Senior Buyer

**Job Title:** Senior Buyer - Aerospace & Defense **Location:** Columbus MS **Position Type:** Full-time, Permanent **Job Summary:** We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Senior Buyer to join our procurement team in the aerospace and defense sector. The Senior Buyer will play a crucial role in managing strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, and purchasing activities to support our company’s objectives in quality, delivery, and cost-effectiveness. This role requires a deep understanding of aerospace and defense industry requirements, including compliance, quality standards, and risk management. **Key Responsibilities:** - **Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management:** - Identify, assess, and qualify suppliers to ensure alignment with company objectives, compliance with industry standards, and delivery reliability. - Develop and implement sourcing strategies to optimize costs, ensure quality, and mitigate risks. - Negotiate contracts, terms, and conditions to secure favorable terms that meet the company’s cost, quality, and lead-time requirements. - Maintain and strengthen relationships with key suppliers, ensuring alignment on strategic goals. - Strong cost reduction background in material, component, sub-assemblies, Design to specification items - **Procurement and Inventory Management:** - Manage the end-to-end procurement process for assigned categories, including RFQs, PO generation, and order tracking. - Optimize inventory levels to meet demand forecasts while minimizing excess and obsolescence. - Collaborate with internal stakeholders (Engineering, Quality, Production) to ensure material availability and timely delivery. - Monitor and report on supplier performance, conducting regular reviews and taking corrective action as needed. - **Compliance and Documentation:** - Ensure all procurement activities comply with regulatory standards, including ITAR, DFARS, FAR, and other relevant aerospace and defense regulations. - Maintain accurate records of purchases, pricing, and other important data for auditing and reporting purposes. - Manage import/export compliance requirements, collaborating with logistics teams to ensure smooth flow of goods. - **Continuous Improvement:** - Identify opportunities for process improvements and cost savings within the procurement function. - Stay updated on industry trends, market conditions, and new technologies that could benefit sourcing and procurement activities. - Lead and mentor junior members of the purchasing team, providing guidance in best practices, problem-solving, and career development. **Qualifications:** - Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field; a Master’s degree is a plus. - 5+ years of procurement experience, preferably within the aerospace or defense sector. - In-depth knowledge of industry regulations, including ITAR, DFARS, and FAR. - Strong negotiation and contract management skills. - Proven track record in strategic sourcing and supplier management, especially with highly regulated or high-specification suppliers. - Experience with ERP/MRP systems; familiarity with SAP, Oracle, or similar platforms is preferred. - APICS or ISM certification (such as CPSM or CPIM) is highly desirable. - Excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills. - Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional team environment.