Purchasing Assistant

Purchasing Assistant – Hardlines

Company:
Ganahl Lumber
Department:
Purchasing / Merchandising – Hardlines

Employment Type:

Full-Time
Work Environment:
In-Person

Ganahl Lumber is seeking an organized, detail-oriented Purchasing Assistant – Hardlines to support the Hardlines Purchasing team. This position plays an important role in maintaining inventory availability, supporting purchasing activities, communicating with vendors and store locations, maintaining accurate product and pricing information, and helping ensure our locations have the right products at the right time.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, comfortable working with data and spreadsheets, communicates effectively, and enjoys working in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly. Knowledge of hardware, tools, fasteners, building materials, or retail distribution is beneficial but not required.

• Assist Hardlines Buyers and Product Managers with daily purchasing activities.
• Prepare, enter, review, and track purchase orders.
• Monitor open purchase orders and follow up on late or incomplete shipments.
• Assist with maintaining appropriate inventory levels across multiple Ganahl Lumber locations.
• Review inventory availability, usage, sales trends, and replenishment needs.
• Identify potential stock-outs, overstocks, duplicate inventory, and slow-moving products.
• Assist with inventory transfers between locations when appropriate.
• Help coordinate seasonal, promotional, and new-product inventory requirements.

• Communicate with manufacturers, distributors, and vendor representatives regarding orders, availability, pricing, lead times, and shipping.
• Follow up with vendors regarding backorders and delivery issues.
• Maintain vendor contact information, price lists, catalogs, and purchasing documentation.
• Assist buyers with vendor quotations and product comparisons.
• Help resolve discrepancies involving pricing, quantities, freight, damaged products, and invoices.
• Support vendor meetings, product reviews, and purchasing programs.

• Assist with new-item setup and maintenance of existing product information.
• Maintain accurate descriptions, costs, retail pricing, vendor information, pack quantities, and purchasing units.
• Review vendor price changes and assist with updating internal pricing.
• Help maintain product category and vendor information within company systems.
• Assist with promotional pricing, rebates, special buys, and vendor programs.
• Review product information for accuracy and communicate corrections when necessary.

• Serve as a purchasing resource for Ganahl Lumber locations regarding product availability, purchasing questions, and vendor information.
• Assist locations in resolving inventory and product issues.
• Research product availability and alternative products when requested.
• Coordinate with stores, distribution, receiving, accounting, merchandising, and purchasing personnel.
• Help communicate new products, discontinued items, substitutions, price changes, and vendor programs to locations.

The position will support products across Ganahl Lumber’s Hardlines business, including:

• Framing and structural hardware
• Nails and pneumatic fasteners
• Fasteners
• Power tools and accessories
• Hand tools
• Jobsite safety products
• Paint, coatings, adhesives, and sealants
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• General hardware
• Building-material accessories and related products

• Prepare purchasing, inventory, sales, and vendor reports.
• Assist buyers in reviewing sales, gross margin, inventory turns, and product performance.
• Track open purchase orders and vendor delivery performance.
• Identify unusual inventory conditions and communicate them to the appropriate buyer.
• Assist with analysis of slow-moving and obsolete inventory.
• Support periodic vendor and category performance reviews.
• Maintain spreadsheets and reports used by the purchasing team.

• High school diploma or equivalent required; college coursework or degree preferred.
• Previous purchasing, inventory, retail, distribution, administrative, or building-materials…