Senior Purchasing Agent – Aerospace Manufacturing

Senior Purchasing Agent – Aerospace Manufacturing

Columbus, Mississippi Direct Hire $80000 /

Columbus, MS 39701 |
Salary:$80,000 annually |
Employment Type: Full-time, permanen t

This role requires someone who can combine day-to-day purchasing execution with long-term supplier strategy. The selected professional will be responsible for securing quality materials at competitive costs, improving supplier reliability, resolving delivery challenges, and helping ensure production teams receive the components they need on schedule. The ideal candidate has experience purchasing engineered products in an aerospace, defense, aviation, electronics, or similarly regulated manufacturing environment.

• Source components, raw materials, assemblies, and custom-manufactured items.
• Research and evaluate prospective suppliers based on capability, quality, pricing, capacity, and delivery performance.
• Prepare requests for quotation and compare supplier proposals.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment arrangements, and contractual terms.
• Create purchase orders and manage them through delivery and final receipt.
• Follow up with suppliers regarding late orders, shortages, production delays, and changing requirements.
• Work with internal departments to resolve material and supplier-related issues.
• Establish alternate suppliers for critical or single-source products.
• Review supplier performance and recommend corrective actions when expectations are not met.
• Help reduce material costs through competitive sourcing, negotiations, and value-analysis efforts.
• Support inventory goals by balancing production requirements against excess stock and obsolescence risk.
• Maintain complete procurement records, supplier documentation, and purchasing data.
• Assist with supplier audits, compliance reviews, and documentation requests.
• Provide guidance to less-experienced members of the purchasing team.

The Strategic Procurement Specialist will work closely with:

• Quality Assurance
• Production
• Material Planning
• Inventory Control
• Logistics
• Program Management
• Finance

The position will serve as a key connection between internal technical teams and external suppliers.

This position will help ensure that purchasing activities meet applicable aerospace, defense, and government-contract requirements.

Responsibilities may include:

• Supporting ITAR-controlled purchasing activities
• Following FAR and DFARS requirements
• Maintaining documentation for internal and external audits
• Supporting import and export compliance
• Confirming that suppliers meet contractual and quality requirements
• Protecting sensitive technical and procurement information

• At least five years of experience in purchasing, procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply-chain operations.
• Previous experience supporting manufacturing, production, or an engineered-product environment.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate with suppliers and improve commercial terms.
• Experience sourcing technical materials, manufactured components, or subassemblies.
• Familiarity with RFQs, supplier proposals, purchase orders, delivery schedules, and expediting.
• Ability to identify and document cost savings or cost-avoidance opportunities.
• Working knowledge of ERP or MRP systems.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work onsite in Columbus, Mississippi.

• Procurement experience within aerospace, defense, aviation, military manufacturing, or government contracting.
• Familiarity with ITAR, FAR, and DFARS regulations.
• Experience purchasing custom-machined parts, electronic components, sensors, assemblies, composites, or other specialized products.
• Knowledge of supplier-quality processes and corrective-action programs.
• Experience using SAP, Oracle, or another manufacturing ERP platform.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related discipline.
• Professional certification through APICS, ASCM, or ISM, including CPSM, CPIM, or…