
Sr. Buyer
Des Plaines, ILContractSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Job overview
Robert Half is seeking an experienced Sr. Buyer in Des Plaines, Illinois, in a contract capacity with potential for permanent placement. The role oversees purchasing activities to keep materials, components, and supplies available for daily operations. The ideal candidate brings supplier management skills, commercial judgment, and cross-functional coordination abilities to support accurate orders and timely delivery.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Description We are looking for an experienced Sr. Buyer to join our team in Des Plaines, Illinois in a contract capacity with the potential for a permanent position. This role will oversee purchasing activities that keep materials, components, and supplies available to support daily operations. The ideal candidate brings strong supplier management skills, sound commercial judgment, and the ability to coordinate effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure orders are placed accurately and delivered on time.
Responsibilities:
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Prepare and issue purchase orders for materials, parts, and operating supplies based on business needs and demand requirements.
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Identify and evaluate suppliers, obtain competitive quotations, and support cost-effective sourcing decisions.
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Negotiate pricing, lead times, and purchasing terms to improve value while maintaining quality and service expectations.
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Monitor inventory levels and place replenishment orders to reduce the risk of stock shortages or excess supply.
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Track open orders, communicate with vendors on status updates, and help resolve delivery delays or discrepancies.
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Maintain accurate purchasing records and update procurement data within company systems to support reporting and order visibility.
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Partner with warehouse, production, operations, and accounts payable teams to align purchasing activity with operational priorities and invoice processing.
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Review supplier performance and maintain productive vendor relationships that support continuity of supply and service reliability. Requirements • Experience in a buyer or senior buyer role with direct responsibility for purchasing materials, parts, or supplies.
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Working knowledge of procurement processes, including purchase order creation, supplier communication, and order follow-up.
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Ability to compare vendor quotations and assess pricing, lead times, and service considerations when making sourcing recommendations.
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Strong negotiation skills with the ability to manage supplier relationships professionally and effectively.
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Experience using business or purchasing systems to enter, update, and maintain procurement records accurately.
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Solid organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
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Effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams across operations-related functions.
Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm that connects highly qualified job seekers to opportunities at great companies. We offer contract, temporary and permanent placement solutions for finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support roles.
Robert Half works to put you in the best position to succeed. We provide access to top jobs, competitive compensation and benefits, and free online training. Stay on top of every opportunity - whenever you choose - even on the go. Download the Robert Half app (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/mobile-app) and get 1-tap apply, notifications of AI-matched jobs, and much more.
Our specialized recruiting professionals apply their expertise and utilize our proprietary AI to find you great job matches faster.
All applicants applying for U.S. job openings must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Benefits are available to contract/temporary professionals, including medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance. Hired contract/temporary professionals are also eligible to enroll in our company 401(k) plan. Visit roberthalf.gobenefits.net for more information.
© 2025 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/Disability/Veterans. By clicking “Apply Now,” you’re agreeing to Robert Half’s Terms of Use (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/terms) and Privacy Notice (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/privacy) .
How this job compares
Set against the 1,115 open Buyer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 13, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- Illinois median$66–90K/yr29 salary ranges
- US median$27–33/hr116 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 45 open Buyer jobs in Illinois and 1,115 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Illinois
- Caterpillar, Inc.3 open
- Sysco3 open
- WESCO3 open
- Experience
- Buyer postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 2 to 5 years (825 postings).
- Education
- 296 of the 1,115 open Buyer jobs (27%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 13, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.
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