Purchasing & Inventory Specialist

POSITION PURPOSE

Manages all purchasing and inventory activities. Establishes strategic purchasing and inventory control processes and procedures. Maintains relationships with vendors or suppliers and negotiates lead times and delivery dates when necessary to help meet our customer's needs. Responsible for keeping material and inventory costs down, by negotiating with vendors, reducing slow moving inventory, and managing raw material pricing in the computer system. Must be able to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc., Constantly operate a computer and other office productivity equipment, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer. This position requires frequent communication with customers, vendors, and other employees; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Establish regular measurable goals to assess efficiency and output. 2. Creates and runs reports (shelf life, obsolete, slow moving, price increase, inventory levels) for management review when necessary. 3. Develops an in-depth understanding of all systems and software related to purchasing, sourcing, and inventory. Research, develop, and implement new and innovative methods to increase the productivity of the team. 4. Negotiate with vendors on price, lead-time, terms, price increases, and rebates. Work with the sales teams to compile best price schedules for top customers. Develop and administer pricing spreadsheets. Manage the data storage of current raw material cost and vendor quotes. 5. Manage price increases with vendors. Report price increase impacts to management. Create notifications to customers for price increases, while supplying documentation of vendor increases. Communicating with the estimation department and/or sales team on accounts as necessary. Keep an annual impact spreadsheet of price increases and decreases. 6. Create and maintain vendor/supplier scorecards by compiling data and conducting surveys. Conduct once a year vendor evaluation with top vendors; meeting with major vendors to review their performance. 7. Maintain the clean-up of items in the computer system. Supervise inventory of all products and ensure reconciliation of ERP system to actual product counts. Review obsolete inventory and slow-moving inventory. 8. Work in conjunction with sales, estimation, account managers, accounts payable, production & shipping to ensure that the customer's business is handled accurately. Work with the VP of Operations to qualify/process projects. 9. Assist when needed in determining the type of materials, supplies, machinery, or tools to be bought for the company, based on the customer requests and inquiries. 10. Perform duties safely and maintain a high level of safety awareness. Provide for the safety of the workers and the property. 11. Regulating documentation for each raw material. Make sure the data is stored efficiently and up to date.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Develop long-term purchasing strategies & implement the plans developed. Manage and maintain excellent working relationships with material vendors. Communicate purchasing & inventory ideas and accomplishments to the management team. 2. Alert management to conditions that create delays or affect quality of production work in a timely manner, assisting in adjustments and changes needed to meet established deadlines. 3. Ensures compliance with operation standards and all department policies, company directives and assists with other projects and tasks as required by management. A Purchasing and Inventory Specialist manage the end-to-end supply chain process, including purchasing materials, monitoring stock levels, and negotiating with suppliers to ensure cost-effective, timely operations. This role involves maintaining accurate inventory data, processing purchase orders, reconciling inventory counts, and coordinating production to optimize supply availability. A thorough understanding of the functions and issues of managing a purchasing department. Ability to prioritize tasks and delegate them when appropriate. Experienced in negotiation techniques. Analytical acumen. Must also understand how to optimize the relationships of the vendors. Work cooperatively with a variety of individuals. Employ resourcefulness when problem solving to meet customer needs. Key Responsibilities •

Purchasing:

Ordering materials and components, preparing purchase orders, and negotiating with suppliers for favorable pricing and lead times. •

Inventory Control:

Tracking inventory movement via Excel or software, conducting physical inventory counts, and reconciling stock with system records. •

Supply Chain Coordination:

Managing inventory levels, analyzing data to forecast needs, and minimizing waste or obsolescence. •

Vendor Management:

Resolving discrepancies in invoices, deliveries, and quality issues with suppliers. •

Operations Support:

Ensuring materials are distributed efficiently to production or departments, often handling shipping and receiving tasks. Required Skills and Qualifications •

Proficiency:

Strong data entry skills and experience with inventory/ERP software, & Excel. •

Organizational Skills:

Attention to detail to track inventory movement and manage multiple orders simultaneously. •

Communication:

Ability to negotiate with vendors and work closely with internal teams. •

Logistics Knowledge:

Understanding of inventory systems •

Education:

High School diploma or GED required, with associate degrees or relevant experience preferred. Common Qualifications/Physical Requirements •

Experience:

High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor's degree preferred. Course work related to general business, estimation, purchasing, inventory, or industry specific topics desired

Pay:

$49,365.84 - $59,451.33 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person