Job Description Help for Job Description. Opens a new window. Senior Buyer About Us Velocity is the nation's leading and largest builder of classic American vehicles, redefining what it means to own a classic. Our vehicles aren't just restored—they're entirely reborn. We blend the timeless soul and aesthetics of vintage cars with the performance, technology, and reliability of modern automobiles. By shifting away from traditional one-off restorations with their many uncertainties, we have set a new standard—delivering meticulously crafted, high- performance classics with enhanced reliability and drivability. Velocity's Culture and Core Values Success at Velocity requires a "whatever it takes" mentality. We embody grit, demonstrating perseverance, resilience, and unwavering determination in the face of challenges. We are adaptable, embracing change, adjusting to new circumstances, and continuously seeking ways to improve processes and outcomes—because growth does not come from comfort. We take ownership, assuming full responsibility for tasks, decisions, and outcomes, whether successes or setbacks, without shifting blame. "That's not my job" is not in our vocabulary; when one part of our team falls short, we all do. Finally, our ambition fuels our drive to excel, improve, and uphold the highest standards for both personal and professional growth. This mindset defines who we are and ensures our continued success. Overview The Senior Buyer is responsible for the strategic and tactical management of assigned suppliers, commodities, parts, materials, and supplies needed to support Velocity's production requirements. This individual will lead sourcing, supplier management, commercial negotiations, cost reduction, and supply risk mitigation while ensuring material is available at the required quality, cost, and delivery performance. The Senior Buyer serves as a key commercial interface with the supply base and is expected to operate with a high degree of independent judgment, proactively improve supplier performance, and identify opportunities to reduce total cost and strengthen continuity of supply. The ideal candidate has strong negotiation and analytical skills, demonstrated supplier-management experience, and a solid understanding of automotive or complex manufacturing environments. Job Level Individual Contributor Reports To Supply Chain Manager Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and sourcing strategies for assigned suppliers, commodities, and product categories to support production, cost, quality, and delivery objectives.
• Lead competitive sourcing activities including RFQs, bid analysis, supplier evaluation, selection, qualification, and onboarding.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, freight terms, minimum order quantities, tooling, warranties, and other commercial conditions to achieve the best total value for Velocity.
• Develop and annual cost-reduction initiatives through negotiation, competitive sourcing, volume consolidation, value analysis, alternate sourcing, and supplier collaboration.
• Analyze supplier pricing, historical spend, market conditions, volumes, and cost drivers to establish negotiation strategies and cost targets.
• Challenge and negotiate supplier price increases using fact-based analysis while identifying opportunities for cost avoidance and purchase price improvement.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while establishing clear expectations for quality, delivery, responsiveness, cost, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and drive corrective actions for delivery, quality, pricing, capacity, responsiveness, and other performance gaps.
• Identify single-source, capacity, financial, geographic, lead-time, and other supply risks and develop appropriate mitigation and alternate-source strategies.
• Manage purchase requirements generated through the ERP/MRP system and ensure supplier commitments align with production demand, inventory position, and required dates.
• Proactively manage supplier delivery performance, past-due purchase orders, and material constraints; escalate supply risks before they impact production.
• Partner with Production, Planning, Inventory, Engineering, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to resolve shortages, supplier issues, specification questions, and material constraints.
• Provide support to MRB and Quality teams to resolve supplier quality issues, RMAs, corrective actions, and supplier disposition in a timely manner.
• Research and evaluate new suppliers, materials, products, and manufacturing capabilities to improve quality, reduce cost, shorten lead times, and strengthen the supply base.
• Support development and negotiation of supplier agreements, pricing agreements, and long-term commercial arrangements; maintain accurate records of contracts and supplier commitments.
• Maintain purchasing master data including supplier pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, order multiples, and other procurement parameters within the ERP system.
• Support inventory and working-capital improvement by balancing material availability with inventory turns, order quantities, lead times, and supplier flexibility.
• Track and report supplier and procurement performance including cost savings, cost avoidance, purchase price variance, delivery performance, shortages, and other assigned KPIs.
• Provide guidance and support to less experienced buyers and serve as a procurement resource for complex supplier, sourcing, and commercial issues.
• Stay informed of industry trends, pricing fluctuations, supply-market conditions, and new product developments in the automotive and manufacturing sectors.
• Use discretion with confidential customer, Company, supplier, pricing, and contract information.