Manufacturing Buyer

Bottleless Nation was named a 2026 TOP Workplace! Thank you to ALL of our Team Members!

Bottleless Nation is a purpose-driven water solutions company dedicated to eliminating plastic waste in workplaces across the U.S. We provide sustainable, bottleless water and ice systems to businesses in a variety of industries, including healthcare, hospitality, and education. By offering environmentally friendly alternatives to single-use plastics, we help organizations reduce costs, improve hydration, and minimize their environmental footprint. Uniquely, we recycle used water filters as part of our commitment to sustainability. Through our Bottleless Nation Charitable Foundation, we support initiatives that reduce plastic waste, promote environmental cleanup, and improve access to clean drinking water in underserved communities.

Bottleless Nation is searching for a Manufacturing Buyer to support our Indianapolis manufacturing operation.

Join our rapidly growing Indianapolis manufacturing operation as we expand our product portfolio, increase in-house assembly, and build the systems needed to support significant growth. This position offers an opportunity to take meaningful ownership, improve operating processes, and directly influence manufacturing performance.

The Manufacturing Buyer has primary accountability for purchasing materials, components, packaging, tooling, and production-related supplies required to support manufacturing operations. This position is responsible for ensuring materials are purchased at the appropriate cost, quality, quantity, and timing to support production requirements while maintaining effective supplier relationships and purchasing controls.

The Manufacturing Buyer works closely with production planning, inventory, engineering, quality, accounting, warehouse, and suppliers to maintain material availability, manage supplier performance, resolve purchasing issues, and identify opportunities to improve cost, quality, delivery, and supply continuity.

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing & Material Availability

• Purchase raw materials, packaging, tooling, and production-related supplies based on manufacturing requirements.
• Proactively review material requirements, purchase requisitions, forecasts, and inventory levels to determine purchasing needs.
• Create, issue, and manage purchase orders through receipt while ensuring accuracy of pricing, quantities, specifications, and delivery dates.

Supplier Management

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers and serve as a primary point of contact for assigned purchasing activities.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, minimum order quantities, and other commercial terms within established authority and approval limits.
• Track and report supplier performance KPIs, including delivery, quality, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness.
• Work with suppliers and internal teams to resolve material shortages, quality issues, invoice discrepancies, and other purchasing concerns.
• Participate in the evaluation and qualification of new suppliers as needed to improve cost, quality, capacity, and supply continuity.

Systems & Compliance

• Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier information, pricing, and lead-time data within the ERP/MRP system.
• Identify and communicate potential supply-chain risks and develop appropriate mitigation plans.
• Ensure purchasing activities comply with Company policies, contractual requirements, and applicable quality standards.
• Coordinate international shipments with suppliers, freight carriers, and internal teams to ensure required documentation, shipping requirements, and delivery schedules are met, while escalating customs, compliance, or transportation issues as needed.

Key Performance Indicators

• Supplier on-time delivery percentage
• Material availability and production shortages
• Purchase price variance and documented cost savings
• Supplier quality performance
• Purchase order accuracy and timely placement
• Purchasing compliance and documentation accuracy
• Inventory levels and excess/obsolete inventory related to purchasing decisions

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Manufacturing, or related field or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 2–5 years of procurement, materials, or supply-chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with supplier performance metrics, purchasing KPIs, and supplier relationship management.
• Ability to read and understand purchase specifications, bills of material, drawings, and other technical documentation.
• Strong communication and supplier-management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Work Environment

This position typically operates in a manufacturing and office environment and may require regular interaction with production, warehouse, engineering, quality, and supplier personnel. Occasional supplier visits or travel may be required.

· Reports to: Operations/Planning Manager

· Location: Indianapolis (on-site)

· Work schedule: 7:00-4:30 Monday-Friday

· Travel percentage: Less than 10%

· Employment status: Exempt

If you are a person that defines good character, strong work ethic, and a willingness to hold yourself accountable, we want to hear from you!

Thank you for considering Bottleless Nation!

Learn more about our mission to reduce plastic, commitment to promote environmental responsibility, and our investment in service here: