Buyer - Tactical

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Dental insurance

At Sterling Technologies Inc., we are not just a wire harness manufacturer—we engineer reliability, innovation, and seamless integration for OEMs that can’t afford to fail.

Based in Wixom, Michigan, we specialize in designing and manufacturing custom electrical, electronic, and electro mechanical components for mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and a range of high-performance industries.

Sterling Technologies is looking for a Tactical Buyer to add to their team. This person is responsible for sourcing, procuring, and managing the supply of custom wire harness components, electrical, electronic, and electromechanical materials to support production requirements. This role works closely with suppliers, engineering, production, quality, and planning teams to ensure material availability, cost competitiveness, on-time delivery, and quality performance. The Tactical Buyer plays a key role in maintaining supplier relationships, expediting critical materials, managing inventory levels, and supporting new product launches.

This is NOT a REMOTE position.

Key Responsibilities

• Purchase raw materials and components required for the manufacture of custom wire harnesses and cable assemblies, including:
• Wire and cable
• Connectors and terminals
• Contacts and pins
• Relays, switches, and circuit protection devices
• Sensors and electronic components
• Tubing, braiding, sleeving, and heat shrink materials
• Printed circuit boards and subassemblies
• Electromechanical components and hardware
• Review MRP requirements and issue purchase orders to ensure uninterrupted material supply.
• Monitor supplier performance related to quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost.
• Expedite critical materials to support production schedules and customer delivery commitments.
• Work closely with planning and production teams to resolve material shortages and supply chain disruptions.
• Manage purchase order acknowledgments, vendor communications, and delivery schedules.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier records within the ERP/MRP system.
• Support supplier negotiations regarding pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and delivery terms.
• Analyze inventory levels and recommend actions to optimize inventory while preventing stockouts.
• Coordinate supplier corrective actions related to quality or delivery issues.
• Support engineering change orders (ECOs) and new product introductions by sourcing new materials and suppliers.
• Assist with cost-reduction initiatives, value engineering projects, and supplier development activities.
• Collaborate with quality and engineering teams to qualify new suppliers and components.
• Generate and maintain purchasing reports, supplier scorecards, and key performance metrics.
• Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies, customer requirements, and industry standards.

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• 3+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience in manufacturing.
• Experience purchasing electrical, electronic, or electromechanical components preferred.
• Knowledge of custom wire harness, cable assembly, automotive, aerospace, industrial, or electronic manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and other Microsoft Office applications.
• APICS, CPM, CPSM, or related certification is a plus.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of supply chain and purchasing principles.
• Ability to read and interpret bills of materials (BOMs), technical specifications, and engineering drawings.
• Knowledge of wire harness components, connectors, terminals, electrical assemblies, and related manufacturing materials.
• Excellent negotiation and supplier relationship management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated with a sense of urgency and accountability.
• Team-oriented with the ability to collaborate across departments.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• On-time supplier delivery performance
• Material availability for production
• Purchase price variance (PPV)
• Inventory turns and inventory accuracy
• Supplier quality performance
• Expediting and shortage reduction metrics
• Cost savings and cost avoidance initiatives

This position is ideal for a purchasing professional who thrives in a manufacturing environment and enjoys managing supplier relationships while ensuring the timely procurement of critical electrical, electronic, and electromechanical components used in custom wire harness and cable assembly production.