Buyer

Position Summary

The Buyer purchases materials, components, supplies, and outside services needed to support John Wood Company manufacturing operations. This position works closely with Planning, Production, Engineering, and Quality to maintain material availability, control purchasing costs, and ensure suppliers meet delivery, quality, and specification requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Create and manage purchase orders for production materials, components, supplies, and outside processing services.
• Review material requirements and coordinate purchasing priorities with Planning and Production; identify shortages and expedite orders to protect production schedules.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations and negotiate pricing, delivery dates, and purchasing terms.
• Maintain supplier relationships and monitor delivery and quality performance.
• Coordinate with Engineering and Quality to resolve specification, material documentation, traceability, and supplier quality issues.
• Maintain accurate purchase order, supplier, pricing, and lead-time information in the ERP system.
• Support inventory management, sourcing alternatives, and purchasing improvements that reduce cost and improve material availability.
• Resolve purchase order, receiving, and invoice discrepancies with suppliers and Accounting.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; two or more years of purchasing experience preferred.
• Manufacturing purchasing experience and familiarity with ERP or MRP systems preferred.
• Strong organization, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively with suppliers and internal teams.

Key Performance Indicators

Supplier on-time delivery; material availability and shortage reduction; purchase price performance; past-due purchase orders; inventory performance; supplier quality.

Core Competencies

Accountability, urgency, organization, supplier management, communication, problem-solving, cost awareness, and teamwork.

John Wood Company is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications and business needs without regard to any status protected by applicable law.