Purchasing Agent

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for procuring all materials and services required to support manufacturing operations, including job-specific materials, shop supplies, consumables, and outsourced processes. This role focuses on managing purchase orders, monitoring inventory, coordinating material and service deliveries, and aligning purchase order due dates with customer commitments to support on-time delivery goals. The Purchasing Agent maintains purchasing logs and documentation, supports various manufacturing-related tasks, and ensures compliance with the organization’s Quality Management System and ITAR requirements.

• Procure all required materials, shop supplies, consumables, and services to support ongoing manufacturing operations.
• Place purchase orders for materials and outside service providers in accordance with the approved supplier list.
• Monitor and manage inventory levels to ensure materials and supplies are available to meet production requirements.
• Follow up on purchase orders to confirm delivery dates and ensure customer due dates are not compromised.
• Coordinate and schedule material and service deliveries to align with production schedules and customer commitments.
• Effectively manage the correlation between purchase order due dates and customer due dates to support on‑time delivery goals.
• Source and obtain competitive quotes for various materials and processes, ensuring quality and cost‑effectiveness.
• Maintain designated locations and organization for vendor‑required fixtures and related materials.
• Create, review, and maintain purchasing‑related documents, logs, and records in accordance with company procedures.
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems to enter, track, and manage purchase orders and related purchasing data.
• Interpret and understand work orders, verbal instructions, and manufacturing requirements to ensure accurate procurement.
• Support manufacturing activities by coordinating materials and services needed for CNC tube bending, machining, welding, brazing, and assembly operations.
• Adhere to the organization’s Quality Management System requirements in all purchasing activities.
• Operate within an ITAR‑compliant environment and follow all related policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with a small purchasing team to manage workload and support increased production demands.
• Walk the manufacturing floor regularly, especially during month‑end and inventory count periods, to coordinate materials and address issues.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of purchasing processes and support the long‑term growth of the department.

• Minimum of 1 year of experience as a purchasing agent, junior buyer, or in a similar purchasing or procurement role.
• High school diploma or equivalent as a minimum education requirement.
• Experience working in an ITAR‑compliant environment or ability to meet ITAR compliance requirements.
• Hands‑on experience with ERP or MRP systems; familiarity with JobBOSS is preferred but experience with any ERP/MRP system is acceptable.
• Proficiency in managing purchase orders, including creation, tracking, and follow‑up.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to work with pivot tables.
• Ability to read, understand, and act on work orders and verbal instructions related to manufacturing requirements.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain logs, documentation, and fixture locations accurately.
• Attention to detail and ability to align purchase order due dates with customer delivery requirements.
• Effective communication skills to coordinate with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Ability to work onsite full‑time and collaborate within a small team environment.