Purchasing & Vendor Relations Specialist at None

Job Summary:

The Purchasing & Vendor Relations Specialist will oversee vendor management, purchasing operations, and supply chain support. This role combines strategic procurement with hands-on engagement on the manufacturing floor, ensuring the timely availability of high-quality raw materials while building strong supplier partnerships. The role will balance cost optimization with quality, reliability, and efficiency

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Purchasing & Procurement

•    Source, evaluate, and purchase raw materials, components, and supplies needed for production.

•    Manage purchase orders, monitor deliveries, and ensure on-time availability of goods.

•    Negotiate terms, pricing, and contracts to achieve cost savings and favorable supplier agreements.

•    Maintain accurate records of purchases, pricing, and inventory levels.

Vendor Relations & Quality

•    Develop and maintain strong relationships with key vendors and suppliers.

•    Conduct vendor assessments and site visits to ensure quality standards and compliance.

•    Collaborate with vendors to improve lead times, pricing structures, and supply chain efficiency.

•    Monitor and resolve supplier performance issues, including quality and delivery concerns.

Manufacturing Floor Engagement

•    Work closely with production teams to understand raw material requirements.

•    Provide hands-on support on the manufacturing floor to align procurement with operational needs.

•    Monitor inventory usage and communicate supply requirements in real time.

•    Assist in implementing best practices for material flow and usage efficiency.

Supply Chain & Continuous Improvement

•    Manage raw material and supply inventories, ensuring availability without overstocking.

•    Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve procurement processes.

•    Support supplier audits, quality improvement initiatives, and corrective action plans.

•    Collaborate cross-functionally to improve procurement systems and vendor partnerships.

Additional Responsibilities:

•    May cover for other personnel.

•    When requested, may work on special projects and various related assignments.

•    Performs other related duties and assignments as required.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

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, talk and/or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and/or crawl. The employee must also occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities include close vision and color vision. Must have the ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete and abstract variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

The noise level in the work environment may range from low, moderate to loud.

Education, Skills and Experience:

•    Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field (preferred).

•    3–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain (manufacturing experience preferred).

•    Certification in procurement/supply chain preferred.

•    Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

•    Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build lasting vendor relationships.

•    Ability to work independently on vendor visits and collaboratively on the production floor.

•    Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

•    Good oral and written communication skills.

•    Strong organization skills.

•    Must be familiar with computers and computer software.

•    Work independently with minimal supervision