Senior Buyer

Vaco is hiring for a Senior Buyer opportunity in Youngstown. This is a direct hire position that is onsite. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Include the following:
Sourcing & Procurement:
- Identify and engage with reliable suppliers of steel products.
- Develop and maintain a portfolio of suppliers and ensure a steady and competitive supply chain.
- Negotiate prices, payment terms, and contract conditions with suppliers.
- Monitor market trends, including price fluctuations and demand/supply shifts, to make informed purchasing decisions.
- Initiate live market RFQ for raw material quotes and determine current pricing while accounting for steel market price trends.
- Plan material procurement to optimize stock levels, reduce holding costs, and prevent stockouts, while ensuring product quality and availability
- Manage supplier performance, including supplier scorecard process, address areas of concern.
- Assist with new vendor qualification process.
Supplier Relationship Management:
- Build strong relationships with key steel distributors/service centers and suppliers of tooling.
- Routinely follow-up with suppliers to assure they are on track to deliver product in accordance with schedule.
- Regularly review supplier performance to ensure consistent quality, delivery, and pricing.
- Establish long-term agreements with preferred suppliers for better cost savings and continuity.
Market Analysis & Reporting:
- Stay up to date with industry trends, global economic conditions, and trade regulations that impact the steel market.
- Prepare regular market analysis reports to inform senior management of purchasing strategies.
- Use data to forecast steel prices and demand and adjust buying strategies accordingly.
Compliance & Risk Management:
- Ensure all transactions comply with company policies, ethical standards, and applicable regulations.
- Mitigate risks related to price volatility, supply chain disruptions, and financial exposures through strategies or other mechanisms.
Financial & Budgetary Oversight:
- Manage purchasing budgets, ensuring optimal use of resources while meeting company profitability goals.
- Work with finance teams to ensure timely payment and contract closure with suppliers.
- Evaluate and optimize cost efficiency of purchases to enhance margins.
Interdepartmental Support:
- Determine raw material pricing to be used for sales quotes for new and existing customers.
- Provide timely steel market updates to ensure Hynes team members understand current market dynamics and trends; assist with messaging to customer.
- Provide quarterly material cost updates for customer specific programs.
- Collaborate with quality control team members to establish and maintain high-quality standards for steel products and suppliers throughout the supply chain.
- Work closely with cross-functional teams, including production, sales, quality, and finance, to ensure alignment and collaboration across departments
- Other duties as may be assigned
Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- The position is based at our Youngstown, Ohio headquarters
o Candidate must live in Cleveland/Akron/Pittsburgh/Youngstown area
- Knowledge of the global steel market required – specifically hot rolled, galvanized and stainless steel with a sheet metal coil focus.
- In-depth knowledge of steel procurement processes and understanding of key price drivers.
- Excellent negotiation and communication skills for managing supplier and client relationships.
- Proven experience in supply chain management
- Knowledge and experience in MRP and ERP systems inventory control, materials requirements planning, demand planning, purchase orders and supply chain planning
- Strong analytical ability to assess market data, forecast trends, and manage risk.
- Ability to work well with others within a team environment
- Leadership skills and the ability to drive change within a dynamic organization
- Collaborative skills in resolving issues
- Familiarity with the roll forming process a plus, as well as other manufacturing processes
- Travel as required
Education and/or Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in purchasing, business, metallurgy, or a related field. Master's degree is a plus, a minimum of 7-10 years’ procurement/materials management experience in a manufacturing environment for steel related industry.