Buyer/Purchasing Associate

Buyer

For more than 120 years, KASCO has been the industry leader in providing quality products, parts, repairs, and service to the meat processing and retail institutional food industries. Our cutting edge products include band saw blades, meat grinder plates and knives, and cutlery. We also offer a vast range of butcher supplies, seasonings, replacement parts, and repair services to grocers, restaurants, and meat, seafood, deli and bakery departments.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Purchases parts to supply distribution centers and numerous technician locations.
• Prepares and places purchase orders and warehouse transfer orders.
• Communicates all order confirmations and shipment tracking numbers to the organization.
• Assists in sourcing new products and finding alternate vendors to continuously reduce costs and improve service.
• Uses technical knowledge to identify what parts will need safety stocks and footprints for new business.
• Works with vendors to obtain material specifications and understand availability of parts to continuously improve our service levels.
• Analyzes pricing to ensure a competitive pricing structure and achieve volume discounts where possible.
• Knowledgeable within ERP system functionality
• Comprehension of MRP
• Drives vendors to supply "world class" quality, service, and pricing.
• Helps create part numbers in the ERP system.
• Responsible for designated master data field accuracy.
• Reviews inventory levels and places stock orders to replenish distribution centers.
• Analyzes historical data, customer requirements, and technician feedback to ensure an accurate purchasing plan.
• Expedites orders when necessary to ensure timely deliveries.
• Tracks expedites and exceptions, and recommends continuous improvement plans to prevent them in the future.
• Responsible for material quality defects. Leads the vendor return process and manages the vendor scorecard.
• Understanding of kanban methods.
• Communicate with technicians daily via calls and emails.
• Works with the Dispatch team to understand timing for supporting emergency orders.
• Assists the Accounting department with rejected invoices.
• Uses critical thinking and problem solving to perform duties with excellence.
• Analyzes the department's processes and tools and recommends improvements for them to be more effective.
• Strong knowledge of inventory control management and VMI strategy.

Qualification requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/experience: Bachelor's degree preferred and have a minimum of 3 years of experience in purchasing/ inventory management. Excellent written and oral communications skills are a must. It is necessary to multi-task effectively and be able to adjust her/his work schedule to accommodate a quickly changing environment. Must excel in a team environment and work well with technicians and office staff. A combination of demonstrated successful experience and training may offset education requirement.

Mathematical skills: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, proportions, percentages. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Supervisory responsibilities: None

Other skills and abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Some customer service experience
• Strong interpersonal skills which are essential for effective negotiations
• Ability to handle multiple priorities
• PC literate MS Word & Excel, Visual Manufacturing or similar software, MRP system, email and internet.
• Detail Oriented
• Displays a "go-to, can-do" attitude and is always approachable
• Able to work well under time pressures

Physical demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, the ability to adjust and focus.

Work environment: Standard office and warehouse environments.