Buyer, Supply Chain​/Logistics

The Buyer is responsible for purchasing and replenishment activities that support the day-to-day operation of our Minnesota manufacturing facility. This includes Raw Materials, Outsourced Products, Production Supplies, and Office Supplies.

A primary focus of this role is ensuring the right materials and products are available when needed while maintaining appropriate inventory levels. The Buyer will manage Raw Material replenishment using established Kanban, min/max, usage, and other inventory replenishment methods; purchase and coordinate Outsourced Products to meet customer and production requirements; and maintain accurate purchasing and supplier data to support effective purchasing decisions.

The Buyer is responsible for the accuracy and integrity of purchasing data within the ERP system (Net Suite), particularly for Raw Materials and Outsourced Products. This position also works closely with Operations and Inventory Management to maintain inventory accuracy, support cycle counting, resolve discrepancies, and continuously improve purchasing and material flow.

• Manage day-to-day replenishment of Raw Materials using Kanban, min/max levels, usage trends, supplier lead times, and other established purchasing parameters.
• Review inventory levels and demand regularly to determine appropriate order quantities and timing.
• Place and maintain purchase orders to ensure Raw Materials are available to support production requirements.
• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively address late deliveries, shortages, or other supply issues.
• Expedite materials when necessary to prevent production disruptions.
• Balance material availability with inventory objectives to minimize both stockouts and excess or obsolete inventory.
• Work closely with Operations and Inventory Management to identify and resolve inventory discrepancies.
• Support cycle counting and other inventory accuracy activities.
• Identify purchasing, inventory, or system data issues that may contribute to stockouts, excess inventory, or inaccurate replenishment.

• Manage purchasing activities for Outsourced Products, including metal plates, O-rings, specialty products, and other items purchased from external suppliers to fulfill customer and production requirements.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotes based on price, quality, lead time, capabilities, and delivery requirements.
• Place and manage purchase orders for Outsourced Products.
• Coordinate closely with Operations, Customer Service, and other internal teams to ensure Outsourced Products are ordered accurately and delivered in time to meet customer requirements.
• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively communicate and resolve potential delivery issues.
• Expedite Outsourced Products when necessary to meet production or customer deadlines.
• Work with suppliers and internal teams to resolve quality, quantity, specification, receiving, and invoice discrepancies.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost, lead time, quality, or service through existing or alternative suppliers.

• Own the accuracy and integrity of purchasing data within the Net Suite ERP system, with particular focus on Raw Materials and Outsourced Products.
• Maintain accurate supplier assignments, purchasing units, pricing, lead times, order quantities, min/max levels, Kanban replenishment parameters, and other purchasing-related item data.
• Regularly review purchasing and inventory data for accuracy and correct issues that could result in stockouts, excess inventory, incorrect purchasing decisions, or order delays.
• Ensure the appropriate supplier and purchasing information is maintained when items are added, changed, or transitioned between suppliers.
• Use system data and reporting to support accurate and consistent purchasing and replenishment decisions.
• Monitor usage, inventory levels, and purchasing history and recommend changes to replenishment parameters as business needs change.
• Partner with Operations and Inventory Management to investigate and resolve differences between physical inventory and system inventory.
• Support cycle counting…