What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Buyer position at Aston Carter?
Job Title: Senior Buyer
Job Description
The Senior Buyer owns the full lifecycle of supplier management for a portfolio of strategic suppliers, balancing long-term commercial strategy with day-to-day execution. This role serves as the primary point of contact for high-impact suppliers, leading sourcing strategy, negotiations, and performance management in a regulated manufacturing environment. The position offers high visibility, end-to-end ownership, and the opportunity to operate at a strategic level while tackling complex supply chain challenges and driving continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
This role operates in a manufacturing environment as part of a supply chain team that includes planners, buyers, an analyst, and trade compliance professionals. The Senior Buyer will be the tenth team member and will have full ownership of assigned suppliers, working closely with cross-functional partners in planning, operations, engineering, and other functions. The position involves managing activities through an ERP system, with SAP preferred, and requires regular use of data and analysis tools, including advanced Excel. Travel requirements are approximately 10–15%, primarily domestic, for quarterly supplier or site visits. The environment emphasizes high visibility, end-to-end ownership, strategic impact, and opportunities to address complex supply chain challenges within a growing team.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Mcminnville, OR.
Pay And Benefits
The pay range for this position is $81226.00 - $110000.00/yr.
Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision Retirement savings plans with company participation Paid time off and paid holidays Parental leave and family‑friendly benefits Flexible work arrangements aligned to role and customer needs Professional development and training within a global aerospace organization
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Mcminnville,OR.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jun 30, 2026.
About Aston Carter
Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
Job Description
The Senior Buyer owns the full lifecycle of supplier management for a portfolio of strategic suppliers, balancing long-term commercial strategy with day-to-day execution. This role serves as the primary point of contact for high-impact suppliers, leading sourcing strategy, negotiations, and performance management in a regulated manufacturing environment. The position offers high visibility, end-to-end ownership, and the opportunity to operate at a strategic level while tackling complex supply chain challenges and driving continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary point of contact for a portfolio of strategic suppliers, building and maintaining strong long-term relationships.
- Own full lifecycle supplier management, including contract development, pricing agreements, and ongoing performance oversight.
- Lead requests for quotation (RFQs), supplier selection processes, and commercial negotiations, including long-term agreements and capacity commitments.
- Manage pricing, lead times, and capacity commitments to support business objectives and ensure reliable supply.
- Drive cost savings initiatives and manage Purchase Cost Variance (PCV) to meet financial targets.
- Oversee day-to-day execution of purchase orders, including creation, expediting, rescheduling, and resolving discrepancies.
- Resolve issues related to pricing, invoicing, quality, and delivery in a timely and collaborative manner.
- Lead supplier escalations related to delivery, quality, or capacity, and develop structured recovery plans.
- Identify and mitigate supply risks, including single-source dependencies and material shortages.
- Partner closely with planning and operations teams to align supply with demand forecasts and production needs.
- Support sales and operations planning (S&OP) and long-range planning activities by providing supplier and sourcing insights.
- Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance across cost, quality, and delivery metrics.
- Lead value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE) initiatives and supplier optimization efforts to enhance value and reduce total cost.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date data in the ERP system, including lead times, pricing, and supplier records.
- Ensure adherence to procurement policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, planning, and other stakeholders to align sourcing strategies with business needs.
- Analyze data to inform sourcing strategies, identify trends, and support decision-making.
- Contribute to a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning within the supply chain team.
- 5–8 years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment.
- Proven experience managing strategic, high-impact, or high-spend suppliers, preferably in regulated manufacturing environments.
- Strong strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management skills.
- Demonstrated expertise in contract negotiation, including long-term agreements, pricing, and capacity commitments.
- Experience owning end-to-end supplier strategy, beyond transactional purchase order execution.
- Hands-on experience leading RFQs, supplier selection processes, and commercial negotiations.
- ERP experience, with SAP preferred, including maintaining accurate supplier and material data.
- Experience with supplier performance management, including lead time management, capacity planning, and inventory optimization.
- Familiarity with supply planning processes, including S&OP and long-range planning.
- Demonstrated ability to identify and mitigate supply risks and lead escalation management.
- Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives and value engineering or value analysis activities.
- Strong data analysis skills and the ability to translate insights into sourcing strategies.
- Proven cross-functional collaboration with teams such as engineering, operations, and planning.
- High level of ownership, follow-through, and a strong internal and external customer service mindset.
- Self-directed, proactive, and solutions-oriented approach with a growth mindset.
- Experience in aerospace or other highly regulated industries.
- Knowledge of ISO standards and AS9100 or similar quality management frameworks.
- Experience with value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE) initiatives or supplier transitions.
- Advanced Excel skills and strong data analysis capabilities.
- Experience in vendor management and supply chain optimization within manufacturing.
- Background in risk mitigation, escalation management, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Exposure to complex supply chain challenges and cross-functional leadership environments.
- Mindset characterized as humble, driven to learn, and focused on collaborative success.
This role operates in a manufacturing environment as part of a supply chain team that includes planners, buyers, an analyst, and trade compliance professionals. The Senior Buyer will be the tenth team member and will have full ownership of assigned suppliers, working closely with cross-functional partners in planning, operations, engineering, and other functions. The position involves managing activities through an ERP system, with SAP preferred, and requires regular use of data and analysis tools, including advanced Excel. Travel requirements are approximately 10–15%, primarily domestic, for quarterly supplier or site visits. The environment emphasizes high visibility, end-to-end ownership, strategic impact, and opportunities to address complex supply chain challenges within a growing team.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Mcminnville, OR.
Pay And Benefits
The pay range for this position is $81226.00 - $110000.00/yr.
Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision Retirement savings plans with company participation Paid time off and paid holidays Parental leave and family‑friendly benefits Flexible work arrangements aligned to role and customer needs Professional development and training within a global aerospace organization
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Mcminnville,OR.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jun 30, 2026.
About Aston Carter
Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
Salary : $81,226 - $110,000