Buyer - Commodities

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you're empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.This position will be located in: Birmingham, AL Or Alexandria, LA, Oxford, MS, Clevland, MS, Greenwood, MS, Greenville, MS, Jackson, MS, Meridian, MS, Mobile, AL, Foley, AL, Huntsville, AL, Anniston, AL, Tuscaloosa, AL, Dothan, AL, Panama City, FL, Pensacola, FL, Fort Walton Beach, FL or Spring Hill, FL.  Job Summary Facilitates daily purchasing and inventory management activities. Administers and coordinates the SAP/GAINS purchasing and inventory system functions on assigned product families including, but not limited to, stock purchase orders, branch to branch stock transfers, and related maintenance of SAP master records. Manages supply flow on assigned product families through consistent communication with applicable branch and supplier contacts.  Utilizes inventory service management tools and other exception reports and tools to identify critical low inventory situations. Improves inventory performance through reduction of overstock and non-stock inventories.  Analyzes inventory requests from sales or marketing teams and implement stocking parameter changes determined to be appropriate to support sales growth. Responsibilities Essential FunctionsMaintains collaborative relationships with branch sales, warehouse, and operations staff.  Provides proactive and responsive support for branch staff and deliver excellent customer service in response to branch inventory requests. Responds to actual or predicted stock-outs and identifies larger trends in supplier service levels that affect the supply chain. Monitors and takes steps to ensure healthy inventory service levels on high velocity items, and products important to key customers. Facilitates review, submission, and expediting of stock purchase orders. Makes trade-off decisions with respect to inbound freight expenses, inventory services levels and inventory turnover. Maintains collaborative relationships with suppliers and manufacturer's representatives. Evaluates excess inventory on products or product families with low inventory turnover and takes action to improve inventory turns including supplier returns, order point or order quantity adjustments, branch to branch stock transfers, de-expediting inbound supply orders, or sales promotion opportunities. Maintains expected delivery dates on inbound supplier orders to improve date confidence with branch teams and customers. Responds and resolves invoice, shipping, and carrier discrepancy issues in a timely mannerNon-essential FunctionsMay work in close connection with our alliance customers Assist in training new team members Participates in training document reviews and creation Participates in inventory & purchasing projects, such as data cleansing, branch startup plans, facility relocations, process improvement initiatives, etc. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor or designate QualificationsFour-year business or technical degree or the equivalent in work experience.  Prior procurement, inventory management, or supply chain management experience with knowledge of electrical, utility, industrial products preferred. Solid understanding of customer service and conflict resolution, purchasing, purchase order management and supplier returns, inventory management and stocking parameters, such as reorder points and lead times  Competency with Excel or another spreadsheet application Previous knowledge of SAP or an MRP platform is preferred Skills and AbilitiesMultitasking, organization, and time management skills Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged Physical Requirements Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%Lift from Waist:< than 10 lbs. - Not at all 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 100+ lbs. - Not at all Lift from Floor:< than 10 lbs. - Frequently 10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 100+ lbs. - Not at all Carried for Distance:< than 10 lbs. - Not at all 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 100+ lbs. - Not at all Physical Activity Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Continuously Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Frequently Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Frequently Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Frequently Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously Use of a computer - Continuously Use of a telephone - Frequently Hearing (Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Not at all Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Occasionally Additional Information This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer's discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.Our HistoryBorder States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with over 120 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction, industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers' needs, which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment, resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.ValuesAs a Border States employee-owner, you're responsible for living our mission, service philosophy and service standards.Our PurposeWe believe unstoppable businesses shouldn't go it alone. We are owners - of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.Service PhilosophyWe earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.Service StandardsBorder States employee-owners are competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged .Your careerJoin an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for?Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:Health, Dental and Vision BenefitsAccident, Critical Illness, Hospital IndemnityFSA & HSAEmployee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)Disability Benefits401(k) Retirement PlanLife InsuranceEmployee Assistance ProgramPaid HolidaysPaid Volunteer TimePersonal Leave time and moreBorder States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.Equal Opportunity For AllIt's not just the law.  It's something  we've believed in since our founding.  We value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.Drug Free/Smoke Free workplace