Senior Commodity Buyer

Senior Buyer - Mechanical commodities

Permanent/ Direct Hire

Onsite in Billerica, MA

Our client is looking for a Senior Buyer with a minimum of 7 years of experience in a manufacturing setting. If you thrive in a fast‑paced environment where multitasking is essential, you will be a strong fit for our Purchasing team. To be considered for this role, you must demonstrate strong communication skills, both in writing and verbally. The ideal candidate will have supplier experience in custom machining, mechanical fabrication, mechanical assemblies, metal distribution, and custom sheet metal.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Senior Buyer of Mechanical Commodities

• Lead supplier selection and management, including setting annual improvement goals and tracking supplier performance.
• Manage suppliers to deliver the lowest total in‑place cost for our client and its customers.
• Develop supply chain initiatives that improve inventory turns, reduce stock‑outs, and support responsiveness to changing customer needs.
• Create commodity strategies to shrink the supply base and manage supply‑chain risk.
• Support the new product development engineering team by identifying new sources, evaluating components that meet engineering requirements, negotiating pricing, and managing customer flow‑downs.
• Draft supplier agreements with key suppliers, lead negotiations, and execute projects for assigned commodities.
• Build and maintain a list of Preferred Suppliers for each commodity. Classify suppliers as Grow, Maintain, or Rationalize, develop related plans, and implement them.
• Track key performance indicators: Supplier Quality, Service (including on‑time delivery), and Cost, along with Supplier Safety and Integrity.
• Maintain strong working relationships with Engineering, Sales, Operations, and other functional leaders to participate in, support, and lead various project teams.
• Communicate effectively with suppliers and internal customers regarding sourcing activities.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA or equivalent experience); an MBA and/or professional certifications such as APICS or ISM are highly preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in supply chain operations within an industrial or commercial environment, with a solid understanding of and comfort working alongside front‑line operations management and cross‑functional teams.
• At least two years of experience in a buyer or planner role. Background in sourcing contract administration and negotiation is highly desirable.
• Hands‑on experience in establishing and executing strategic plans for best‑in‑class sourcing of manufactured parts, particularly mechanical commodities. Experience supporting operations that produce highly engineered mechanical product lines is also preferred.
• International commodity sourcing experience is preferred.
• Proven track record of managing direct spend and delivering measurable year‑over‑year savings.
• Strong technical and analytical skills, with a process‑oriented mindset and attention to detail.
• Experience driving results in a manufacturing organization using Lean principles.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint