Commodity Buyer

Commodity Buyer

We don't just sell lumber; we supply happiness. Drexel is team member-owned and community-driven. With six retail hubs and three manufacturing plants across Wisconsin, we've been a top workplace every year since 2011. Why? Because we hire for heart and train for skill. When you join Team Blue, you aren't just a team member - you're an owner.

As a commodity buyer, your primary objective is to serve as the analytical engine and procurement anchor for our raw material flow. This position is based out of our Wrightstown, WI manufacturing facility. You are responsible for managing daily inventory loops, purchasing manufacturing supplies, evaluating reliable supply partners, and inspecting inbound product quality. Reporting directly to the general manager, you serve as a hybrid inventory and buying specialist who ensures our commitment to the builder is executed flawlessly by maintaining material availability, protecting profit margins, and keeping manufacturing schedules running smoothly without stockouts or delays.

Defining the role:

• Operational & facility material availability: Serve as the foundational procurement support for warehouse supervisors, executing daily re-orders for hangers, special orders, sheeting, truss plates, screw inventory, staples, nails, banding, and clips.
• Facility lumber sourcing & demand alignment: Sourcing and pacing raw material purchases for facility-specific lumber, aligning internal manufacturing schedules with stock levels to prevent excess carrying costs and eliminate shortages.
• Supplier quality, dockside QA & "speed to the ball": Inspect incoming shipments directly on the receiving dock to catch quality defects immediately, replacing slow paper-tracking sheets with instant dockside resolution.
• Market intelligence & purchase planning: Monitor commodity lumber markets and supply trends to provide analytical research that supports cost-effective purchasing decisions and margin protection.
• Supplier partnerships & scorecarding: Evaluate potential suppliers, cultivate reliable supply streams, and gather data for formal supplier scorecards to hold vendors accountable to lead times, quality specs, and delivery benchmarks while honoring established partner relationships.
• Negotiation & commercial support: Participate in competitive bidding cycles and contract negotiations to secure optimal pricing, prevent profit leakage, and track purchase price variance.
• Regulatory & administrative compliance: Maintain accurate administrative discipline across every purchase order, inventory log, and transaction in accordance with corporate standards.

What success looks like:

• Material availability / stockout rate: Ensuring raw materials are successfully procured to support 100% of manufacturing schedules without plant downtime.
• Purchase price variance (PPV): Tracking purchasing execution against commodity market baselines and budget targets to maximize ESOP profitability.
• Supplier quality & dockside compliance rating: Measuring the percentage of inbound shipments meeting quality specifications on the receiving dock.
• Inventory turn optimization: Aligning lead times and purchase execution to prevent excess raw material carrying costs while protecting supply integrity.
• Workload driver: The primary workload metric is total daily plant production volume supported, active hardware/lumber SKUs managed, and dockside inventory turns.

The essentials:

• Entry-level to 3+ years of experience in procurement, commodity buying, inventory management, or manufacturing supply chain.
• High analytical aptitude with strong capability in spreadsheet modeling and market trend analysis.
• "Boots on the ground" operational mentality with high urgency to solve problems directly on the plant floor.
• Excellent communication skills to collaborate effectively with warehouse supervisors, plant sawyers, senior category buyers, and vendor representatives.

The Drexel advantage:

• ESOP shares: We don't just work here; we own the place. You'll earn a real stake in the company's success.
• Profit sharing: When Drexel wins, our team wins.
• 401k: A solid foundation for your long-term retirement goals.
• Comprehensive coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance to keep you and your family "weather-proof."
• Fitness reimbursements: Annual funds dedicated to your physical health and family activities.
• Employee assistance program (EAP): Confidential support when life gets complex.
• Immediate paid time off: Start with holiday and vacation pay from day one.
• Scholarship program: We're invested in the next generation—educational support for the children of our team members.
• Annual charity match: We'll double your impact on the causes you care about most.
• Birthday PTO: A paid day off to celebrate you.
• Product discounts: Special pricing on the high-quality materials we sell.
• Plus more: A constant stream of "fun little perks" that make the yard a great place to be.