Description Position Summary The Senior Buyer is responsible for the timely, accurate, and cost-effective procurement of raw materials, tooling, manufacturing supplies, and assigned outside services required to support A1J Technologies’ precision manufacturing operations. As A1J advances from a traditional job-shop model toward a scalable Tier 1 supplier for commercial aerospace and defense customers, this position strengthens supplier reliability, material traceability, purchasing discipline, and delivery performance. Reporting to the Supply Chain & Logistics Manager, the Senior Buyer executes sourcing and purchasing activities, negotiates with suppliers, expedites critical requirements, and works cross-functionally with Planning & Production Control, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Quality, Logistics, and Finance. This is a senior individual-contributor role; purchasing strategy, staffing, and departmental leadership remain with the Supply Chain & Logistics Manager. 1. Procurement Execution & Material Availability • Execute purchase requisitions and release accurate purchase orders for assigned raw materials, tooling, consumables, MRO items, and approved outside services within delegated authority. • Review demand, lead times, specifications, inventory availability, and production priorities before placing orders. • Proactively track open purchase orders, obtain supplier acknowledgments, and expedite shortages or delivery risks affecting production commitments. • Coordinate substitutions, split deliveries, and alternate sourcing only through the required Engineering, Quality, and commercial approval processes. 2. Supplier Sourcing, Negotiation & Performance • Identify and qualify prospective suppliers in coordination with Quality and the applicable supplier approval process. • Solicit and evaluate quotations based on total value, lead time, technical requirements, quality, delivery, and commercial terms. • Negotiate pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and terms within delegated purchasing authority. • Track supplier delivery and responsiveness; document recurring issues and support supplier improvement and corrective-action activities. 3. Aerospace, Defense & Purchasing Compliance • Ensure purchase orders accurately communicate applicable drawings, specifications, revisions, certification requirements, and customer/quality flow downs as provided by authorized functions. • Purchase from approved sources when required; verify required supplier approvals and coordinate with Quality on supplier status and special-process requirements. • Support material traceability and required certifications, including mill test reports, certificates of conformity, and applicable lot/heat identification. • Maintain purchasing records to support AS9100-aligned processes, audit readiness, product safety, configuration control, and prevention of suspect/counterfeit items. • Escalate export-control, domestic sourcing, customer-approved-source, and other contract-specific requirements to designated compliance owners; do not independently interpret or waive requirements. 4. ERP, Data Accuracy & Purchasing Controls • Maintain accurate supplier, purchase order, promised date, price, and delivery information in the ERP/MRP system. • Ensure purchasing transactions, revisions, acknowledgments, and documentation are completed accurately and promptly. • Partner with Receiving, Inventory/Material Control, and Finance to resolve receiving discrepancies, invoice mismatches, and open purchase order issues. • Identify opportunities to standardize purchasing workflows, reduce manual followup, and improve supplier and material visibility. 5. Cross-Functional Production Support • Coordinate with Planning & Production Control on demand changes, critical shortages, and recovery schedules. • Work with Manufacturing Engineering and CNC Programming to confirm purchasing requirements for raw material, tooling, and manufacturing support items. • Partner with Quality and Receiving on rejected, damaged, incomplete, or uncertified incoming material; support supplier returns and corrective actions. • Collaborate with Logistics and outside-processing coordinators on material movements, subcontracted operations, and supplier commitments where assigned. • Communicate procurement risks and mitigation actions clearly and promptly to stakeholders. 6. Cost Improvement & Continuous Improvement • Identify documented savings through competitive sourcing, supplier consolidation, negotiated pricing, and process improvements without compromising product conformity or delivery. • Analyze recurring expedite charges, lead-time variance, shortages, and purchasing inefficiencies; recommend sustainable corrective actions. • Support standard work, supplier scorecards, purchasing KPIs, and disciplined continuous-improvement initiatives. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) • Supplier On-Time Delivery – delivery against confirmed supplier commitments for assigned purchases. • Material Availability – number and duration of production shortages attributable to purchasing execution. • Purchase Order Accuracy & Compliance – complete, correct, approved POs with required specifications and flow-downs. • Open PO / Expedite Management – timely follow-up, accurate promise dates, and escalation of at-risk orders. • Purchase Price Performance – documented price variance and validated cost savings. • Supplier Issue Resolution – timeliness of discrepancy resolution and corrective action follow-up. • ERP Data Accuracy – accurate supplier, pricing, acknowledgment, and delivery records. Work Environment • Primarily office-based with regular interaction with production, receiving, inventory, and quality personnel. • Occasional supplier visits and schedule flexibility may be required to support production priorities. Benefits • Medical Insurance • Dental Insurance • Vision Insurance • Life Insurance • Paid Time Off • 401(k) Retirement Plan • 401(k) Employer Match Requirements Qualifications • 5+ years of progressive purchasing or procurement experience in precision manufacturing, machining, or another complex manufacturing environment. • Experience purchasing metals, raw material, machining tooling, industrial supplies, or subcontracted manufacturing services. • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple suppliers, urgent requirements, changing production priorities, and purchase order follow-through. • Strong supplier negotiation, quote evaluation, cost analysis, and expediting skills. • Ability to interpret purchase requirements, technical specifications, drawing revisions, and required procurement documentation. • Working knowledge of ERP/MRP purchasing transactions and proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other standard business applications. • Strong written communication, attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and cross-functional collaboration. Preferred Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience is valued. • Experience in aerospace, defense, or other regulated precision manufacturing environments. • Familiarity with AS9100/ISO 9001 purchasing controls, approved supplier lists, supplier quality requirements, and traceability documentation. • Knowledge of common aerospace materials, material certifications, special processing, and customer-specific purchasing flow-downs. • Experience with JobBoss or comparable manufacturing ERP/MRP software. • Experience supporting supplier scorecards, inventory optimization, lean/continuous improvement, and purchasing process standardization. • Professional supply chain certification (such as CPSM or CPIM) or equivalent training.