Strategic Purchasing Analyst Senior

Job Description

BAE Systems SMS is seeking a seeking a strategic and technically astute Commodity Buyer to manage complex procurement activities, driving strategic supplier partnerships to secure high-quality fab to print assemblies at competitive costs. In this high-level role, you will leverage your expertise to maintain strategic partnerships, optimize costs, and mitigate risks in a highly dynamic market.

The ideal candidate blends technical knowledge of fab to print technical procurements with expert-level negotiation, ERP proficiency, and proactive supply chain management to support production requirements and new product introductions. This role will lead initiatives supporting SMS programs in Direct procurements.

Our team of experts partner with stakeholders to streamline procurement efforts, reduce costs, and build a resilient, future-ready supply base. We provide the expertise needed to separate risk from opportunity, empowering confident decisions when they matter most.

The Strategic Purchasing Analyst is a procurement-focused role responsible for sourcing and managing suppliers. This position requires strong procurement expertise, supplier negotiation skills, and the ability to partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program teams to ensure parts are sourced effectively, meet technical requirements, and support business objectives.

The Operations Strategic Capabilities Unit plays a fundamental role in enabling efficient business and program execution – from strategic capital investments, industrial operations and an efficient supply chain, to state-of-the-art manufacturing and test operations and top-notch facilities management.

The Integrated Supply Chain team has a direct impact on program success, acting as a critical chain that links the end-to-end material flow together. Our organization helps propel us forward and achieve true mission partnership.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop sourcing strategies for complex, custom-manufactured parts while considering cost, quality, lead time, supplier capability, capacity, and long-term supply continuity.
• Lead the end-to-end procurement process, including supplier identification, RFQ/RFP execution, quotation analysis, negotiations, purchase order placement, and supplier performance management.
• Prepare and support procurement documentation required for government contracting environments, including, Sole Source Justifications (SSJ), Price analysis and cost analysis documentation and other FAR/DFARS-related procurement documentation as required
• Ensure procurement actions comply with applicable governmental requirements, customer flow-downs, quality requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, manufacturing processes, certifications, and technical requirements to ensure suppliers can meet design specifications and production needs.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program teams to understand requirements, resolve supplier issues, and ensure procured parts meet specifications.
• Negotiate terms, pricing, lead times, capacity commitments, and contractual requirements with suppliers.
• Establish and maintain supplier relationships while driving continuous improvement through supplier performance metrics, including, OTD, quality, Cost.
• Manage supplier risk by identifying potential supply constraints, obsolescence concerns, capacity limitations, and other procurement risks while developing mitigation strategies.
• Identify and leverage sourcing opportunities, including cost reductions, alternate suppliers, process improvements, and supply base optimization.
• Review and validate supplier quotations for technical alignment, including PCB fabrication requirements, material specifications, stack-ups, finishes, certifications, and quality documentation.
• Manage purchase orders and supplier commitments, including changes, expedites, delivery updates, invoice discrepancies, and non-conformance resolution.
• Execute RFx activities in accordance with strategic sourcing processes and procurement policies.
• Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

On-Site Work Environment: This position requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site three or more days each normally scheduled week in the primary work location. Travel and local commute between company campuses and other possible non-company locations may be required.

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in an office environment, laboratory, cleanroom, or production floor.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree plus 4 or more years of related experience.
• Each higher-level degree, i.e., Master’s Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education.
• Ability to effectively relate with others and cooperate as a team member.
• Ability to build effective relationships at all levels of the organization, using excellent interpersonal organizational and communication skills.
• Knowledge of printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication processes and fab-to-print procurement requirements.
• Excellent negotiation, supplier management, and analytical skills.
• Ability to make data-driven procurement decisions while balancing cost, schedule, quality, and supply risk.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program organizations.

#LI-CC2

A security clearance or access with Polygraph is not required to be eligible for this position. However, the applicant must be willing and eligible for submission, depending on program requirements, after an offer is accepted and must be able to maintain the applicable clearance/access.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills
Soft Skills:

• Detail-oriented and organized.
• Work effectively under pressure.
• Excellent communication.
• Strong initiative, self-starter.
• Problem-solving and troubleshooting.
• Understand and familiar with EIDP (End Item Data Packages).

Technical Skills:

• Knowledge of supply chain management.
• Proficiency in ERP systems.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, bills of material (BOMs), and supplier documentation.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $82779 - $140723

Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.


About BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems
BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it’s what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts – defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team—making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you’ll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference.

Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Space & Mission Systems is a leading provider of national defense and civil space applications, advanced remote sensing, scientific and tactical systems for government and commercial customers. We continually pioneer ways to innovate spacecraft, mission payloads, optical systems, and other defense and civil capabilities. Powered by endlessly curious people with an unwavering mission focus, we continually discover ways to enable our customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters most.

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Multiple positions may be available on this opening.