A good buyer is scarce. Employers across manufacturing, distribution, retail, and healthcare compete for the same planners and procurement managers who know SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or Microsoft Dynamics. APICS certifications like CPIM and CSCP mark someone who can manage lead times, safety stock, and supplier risk without constant oversight. Many candidates can click through an MRP screen. Few can explain why a purchase order should be expedited or pushed out. The market rewards people who have handled real SKU counts, real supplier failures, and real freight disruptions.
Hiring managers often post for a 'supply chain analyst' when they really need a buyer who can talk a parts distributor into an earlier ship date. They rely on internal referrals and let open requisitions age for months. Another common mistake is screening for software alone. A candidate who has used SAP for ten years may still freeze when a carrier misses a delivery window. Talent Strand screens for judgment under pressure and verifies system knowledge separately.
Titles we recruit
- Buyer
- Senior Buyer
- Production Planner
- Materials Planner
- Procurement Manager
- Logistics Manager
- Director of Supply Chain
- Vice President of Procurement
How candidates are assessed
We screen for the moments that matter. Candidates complete a practical exercise using sample MRP data: find the stockout risk, propose a reorder point, and explain the trade-off. Procurement candidates role-play a supplier negotiation over price and lead time. We verify APICS certifications directly and check references for concrete examples: a missed container, a shutdown line, a supplier who went dark. No one passes on resume keywords alone.
Where we recruit for these roles
Northeast, Midwest, South, West, and every state in between. Popular cities include New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin.