Purchasing Associate

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly organized, dependable, and detail-oriented Purchasing Associate to support our Strategic Buyer in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

This is a hands-on position for someone who takes ownership, pays attention to detail, works well under pressure, and can manage a high volume of purchasing activity while maintaining accuracy and follow-through.

The Purchasing Associate will own the execution and administrative side of the purchasing process after purchasing decisions have been made. This includes purchase order preparation, purchasing documentation, order tracking, vendor follow-up, invoice coordination, and maintaining accurate purchasing records.

The successful candidate will work closely with Purchasing, Engineering, Estimating, Project Management, Accounting, vendors, and other internal departments.

Purchasing or manufacturing experience is preferred but not required. We are willing to train the right person. Strong work ethic, reliability, organizational skills, attention to detail, good judgment, and the ability and willingness to learn are more important than having a specific number of years of purchasing experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare purchase orders based on approved purchasing decisions and vendor quotations
• Update RFQ and purchasing documentation to accurately reflect awarded vendor pricing, scope of work, materials, quantities, and delivery requirements
• Assemble complete purchasing packages, including vendor quotes, drawings, CAD files, specifications, and other supporting documentation
• Save and maintain purchasing documents in the appropriate company and job folders
• Distribute purchase orders and supporting documentation to vendors and appropriate internal personnel
• Track vendor order confirmations and follow up on outstanding confirmations
• Monitor order status and delivery dates and communicate updates as needed
• Maintain accurate and current purchasing logs and records
• Coordinate vendor invoices with Accounts Payable and assist with routine documentation issues
• Maintain documentation for credit-card purchases and other routine purchasing transactions
• Perform routine vendor follow-up regarding orders, deliveries, documentation, and other purchasing matters
• Assist with vendor research, pricing research, quote comparisons, and other purchasing activities as needed
• Review purchasing documentation for accuracy and identify discrepancies before they become problems
• Recognize issues that require additional review and escalate them appropriately
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling company and vendor information
• Provide general purchasing support in a high-volume manufacturing environment

Required Qualifications

• Strong work ethic and dependable attendance
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office
• Accurate data entry and ability to work across multiple spreadsheets and files
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to learn new processes, terminology, and systems quickly
• Good judgment and the ability to recognize when an issue should be escalated
• Strong follow-through and a sense of ownership
• Professional demeanor when working with vendors and internal teams

Preferred Qualifications

The following are beneficial but not required:

• Purchasing or procurement experience
• Manufacturing or industrial experience
• Experience working with purchase orders or RFQs
• ERP/MRP system experience
• Experience working with vendors or suppliers
• Familiarity with manufacturing terminology, drawings, specifications, or materials
• Experience in operations, production coordination, inventory/materials, scheduling, project coordination, estimating support, or other high-volume administrative roles

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who is dependable, focused, and willing to learn.

The right person will be comfortable asking questions when something doesn't make sense but will also be able to work independently and take ownership of their responsibilities. They should be able to stay organized when priorities change, remain productive under pressure, and understand that accuracy and follow-through are critical in purchasing.

We value character, work ethic, accountability, and trainability. While purchasing experience is a plus, we are open to candidates from a variety of backgrounds who demonstrate the ability to learn and succeed in a demanding environment.

Growth Opportunity

This position offers an opportunity to develop additional purchasing knowledge and responsibilities over time. The successful candidate will become an integral part of the purchasing team and may have the opportunity to grow into increased purchasing responsibility as their knowledge, skills, and performance develop.