Purchase Specialist

Our client is seeking a detail-oriented Purchasing & Planning Specialist to join their growing supply chain team. This role is an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong background in both procurement and planning who is looking for long-term career growth within a stable, team-focused organization.

This position supports multiple facilities across the U.S. and plays a critical role in managing supplier relationships, material planning, inventory levels, purchase orders, and production support activities. The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys problem-solving, communicates well across departments, and isn't afraid to pick up the phone and work directly with suppliers to resolve issues.

This role offers a clear growth path into a Buyer position as the team continues to expand.

• Manage purchasing and planning activities to support production and inventory requirements
• Review ERP-generated requirements and translate business needs into purchasing actions
• Create and maintain purchase orders, contracts, and supplier schedules
• Monitor inventory levels and material availability to support production demands
• Coordinate with suppliers on pricing, delivery schedules, shortages, and order fulfillment issues
• Manage relationships with approximately 60-70 active suppliers across multiple company locations
• Investigate and resolve receiving discrepancies, invoice issues, and supplier concerns
• Assist with vendor pricing negotiations and sourcing activities
• Maintain accurate planning and purchasing data within the ERP system
• Perform inventory counts and participate in inventory control initiatives
• Prepare reports, spreadsheets, and analysis for management using Excel
• Work closely with Operations, Production, Inventory, Receiving, and Accounting teams to ensure smooth material flow

• 2+ years of purchasing, procurement, planning, or supply chain experience required
• Ideally 3-5 years of well-rounded experience covering both purchasing and planning functions
• Experience managing purchase orders, suppliers, inventory, and material planning activities
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills required
• Comfortable with formulas, reporting, data analysis, and working extensively within spreadsheets
• Experience working within an ERP system (SAP, Oracle, Epicor, JD Edwards, Traverse, or similar systems preferred)
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Comfortable communicating directly with suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Strong problem-solving and follow-up skills
• Associate's degree or higher preferred
• Lean manufacturing experience is beneficial

We're looking for someone who wants to build a long-term career rather than just find their next job. The successful candidate will be patient, adaptable, and comfortable working with a variety of personalities and departments. Because the company utilizes an older ERP system that relies heavily on Excel, someone who is resourceful, organized, and patient with processes will be highly successful in this role.

The best fit will be a relationship-builder who enjoys solving problems, takes ownership of issues, and isn't afraid to jump on a phone call when an email isn't getting results. This is a highly collaborative environment where teamwork, communication, and a positive attitude are valued just as much as technical skills.