Senior Buyer

This mid-level role bridges hands-on procurement with analytical supply chain work, partnering closely with the Supply Chain Manager to execute day-to-day buying while driving longer-term improvements to supplier relationships, cost, and delivery performance. The Senior Buyer will own a portfolio of parts and suppliers end-to-end — from quoting and placing orders, to vetting new sources, negotiating long-term agreements, and partnering with Production and Planning on make-vs-buy decisions. This is a full-time, salaried position reporting to the Supply Chain Manager. This position has no supervisory duties and candidate must reside in Oregon or Vancouver, WA.

Responsibilities

·       Source, quote, and purchase parts, materials, and services to meet production schedules, quality standards, and cost targets.

·       Secure competitive pricing through skillful negotiation, supplier calls, and multi-quote RFQ processes.

·       Partner with Production and Planning to evaluate make-vs-buy decisions, balancing in-house capacity, lead time, cost, and quality.

·       Vet, qualify, and onboard new suppliers

·       Negotiate and manage long-term agreements (LTAs), stocking agreements, and blanket orders to reduce costs, secure capacity, and mitigate long lead times.

·       Audit and clean up data in the M1 ERP system — part records, pricing, lead times, and supplier information — to improve accuracy and reporting integrity.

·       Place, expedite, and close out purchase orders in M1; proactively follow up with vendors to drive on-time delivery.

·       Track and report supplier performance metrics (on-time delivery, PPM, quality, responsiveness) and lead corrective-action conversations with underperforming suppliers.

·       Identify and drive continuous improvement projects across the full supply chain lifecycle — sourcing, ordering, receiving, and supplier management.

·       Support the Supply Chain Manager in analyzing spend, consolidating vendors, and diversifying the supply base to insulate Fulcrum from disruption.

·       Apply analytical tools (Excel, ERP reporting) to identify bottlenecks, support demand forecasting, identify cost-saving opportunities, and recommend min/max inventory levels.

·       Work with Quality and Engineering to resolve supplier technical questions related to customer prints, specifications, tolerances, and manufacturing processes.

·       Participate in engineering change orders and first-of-kind projects to ensure timely material flow.

·       Participate in all safety training and abide by FTI adopted practices.

·Proactively manage material flow to align with production schedules, identifying potential supply chain bottlenecks and resolving blockers before they impact manufacturing timelines.

Requirements

• 3 - 5 years of purchasing and/or supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably job shop or custom-build.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills and experience managing long-term supplier agreements.
• Experience vetting, qualifying, and onboarding new suppliers.
• Working knowledge of make-vs-buy analysis and production planning concepts.
• Strong analytical skills, including ERP data cleanup and proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, lookups, basic modeling).
• Hands-on experience with M1 or comparable ERP/MRP software.
• Working knowledge of metal fabrication materials and processes (i.e. laser cutting, machining, etc.).
• Experience in purchasing metal in various forms.
• Ability to read engineering blueprints and bills of materials.
• Familiarity with AutoCAD is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to run supplier calls and negotiations.
• High attention to detail, with ability to manage complex information across multiple open orders and projects in a fast paced environment.
• Good computer skills, especially MS Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Effective time management and organizational skills.
• Wear required PPE when entering manufacturing shop floor environment.
• Follow all adopted FTI safety process and procedures.

Job Environment:

• Office located in company headquarters.
• Company has a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Personal Protection Equipment must be worn on the manufacturing floor, PPE provided.