About Frain:

Frain has grown into the world's largest supplier of plug and play packaging equipment in the world. A lot more goes into a manufacturing line than just machines. Frain fills that gap by providing everything you need, from industry experts who are there to work their magic, to the machines, line coordination, integration, and setup. We even provide service after the sale. But we are also known for our financing options, which make the whole thing affordable for the CPG, food, health & beauty, manufacturing, and contract packaging industries. We are a 40+ year old company with over 95 employees and growing! We are excited to have you join our team.

Summary:

We are seeking an experienced, resourceful, and highly relationship-driven Shop Purchasing Agent to manage purchasing and supplier relationships supporting our shop and manufacturing operations. This position requires more than simply issuing purchase orders and obtaining quotes. We are looking for someone who understands the realities of working within a family-owned, entrepreneurial business, including periods when cash flow requires careful prioritization, communication, negotiation, and creative problem-solving. The successful candidate must be comfortable managing supplier relationships through both normal business conditions and challenging situations. This includes proactively addressing credit holds, negotiating extended payment terms, securing releases of critical materials, establishing payment arrangements, finding alternative suppliers when necessary, and ensuring purchasing decisions are always made with the company's best interests in mind.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities Manage day-to-day purchasing of parts, materials, components, supplies, and services required by the shop. Maintain strong, professional relationships with existing suppliers while continually developing alternative and backup sources. Negotiate pricing, lead times, freight, payment terms, credit limits, and other commercial conditions favorable to the company. Understand current cash-flow priorities and coordinate purchasing activity accordingly. Work directly with suppliers when accounts are approaching or placed on credit hold. Negotiate temporary extensions, partial-payment arrangements, payment plans, increased credit limits, or other solutions necessary to release critical orders. Prioritize supplier payments and purchasing commitments based on operational urgency and the needs of the business. Communicate proactively with vendors rather than allowing problems to escalate. Understand which suppliers have flexibility, which require immediate attention, and where alternative sourcing may be necessary. Develop strong supplier relationships that allow both parties to work together when unusual circumstances arise. Identify alternative suppliers and purchasing strategies when an existing vendor cannot meet pricing, delivery, credit, or timing requirements. Obtain competitive quotes and ensure the company is receiving appropriate pricing and terms. Monitor open purchase orders, expected deliveries, backorders, and supplier commitments. Expedite critical materials when required to prevent shop or project delays. Coordinate closely with Shop Management, Operations, Accounting, Engineering, Project Management, and other departments regarding purchasing priorities. Identify potential material shortages or vendor problems before they affect production. Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier information, pricing, terms, and commitments within company systems. Question unnecessary spending and identify opportunities to reduce costs without negatively affecting quality, delivery, or operations. Treat company money as if it were your own and make purchasing decisions accordingly. Supplier & Cash-Flow Management A critical component of this position is the ability to successfully manage suppliers when financial or cash-flow constraints temporarily affect normal purchasing or payment cycles. The right candidate will not become overwhelmed when a supplier places the company on hold or requests payment before releasing an order. Instead, this individual will take ownership of the situation and work toward a solution.

This may include:

Speaking directly with supplier ownership, management, accounting, or credit departments. Negotiating additional time or extended payment terms. Arranging partial payments in exchange for releasing critical materials. Determining which invoices should be addressed first to maximize available credit. Negotiating temporary increases in credit limits. Separating critical orders from orders that can wait. Developing mutually acceptable payment arrangements. Identifying alternate suppliers when necessary. Keeping internal management informed of commitments being made. Protecting long-term supplier relationships while also protecting the company's immediate operational and financial interests. The expectation is not simply to report, "The vendor put us on hold."The expectation is to determine why the account is on hold, what is required to resolve it, what can be negotiated, what can be released immediately, and what alternative options are available to keep operations moving. Required Experience & Qualifications Previous purchasing, procurement, buyer, or supply-chain experience in a manufacturing, machinery, industrial, fabrication, packaging, or similar environment. Experience working within a privately held or family-owned business environment strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience managing suppliers and vendor relationships. Experience negotiating pricing, payment terms, credit arrangements, delivery schedules, and order releases. Comfortable dealing directly with supplier owners, sales representatives, credit managers, and accounting departments. Ability to professionally navigate difficult vendor conversations without damaging relationships. Strong understanding of the relationship between purchasing, accounts payable, cash flow, inventory, and production requirements. Ability to prioritize competing purchasing requirements when financial resources or supplier credit are constrained. Strong problem-solving and negotiation skills. Excellent organizational and follow-up abilities. Ability to work with urgency and independently resolve issues. Strong written and verbal communication skills. High level of integrity, discretion, accountability, and business judgment. A successful

Shop Purchasing Agent:

Keeps the shop supplied. Keeps vendors communicating with the company. Prevents surprises. Negotiates rather than simply accepting vendor demands. Finds solutions when an account is placed on hold. Protects company cash and credit. Maintains multiple sourcing options. Obtains competitive pricing and favorable terms. Escalates problems early—not after they have affected production. Makes decisions based on what is best for the company. This position requires someone who takes ownership. We are looking for a purchasing professional who understands that a vendor problem is not resolved by forwarding an email or reporting that an order cannot ship. The Purchasing Agent is expected to pick up the phone, understand the problem, negotiate a solution, develop alternatives, and continue working the issue until there is a clear path forward. Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate has worked in an entrepreneurial, privately held, or family-owned organization and understands that these environments operate differently from large corporations. You are comfortable making decisions, negotiating directly with suppliers, adapting quickly when priorities change, and finding practical solutions without waiting for layers of corporate approval. You understand that strong purchasing is not simply about obtaining the lowest price. It is about balancing price, quality, availability, payment terms, supplier relationships, cash requirements, and the operational needs of the company. Above all, you understand that your responsibility is to represent and protect the best interests of the company at all times. Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, and work with hands for extended periods of time.

• Capability to lift and move up to 50 pounds

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$27.00 - $33.00 per hour

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Flexible spending account Health insurance Health savings account Life insurance Paid time off Referral program Tuition reimbursement Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person