Senior Buyer

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Color Buyer provides strategic sourcing and category leadership for color concentrates, masterbatch, pigments, dyes, and related additives used in plastic manufacturing. This role owns supplier strategy, leads complex negotiations and formula-based pricing, monitors pigment and feedstock markets, drives cost reduction and supply continuity, and serves as the primary procurement partner to Operations, Quality, Engineering, Finance, and key suppliers. The position is expected to independently manage priorities, influence cross-functional decisions, and support the development of less-experienced buyers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

* Lead sourcing and category management for color concentrates, masterbatch, pigments, dyes, and related additives used in plastic manufacturing

* Develop and execute category strategies that improve cost, quality, service, innovation, capacity, and supply resilience

* Lead competitive RFQs, supplier selections, complex negotiations, contract development, and long-term commercial agreements

* Build, validate, negotiate, and administer pricing formulas tied to pigments, carriers, resins, additives, energy, freight, conversion costs, and   applicable market indices

* Analyze pigment-industry conditions, global and regional feedstock trends, supplier capacity, regulatory changes, and geopolitical or logistics risks

* Lead should-cost analysis, annual budgeting, forecasting, price-change validation, cost-reduction projects, and purchase-price-variance reporting

* Partner with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and suppliers on color matching, plant trials, material approvals, reformulations, and production changes

* Establish supplier performance expectations, conduct business reviews, lead corrective actions, and implement continuity and risk-mitigation plans

* Maintain accurate contracts, purchase orders, source lists, material records, pricing conditions, and supplier data in ERP system

* Analyze spend, pricing, usage, inventory, forecasts, supplier performance, and sourcing opportunities

* Resolve escalated supply, quality, invoice, pricing, and delivery issues with suppliers and internal stakeholders

* Provide guidance to buyers and cross-functional teams on sourcing processes, market dynamics, supplier decisions, and commercial terms

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

* Responsible for following all Food Safety related policies and procedures;

* Responsible for following all Safety Rules, policies, procedures and work instructions;

* Backup: Buyer II, Sr. Buyer, Purchasing Manager

Requirements

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

* Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Chemistry, Materials Science, Plastics Engineering, Packaging, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant purchasing and plastics-industry experience may be considered. Professional procurement or supply-chain certification is a plus.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

* Seven or more years of progressive purchasing, strategic sourcing, or category-management experience

* Advanced ability to build, validate, and negotiate pricing formulas, index-based adjustments, conversion costs, freight, and other cost components

* Demonstrated success leading strategic sourcing projects, complex negotiations, supplier development, contract execution, and measurable cost savings

* Ability to independently manage a critical category, prioritize competing demands, resolve escalated issues, and influence decisions across functions

* Strong financial and analytical skills, including should-cost modeling, market analysis, forecasting, budgeting, inventory analysis, and supply-risk assessment

* Experience using DelmiaWorks or similar ERP system for purchasing material, supplier, contract, and purchase-order activities preferred

* Experience using PBI tools for spend, pricing, usage, inventory, and supplier-performance analysis preferred

* Ability to coach or mentor buyers and communicate effectively with suppliers, plant teams, technical functions, and senior leadership

* Advanced proficiency in Excel and working proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

* Experience buying color concentrates, masterbatch, pigments, dyes, or related materials for plastics

* Strong knowledge of the pigment industry, color-supply market, key feedstocks, manufacturing processes, supplier landscape, and major cost drivers

* Strong knowledge of plastic resins, masterbatch, pigment and dye technologies, color matching, material qualification, and manufacturing requirements

* Working knowledge of printing inks, specialty additives, and printing plates, including their applications, supplier markets, cost drivers, quality requirements, and use in plastic packaging and decorating processes

EQUIPMENT USED:

* Personal computer, printer, telephone, calculator

CONTACTS:

* Purchasing Manager; suppliers; Accounting department; Sales department; Shipping department; Scheduling department; Manufacturing departments

SUPERVISION:

* Reports to Purchasing Manager