About the Role
We're seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to join our Supply Chain team in Penticton, BC. This is a hands-on, senior-level procurement position responsible for ensuring the right materials and components are available at the right time, cost, and quality to support our manufacturing operations.
The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of manufacturing procurement, excellent supplier management and negotiation skills, and the ability to anticipate challenges before they affect production. Beyond day-to-day purchasing, you'll help strengthen supplier relationships, improve procurement processes, manage supply risks, and identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency and material availability.
This role is well suited to someone who enjoys both the strategic and operational sides of purchasing and takes pride in seeing their work directly contribute to finished products on the shop floor.
Key Responsibilities
Procurement & Material Planning
- Manage end-to-end purchasing activities for raw materials, fabricated components, equipment, and production supplies.
- Review production schedules, bills of materials (BOMs), and ERP/MRP requirements to ensure timely material availability.
- Proactively identify long-lead items, material shortages, and potential supply disruptions, developing solutions to minimize production impacts.
- Coordinate purchasing requirements with Engineering, Production, Operations, and other internal stakeholders.
- Manage purchase orders, supplier confirmations, delivery schedules, and expediting activities.
Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management
- Source, evaluate, and develop reliable suppliers based on quality, cost, lead time, and capacity.
- Negotiate competitive pricing, payment terms, lead times, and supply agreements.
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while holding vendors accountable for performance and delivery commitments.
- Identify alternate sourcing opportunities to reduce supply risks and improve purchasing flexibility.
- Evaluate supplier performance and recommend improvements to support long-term supply reliability.
Cost Management & Continuous Improvement
- Identify and execute cost-saving initiatives through competitive sourcing, supplier negotiations, and purchasing efficiencies.
- Analyze purchasing trends, supplier pricing, and material costs to support informed procurement decisions.
- Support inventory optimization by balancing material availability, purchasing costs, and working capital considerations.
- Contribute to the development and improvement of procurement procedures, systems, and reporting.
- Maintain accurate purchasing, supplier, and pricing information within the ERP system.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Engineering to understand technical requirements, specifications, and material alternatives.
- Coordinate purchasing changes resulting from engineering revisions, BOM updates, and changing production priorities.
- Communicate purchasing risks, delivery concerns, and supplier issues clearly and proactively.
- Support procurement planning for upcoming projects and evolving manufacturing requirements.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 5+ years of purchasing or procurement experience in a manufacturing environment
- Post-secondary education in Supply Chain Management, Business, Procurement, or a related field
- Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and production flow
- Experience sourcing fabricated components, industrial materials, or custom manufacturing parts
- Excellent negotiation, organizational, and communication skills
- Proficient in ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications
- Ability to work on site in a fast-paced and collaborative environment
What We Offer
- Competitive Pay: $95,000 to $110,000 CAD, based on experience
- Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package, paid holidays and paid time off
- Growth Opportunities: Continuing education and growth into specialized roles is encouraged.
- Team Environment: Work in a collaborative, continuous improvement-focused production shop
- Stability: Full-time, permanent position with consistent hours
Schedule & Work Details
- Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
- Location: On-site in Penticton, BC
- Environment: Industrial manufacturing environment, shop floor and office.
Join Kinetic Custom Trailers and be an essential part of shaping innovative solutions in trailer manufacturing. Apply now to help drive the future of our industry! We appreciate all applications, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
About Kinetic Custom Trailers
Join a team where innovation meets craftsmanship — Welcome to Kinetic Custom Trailers. At KINETIC, we don’t just build trailers, we engineer custom solutions that push the boundaries of design, functionality, and quality. As a leader in the custom trailer manufacturing industry, we take pride in creating smart, efficient designs that meet the unique needs of every client, no matter how complex or specialized.