Procurement Associate

Position Summary

The Procurement Associate supports day-to-day procurement activities within a manufacturing environment to ensure materials and services are sourced and purchased in a timely, accurate, and cost-effective manner. This position works closely with Operations, Maintenance, Warehouse Stores, Finance, and suppliers to support material availability, equipment reliability, and continuity of plant operations.

The Procurement Associate is responsible for processing purchase requests, obtaining competitive quotations, tracking purchase orders through receipt, communicating with suppliers and internal stakeholders, and maintaining accurate procurement data.

This is an entry-level procurement position designed for an individual who is organized, detail-oriented, responsive, and interested in developing experience in sourcing, purchasing, supplier management, and manufacturing supply chain operations.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

Sourcing

· Support sourcing of materials and services using historical purchasing data, approved suppliers, internal subject matter experts, manufacturer information, and other available resources.

· Identify potential suppliers and obtain quotations based on required specifications, pricing, availability, and lead time.

· Compare supplier quotations and purchasing options to support competitive purchasing decisions.

· Assist in identifying alternate or replacement products when requested items are unavailable, obsolete, or subject to extended lead times.

· Escalate significant pricing, availability, lead-time, or sourcing concerns to Supply Chain leadership.

Order Processing

· Review and process approved purchase requests into purchase orders in accordance with established procurement policies and procedures.

· Request and document competitive quotations when required by procurement standards.

· Verify pricing, quantities, units of measure, delivery requirements, supplier information, and other purchasing details prior to issuing purchase orders.

· Track orders from purchase request through goods receipt and follow up with suppliers as necessary.

· Maintain current supplier confirmations and estimated delivery dates within the ERP system.

· Routinely review unconfirmed, open, and past-due purchase orders and follow up with suppliers to support on-time delivery.

· Communicate order delays, shortages, substitutions, or other exceptions to affected stakeholders.

Vendor Relationships

· Develop professional working relationships with suppliers and understand their products, services, capabilities, and how they support the manufacturing operation.

· Communicate regularly with suppliers regarding quotations, order acknowledgments, availability, lead times, delivery status, and order exceptions.

· Work with suppliers to resolve routine purchasing and delivery issues.

· Coordinate with suppliers on discontinued, obsolete, or superseded part numbers and suitable replacements.

· Escalate recurring supplier performance or service concerns to Supply Chain Superintendent.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Collaborate with Operations and Maintenance to understand material and service requirements supporting production, maintenance activities, and equipment reliability.

· Communicate supplier lead times, expected delivery dates, delays, and other relevant purchasing information to internal stakeholders.

· Coordinate with Warehouse Stores regarding expected inbound deliveries and receiving requirements.

· Follow up on open purchase orders and receiving discrepancies to help ensure materials are received and purchase orders are closed accurately and timely.

· Partner with Finance and other internal functions as needed to resolve routine purchasing, receiving, and invoice discrepancies.

· Provide responsive internal customer support while following established procurement policies and controls.

Data Integrity and Special Projects

· Ensure procurement documents contain complete and accurate information, including supplier, pricing, quantity, unit of measure, delivery date, cost allocation, and other required fields.

· Maintain accurate purchase order confirmations, delivery dates, and other procurement-related information within the ERP system.

· Identify and communicate incomplete, duplicate, obsolete, or inaccurate purchasing and item information.

· Maintain appropriate purchasing documentation and records in accordance with established procedures.

· Support Item Master data review, cleanup, and other data-integrity initiatives as assigned by Supply Chain leadership.

· Assist with procurement and supply chain special projects, data analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills

· High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Logistics, Operations, or a related field preferred.

· Prior experience in customer service, account management, purchasing, administrative support, order management, or a similar business environment preferred.

· Experience in a manufacturing, industrial, maintenance, warehouse, or supply chain environment preferred but not required.

· Supplier or vendor management experience is a plus but not required.

· Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.

· Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

· Effective written and verbal communication skills.

· Ability to communicate professionally with suppliers and internal stakeholders.

· Comfortable performing data entry and working with detailed purchasing and inventory information.

· Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications.

· ERP, purchasing, inventory management, or warehouse management system experience preferred but not required.

· Ability to learn purchasing processes, manufacturing terminology, systems, and company policies.

Work Environment

· Primarily works in an office environment within a manufacturing operation.

· Regular use of computers, ERP systems, email, and Microsoft 365 applications.

· Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods.

· Periodic interaction with warehouse, maintenance, production, and other operational areas may be required.