Purchasing Assistant - Direct hire opportunity

Position Summary

The Purchasing Assistant supports daily purchasing operations by handling routine procurement activities, managing material requirements, and collaborating with internal teams to ensure continuous production and cost-effective sourcing. This role is primarily responsible for transactional purchasing, vendor coordination, and inventory support, working closely with the Purchasing Manager and plant operations.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

• Follow established purchasing policies, procedures, and processes.

• Create purchase orders from approved requisitions within the ERP system, resolving discrepancies with internal requestors and coordinating with suppliers regarding substitutions or alternatives.

• Manage daily activity within the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system and collaborate with customer service when requests are incomplete or unclear.

• Negotiate with existing vendors and assist in sourcing new suppliers to reduce costs while maintaining or improving quality standards.

• Support inventory management for accessories, including verification, cycle counts, and organization of inventory areas.

• Assist with oversight of third-party inventory stored onsite.

• Authorize payments by tracking and submitting receiving documentation to Accounts Payable as required.

• Collect, analyze, and summarize purchasing data to support planning and control activities.

• Coordinate with plant leadership and apply knowledge of equipment and operational needs to schedule purchasing activities.

• Prepare purchasing reports as needed.

• Perform additional departmental duties as assigned.

• Comply with the Group Code of Conduct and all applicable compliance requirements.

Competencies

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel

• Technical aptitude

• Effective communication skills

• Strong time management and organizational abilities

• Sound judgment and discretion

• Decision-making capability

Work Environment

This role is based in an office setting and regularly involves the use of standard office equipment, including computers, phones, printers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical requirements listed are representative of those necessary to perform essential job duties.

This is primarily a sedentary position; however, occasional filing, standing, walking, bending, or reaching may be required. The role may involve lifting up to 25 pounds for files or materials. Occasional walking in the warehouse is expected. Required safety equipment, including protective eyewear and steel-toed boots, must be worn when indicated.

Position Type and Schedule

This is a full-time position. Standard work hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Travel

Occasional travel may be required for training or vendor-related activities.

Required Education and Experience

High school diploma or GED, with one to three years of related experience or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Outlook

• Experience with SAP or comparable ERP systems