Purchasing Agent

Description

Position Summary:

Responsible for monitoring and ensuring sufficient supply of purchased materials, and for leading continuous improvement projects to drive cost and efficiency within the materials team value stream. The position requires strong organizational and analytical skills and strong, effective teamwork, follow-up, and communication. Additionally, this role will require negotiation skills and ability to leverage spend. This individual will need to balance inventory control with vendor management and strategic sourcing efforts.

Reports to: Purchasing Supervisor

Functional Responsibilities

• Analyze Min/Max and Days-on-Hand inventory levels and maintain sufficient supply.
• Periodically review inventory strategy and propose needed adjustments as business conditions change for assigned items.
• Support other team members during heightened expedite/quality/out of stock situations and as business needs dictate.
• Monitoring of PPV to ensure purchase orders placed are aligned with pre-negotiated pricing.
• Back up other Purchasing Agent in managing cost/quality/service of third party co-manufacturers.
• Review MRP, place and track necessary purchase orders and blanket material releases for items assigned.
• Manage material levels, purchases, and delivery dates for special sales promotion items.
• Owner of managing all raw packaging inventories and pricing maintenance.
• Attend NPD meetings and engage in support/development of new items/projects.
• Attend all Display and Special Pack meetings to support new and on-going pack configurations.
• Prepare for daily production meetings and weekly team meetings.
• Process and track supplier material returns for credit.
• Develop and revise internal process documents for procurement and inventory management.
• Create and report key performance metrics related to inventory management.
• Communicate forecast information to supply base to ensure suppliers are ready to react.
• Manage obsolescence of inventory for items assigned.
• Assist with process development and improvement of ERP systems.
  
  

Required Experience, Desired Skills & Qualifications

• Five or more years of materials or inventory management experience.
• Successful negotiation experience.
• Must be able to exercise proper judgment.
• Thorough understanding of MRP, Bills of Materials and Routings.
• The ability to manage multiple conflicting tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• APICS Certification desired.
• Skilled in MS Office applications.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, detail oriented.
• Strong analytical, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to interface well with cross-functional teammates.
• Familiarity and training in LEAN principles, 8D, 7 step, Six Sigma.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP systems.
• Experience working within CPG industry and procurement of retail packaging desired.
• Experience with and strong working knowledge of Microsoft NAV a plus.
• Ability to analyze and reconcile material issues.
  
  

Educational Qualifications

Bachelor Degree in Supply Chain Management or Business Administration

Physical Requirements

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 sit; use hands, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.

• The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Employee must be able to sit for up to eight hours in a work day.
• Ability to function in highly stressful situations.
  
  

Environmental Requirements

The work environments described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.