Senior Buyer

The Senior Buyer plays a key role in developing and executing procurement strategies that support organizational goals and objectives. This position leads strategic vendor relationship management, oversees the purchasing of high-value resale materials across multiple warehouse and consignment locations, and supports both procurement and sales teams with vendor quoting activities. The role is responsible for developing, tracking, and analyzing vendor performance metrics, supporting contract negotiations and risk mitigation efforts, and contributing to strategic planning sessions, trade shows, and special projects in collaboration with the leadership team.

• Lead and manage strategic vendor relationships to achieve quality, service, and cost objectives that align with organizational goals.
• Continuously evaluate the vendor portfolio to identify growth opportunities, risks, and performance gaps, and recommend improvements.
• Coordinate and communicate vendor pricing updates, product changes, performance results, and related strategies across the organization to ensure alignment and clarity.
• Establish, monitor, and report monthly vendor performance metrics, using data analysis to evaluate operational results and trends.
• Support negotiations on pricing, service levels, and contract terms with vendors to drive cost savings and overall value.
• Create and manage timely, accurate purchase orders for resale materials, ensuring emergency stock levels are maintained while optimizing inventory levels.
• Collaborate with internal teams to provide complete and accurate information for customers during the quotation process, including price, quality, lead time, technical information, documentation, and samples as needed.
• Lead the preparation and compilation of materials for key leadership forums, including quarterly reporting and strategic planning sessions.
• Support the leadership team by participating in sales meetings, trade shows, end-user events, and special projects as needed.
• Assist with emergency response efforts, including coordinating storm-related shipments, alternate products, and expedited delivery with vendors.
• Work additional hours when necessary to support urgent needs, such as weather-related emergencies.
• Manage a high-volume workload, prioritize tasks effectively under deadline pressure, and ensure accurate and timely completion of purchasing and vendor-related activities.
• Use data analysis tools to collect, track, and present vendor performance metrics, and leverage these insights to drive improvements in response times, lead times, and pricing.
• Work within CRM and ERP systems to manage purchasing activities, vendor information, and performance reporting.
• Provide strategic recommendations to leadership based on procurement and vendor performance data, and communicate insights clearly in business-focused presentations and reports.

• Proven experience in purchasing and procurement, including creating and managing purchase orders for resale or bulk materials.
• Strong background in vendor relations and contract negotiations, with direct experience participating in discussions and driving favorable pricing, service levels, and terms.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and use vendor scorecards to track and improve vendor performance.
• Experience working for a distribution company, preferably handling high-value or high-volume materials.
• Advanced Excel skills, including the ability to create reports and use macros for data analysis and performance tracking.
• Proficiency with CRM and ERP systems and comfort working within enterprise resource management platforms.
• Experience buying in bulk and managing inventory levels to balance emergency stock requirements with optimization goals.
• Ability to manage a significant daily workload, work under pressure of deadlines, and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Strong analytical skills with experience collecting, analyzing, and presenting data to define vendor performance and support strategic decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic business communications and recommendations to leadership based on data and operational insights.

• Experience creating and maintaining vendor scorecards that incorporate metrics such as response time, lead time, and pricing.
• Prior experience in a warehouse-based distribution environment, ideally within the electrical or industrial sector.
• Comfort presenting data and recommendations to leadership teams in quarterly reporting and strategic planning forums.
• Ability to travel to trade shows, sales meetings, and end-user events as part of vendor and customer engagement responsibilities.
• Experience working within different CRM and ERP systems, with the ability to adapt to new platforms and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to quantify and manage significant levels of spend, reflecting strong responsibility and accountability in procurement roles.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment and use feedback as a tool to improve personal performance.
• Strong general attitude and culture fit for a collaborative, performance-driven environment.

This role operates primarily in a warehouse setting within an electrical distribution environment, supporting multiple warehouse and consignment locations. The Senior Buyer works closely with procurement, sales, and leadership teams and regularly interacts with vendors and internal stakeholders. The position may require occasional travel to trade shows, sales meetings, and end-user events. Work hours are generally standard business hours, with the expectation of additional hours during urgent situations such as weather-related emergencies or storm response efforts. The environment is fast-paced and deadline-driven, with frequent use of CRM and ERP systems, advanced Excel-based reporting tools, and other standard office and warehouse technologies.

This is a Permanent position based out of Louisville, KY.

The pay range for this position is $80000.00 - $85000.00/yr.

Company offers PTO, Vacation Days, 401K and health & vision benefits. KY Electric does offer a pension for employees.

This is a fully onsite position in Louisville,KY.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 24, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.