Senior Buyer

Senior Buyer, Billerica, MA area

Position Summary

The Senior Buyer is a key member of the Supply Chain organization, responsible for ensuring uninterrupted material supply to support manufacturing operations and customer commitments.

This role combines strategic supplier management with tactical procurement in a fast-paced semiconductor capital equipment environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage purchasing activities for assigned commodities and strategic suppliers, including POs, acknowledgments, expedites, cancellations, and delivery commitments.
• Monitor material shortages, supplier capacity, lead times, and supply risks to ensure production continuity.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels while reducing excess and obsolete inventory.
• Maintain accurate pricing, lead times, and planning parameters in the ERP system.
• Own supplier relationships and lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), supplier scorecards, and corrective action plans.
• Evaluate supplier capacity, financial health, quality, and operational risks.
• Develop sourcing and supply-continuity strategies for critical materials.
• Partner with Commodity Management on cost reduction, dual sourcing, supplier development, RFQs, and supplier qualification.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI), Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), and material transitions.
• Lead initiatives focused on cost savings, lead-time reduction, inventory optimization, supplier consolidation, and material flow improvements.
• Collaborate with Planning, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations to meet production and customer requirements.
• Analyze demand forecasts and supplier capacity to ensure future material availability.
• Conduct supplier visits and audits as needed.
• Mentor and provide guidance to Buyers and other Supply Chain team members.

Required Qualifications

• 7–10 years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, or materials management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in semiconductor equipment, robotics, medical device, aerospace, industrial automation, or other high-technology manufacturing environments preferred.
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems; Epicor experience preferred.
• Experience procuring precision-machined components, sheet metal, electromechanical assemblies, motors/motion-control components, cable assemblies, vacuum-compatible components, electronics, and PCBAs.
• Proven experience managing strategic suppliers and resolving complex supply chain issues.
• Strong negotiation, supplier management, analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and the ability to analyze data and manage material-flow processes.
• Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Experience with supplier improvement initiatives, cost reduction, and cross-functional projects.
• Ability to work effectively with global suppliers across multiple time zones.

Education:  Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field preferred.

Travel:

• Approximately 20–25% domestic and international travel to supplier locations.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and drug screening.
• Salary range, $95k to $110k

It is the policy of GCR to provide equal opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. GCR is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and embraces diversity in our employee population. 

GCR Professional Services is an engineering and information technology staffing firm (direct-hire, consultants, contract-to-hire).