Strategic Buyer

Sweetwater, the nation's number one online retailer of music instruments and pro audio gear, is seeking a meticulous and experienced Strategic Buyer to join our growing Procurement team! The ideal candidate will have

experience managing indirect procurement categories such as MRO, packaging, MHE, office furniture, office supplies, and other facility-related goods and services. This role is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies, negotiating supplier contracts, optimizing cost savings, and building strong vendor partnerships that support the company’s operational and financial objectives.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop category strategies and sourcing plans across multiple indirect spend categories.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers that meet quality, cost, and service requirements.
• Lead RFI/RFP/RFQ processes and total cost of ownership (TCO) analyses for assigned spend areas.
• Implement and Develop SOPs for procurement activities into the Workday ERP
• Negotiate supplier agreements to ensure competitive pricing, favorable terms, and strong service levels.
• Manage the full contract lifecycle, including renewals and compliance with terms and conditions.
• Ensure alignment with legal and risk requirements for all vendor agreements.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, driving performance and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and track KPIs such as delivery reliability, quality, and responsiveness.
• Manage supplier issue resolution and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities through value analysis, alternative sourcing, and consolidation.
• Partner with finance to track savings and support annual budget planning and forecasting.
• Partner closely with stakeholders in operations, facilities, finance, and other departments to understand business needs and develop effective procurement solutions.
• Serve as a key advisor for internal teams on market trends, sourcing best practices, and supplier capabilities.
• Mitigate supply risk through diversification, contract controls, and contingency planning.
• Ensure supplier compliance with company policies and regulatory standards (e.g., safety, sustainability, ethical sourcing).

Qualifications

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, capable of liaising with senior executives and external partners.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Strong negotiation skills with a strategic approach to contract management.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Operations or related field preferred.
• 3+ of strategic sourcing or procurement experience, preferably within indirect categories.

Sweetwater "Ideal" Team-Player

• WOWs The Customer - Deep passion and desire for creating amazing customer & colleague experiences
• Gets Things Done - Great work ethic and moves with a sense of urgency
• Obsesses over the Details – Committed to paying attention to the details
• Drives Continuous Improvement – Always focusing on effective and efficient work and way to get better
• Develops the Future – Committed to pursuit of growing personally & professionally and has a focus on bringing your colleagues along with you on that journey

We function best as a unified team, so relocation to our state-of-the-art campus in Fort Wayne, IN is required. Interested and qualified candidates, please apply. We look forward to exploring your #FullTimeDream with Sweetwater!

Sweetwater’s culture is built upon celebrating the creative creation of music, which unifies people from all walks of life. Our individual differences make Sweetwater stronger as a company and a better place to work as we respect, learn, and grow from each team member’s unique perspective and experience. We have welcomed thousands of employees and their families from all over the world, and we invite you to discover why we consider a career at Sweetwater the full-time dream.