.

GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.