Senior Buyer / Supply Chain Planner

Job title: Senior Buyer / Supply Chain Planner

Overview:

We're looking for a Senior Buyer / Supply Chain Planner for a company that builds complex electronics in high-mix, low-volume runs, often on schedules our customers needed yesterday. Engineering releases the bill of materials; Manufacturing needs every part on the bench on the day the build starts. Between those two moments sits a supply chain full of shortages, allocations, long lead times and suppliers who say 16 weeks when we need parts in 3.

In this role, you'll own that gap. You'll turn engineering BOMs into buying plans and get every part on order. When the normal answer isn't good enough, you'll find another one. That might mean renegotiating a lead time, splitting an order across sources, finding authorized stock somewhere else, pulling in a partial shipment, or working with Engineering on an approved alternate. Then you'll make sure the parts actually arrive.

This role suits a problem-solver who's comfortable negotiating, not someone who places orders and waits. You'll work in our in-house ERP, which was built around this job. It gives you real visibility into demand, stock, open orders and kit readiness, and you'll have real influence over how the tools grow.

About Our Company:

At Subinitial, we provide advanced automated testing services to the aerospace and electric vehicle industries. Specializing in high-performance testing systems, we ensure the performance, efficiency, and reliability of cutting-edge technologies. Our automation tools help clients accelerate development, improve product quality, and reduce time to market, empowering innovation in the fields of aerospace and EVs. Join us in shaping the future with next-gen testing solutions.

Job Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Resolve shortages. Find the parts that will gate a build before they do, and close the gap. Bring in alternates, other sources, expedites, partial shipments and pull-ins, by whatever legitimate means the timeline needs.
• Negotiate with suppliers. Push back on lead times, dates, minimum buys and allocation. Build relationships with distributors, manufacturers' reps and contract manufacturers that pay off when we need a favor. Escalate politely and persistently until you have a committed date.
• Turn BOMs into buying plans. Take the released BOM as the spec and work out what we have, what's already committed and what has to be bought. Raise discrepancies with Engineering quickly.
• Place complex purchase orders. These include RFQs, quotes, drop-ships to contract manufacturers, consigned kits, tariffs and inspection holds. Some orders take a click. Many take three emails and a phone call.
• Run the chase. Work a daily queue of open orders, unconfirmed POs, missing ETAs and late shipments. Keep ETAs in the system accurate, so Manufacturing can give customers delivery dates they can trust.
• React when the floor comes up short. When stock is lost, damaged, miscounted or scrapped and a kit falls short, get the replacement on order the same day.
• Handle supplier problems. Deal with wrong parts, short shipments, quality holds, returns and credits, together with Receiving and Quality.
• Keep the record honest. Keep orders, dates, supplier information and buying notes accurate. The schedule is only as good as your data.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills:

• Strong negotiation and phone skills. You're comfortable calling a supplier, a distributor's field application engineer or a manufacturer's rep and coming away with a commitment.
• Comfort with BOMs and manufacturer part numbers, and a working knowledge of component lifecycle, allocation, franchised versus independent distribution, and counterfeit-avoidance basics.
• The organization to keep dozens of urgent orders moving at once without dropping any.
• Fluency with ERP/MRP systems and spreadsheets.
• Clear, early, factual communication with Engineering and Manufacturing, especially when the news is bad.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years in procurement, purchasing or supply chain planning, in electronics manufacturing, contract manufacturing, aerospace/defense or a similar high-mix environment.
• A track record of resolving shortages and pulling in lead times. You should be able to tell us about a part you got in weeks when the quote said months.
• Experience buying PCB assemblies, cable and harness components, machined parts, or consigned kits for contract manufacturers, preferred.
• Experience with independent and broker sourcing, and the inspection and traceability that goes with it, preferred.
• Familiarity with ITAR/EAR, tariffs or import paperwork, preferred.
• APICS / ASCM (CPIM, CSCP) or similar certification, preferred.

Due to ITAR and / or CUI compliance, this position requires candidates to be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or other U.S. person per 22 CFR § 120.62.

Pay: $90,000 – $115,000 base salary per year, depending on experience

Location: El Cajon, CA

Hours: Full-time, In-office, Monday through Friday. 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with ability to work extended hours as required.

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k) with matching
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account

Submit Applications: recruiting@subinitial.com

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The candidate may perform other related duties as needed to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Typical starting pay range for this position depends on skills, experience, and education.