** Buyer, Purchasing Agent**

Belton Exempt Associate **About The Position**

**The Buyer is a knowledgeable leader with a made-to-order, fabrication and manufacturing background and great ERP/MRP experience. You'll be responsible for purchasing and negotiating raw materials, fabricated parts, and equipment from domestic and offshore suppliers to support site production and operations activities in a busy manufacturing environment. This busy role is also partially responsible for sourcing new and existing product from approved vendors.**

**Experience:**

* This role requires purchasing and sourcing experience utilizing ERP/MRP in a manufacturing environment. Metals, extrusions and fabricated parts sourcing highly desired.

* Purchasing experience may be offset by time and experience in similar, supporting, or supported roles, including, but not limited to: Planning/Scheduling, Production Management, Inventory control.

**Essential Functions:**

* Review system-generated purchased parts requirements and issue orders as required to meet customer need date.

* Enter and maintain accuracy of all discrete and blanket purchase orders

* Execute timely review and maintenance of vendor and item attributes, including lead times, costs, UOM, UOI

* Coordinate with Quality Assurance regarding vendor non-conformities, providing meaningful feedback to suppliers and obtain SCAR's from the suppliers

* Quickly resolve pricing, packing list, and invoice issues for vendors that are noted on the Accounting D-List

* Proactively notify relevant parties (Planning/Scheduling, Production, Operations) of potential supply disruptions and aggressively mitigate/eliminate those disruptions

* Proactively address current and potential past-due order lines

* Review and make suggestions for changes in Safety Stock and Vendor Rankings as needed.

* Frequently engage production leadership to ensure their material needs are being met

* Review potential inter-warehouse transfers and generate transfers as needed

* Communicate new prints/design requirements to vendors and guide vendors through the First Articles Inspection process for qualification and requalification of parts.

* Initiate and/or participate in root-cause analyses in order to develop permanent solutions for shortages and unexpected process/system results/data and vendor quality issues

* Interface with multiple departments, including Engineering, Quality Assurance, Accounting, Production, Shipping and Handling and their members to facilitate continuous production of conforming product

* Promptly process MRR's

* Coordinate with Planning/Scheduling to determine appropriate material usage ERP forecast levels for critical, high volume, and/or long lead time materials

* Meet with vendors to review existing or potential business (~ 5% business travel required)

**Skill Sets/Capabilities/Attributes:**

* Absolutely must be able to operate in fast-paced, time-critical environment and understand the absolute urgency of production needs

* Able to handle multiple projects at a time and set personal deadlines for tasks

* Familiar with Lean principles

* Must be able to strongly advocate both internally and externally for the needs of the customer

* Scheduling experience in a manufacturing environment is a plus

* Past Lean, Continuous Improvement knowledge or experience is a plus

* Past experience working with Aluminum Extrusion and Anodizer vendors is a plus

* Proficiency with Excel is a plus

**Other Duties:**

* Continually look for novel ways to secure cost savings

* Safely and efficiently execute the directives of Operations and Senior Management, as well as the Safe Fleet Corporate Procurement team with integrity and to the best of the buyer's ability

* Other duties as assigned

**Work Environment and Physical Requirements:**

* Must have the ability to read, write, speak, and understand English plus have adequate hearing and visual acuity

* Must effectively communicate on the telephone while entering data on the computer

* Strong communication skills are required, in addition to understanding verbal and written instruction

* Must be a problem-solver and be able to bring forward solutions to resolve customer issues

* Positive attitude with an aptitude for attention to detail

* Must handle multiple tasks and perform effectively in a fast-paced work environment

* Working environment is in an air-conditioned cubical with daily physical outings into an unheated/non-air conditioned manufacturing/warehouse setting

* Frequent reaching, gripping, and carrying up to 50 lbs, standing, stooping, bending, stretching, squatting, and walking, in addition to be seated a good portion of the day

* Safety glasses with side shields are required at all times when in the manufacturing facility

* COVID-19 protocols are currently in place and enforced and include: wearing a mask or face-shield at all times, daily temperature checks and COVID symptom monitoring, among others

* Safely and efficiently execute the directives of Operations and Senior Management, as well as the Safe Fleet Corporate Procurement team with integrity and to the best of the buyers ability

**At Safe Fleet, you are empowered to build a career that will take you where you want to go. You'll enjoy the freedom to explore new projects, the support to think outside the box and the tools necessary to achieve personal success. We offer a comprehensive compensation package including Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, 401K and Bonus opportunities.**

We are a pre-hire background check and drug screen company where allowed by law.

**Safe Fleet does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, ancestry veteran status or any other status protected by law.*