Buyer II

Arkansas
5082 Hwy 4 North
Arkansas City, AR 71630, USA

Our Cypress Bend team is a close-knit group of 300+ skilled employees who take pride in what we do. Together, we make paperboard used in products across the United States, including food packaging, plates, cups and more.

Located in the historic Mississippi River Delta, this facility offers a slower pace with plenty of outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, and biking. Many employees commute from nearby towns such as McGehee, Monticello, Dumas, Dermott and Lake Village, which are known for affordable living, strong local pride and family‑friendly schools.

The Cypress Bend team also supports local culture and the arts, with past contributions to the WWII Japanese Internment Museum and SEArk Concert Association.

What you will do

The Buyer II position at the Cypress Bend Mill is responsible for delivering efficient and compliant purchasing services to support mill operations, safety initiatives, and overall stakeholder satisfaction. This role ensures timely availability of materials, chemicals, and services, manages supplier relationships, and drives value through cost, quality, and delivery performance. Collaborates closely with other buyers in the department as well as with maintenance and operations to ensure keep fills and critical parts are on hand.

This requires effective cross‑functional communication for planning and problem resolution. The Buyer II will incorporate safety & reliability into the decision‑making and will steward the mill’s investments accordingly.

Sourcing

• Cultivate strong collaboration with EH&S, Engineering, Finance, Maintenance, Operations, Process Control, and Reliability
• Manage requisitions and purchase orders to ensure accuracy and timely delivery
• Develop specifications, solicit bids, evaluate responses, and negotiate contracts in alignment with corporate supply agreements
• Effectively represent cross‑functional concerns and objectives in Sourcing Events
• Special Projects as assigned
• Perform pre‑bid qualifications on all new contractors and vendors prior to inviting them into the RFP process, including ISNetworld, Financial, Legal, Risk Management
• Develop an effective supplier base by cultivating supplier relationships through reviews of operations and mutually beneficial programs with key stakeholders
• Monitor vendor KPI’s, assist in the development of corrective actions and ensure completion
• Collaborate with operations on vendor performance for product trials, chemical qualifications, and administrative processes

Process Administration

• Utilize Master Data Management System to create new vendor and new item requests
• Create, monitor, and update purchase orders to ensure accuracy and timely delivery of chemicals, equipment, and materials
• Manage targeted inventories of chemicals and raw materials, monitoring pipeline supply, procuring additional volume as needed
• Manages PO/invoice exception process:
  Ensure invoicing is correct, resolve issues and vendor concerns
• Manage Receipts Not Vouchered (RNV) process to ensure timely receipt of vendor invoices
• Comply with freight routing guidelines
• Supporting Month end closing & inventory accuracy
• Comply with all relevant Policies & Procedures

Success Measurements

• Accountable for safety performance and related improvements consistent with a culture of EH&S excellence
• Annually, the Buyer II will work with the leadership team to deliver relevant productivity values across categories including P&L savings, cost avoidance, negotiated savings, working capital, and additional levers
• Continuously build skills for future responsibilities and provide occasional backfill coverage as needed
• Consistently delivers accurate, high-quality work with precision
• Skilled at navigating conflict constructively and thrives in diverse team environments
• Adept at uncovering multiple perspectives and aligning stakeholders toward shared goals
• Confidence in dealing with ambiguity; bringing different perspectives to light and rallying others to aligned goals and objectives
• Maintains an optimistic outlook and actively seeks opportunities to improve processes and drive innovation
• Communicates clearly and effectively, both verbally and in…