Commodity Buyer

COMPANY PROFILE

CST Industries is a global leader in the manufacture and construction of factory coated metal storage tanks, aluminum domes and specialty covers. CST's existing company portfolio consists of CST Storage, CST Covers and Vulcan Tanks. Five manufacturing facilities and technical design centers and multiple regional sales offices are located throughout North America and the United Kingdom. Manufacturing locations are located in the United States (Kansas City, MO; Conroe, TX; DeKalb, IL; Winchester, TN) and in the United Kingdom (Alfreton, England). International offices are located in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Singapore, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. Currently, more than 350,000 storage tanks and 19,000 covers have been installed in 125 countries throughout the world.

Job Summary

As part of the Supply Chain team, the Commodity Buyer will support procurement strategy and execution for assigned commodities, overseeing sourcing activities across multiple categories of materials, products, and services as business needs evolve. This role is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating purchasing activities to ensure alignment with quality, cost, and delivery objectives. Key responsibilities include setting clear supplier expectations, driving cost optimization without compromising quality, creating and releasing purchase orders, monitoring inventory levels, and making timely purchasing decisions.

The Commodity Buyer will collaborate closely with suppliers to reduce lead times, improve on-time delivery, enhance inventory turnover, and identify cost-reduction opportunities. The role also requires strong cross-functional collaboration with internal teams to prevent material shortages, manage new or substitute materials, and resolve issues related to components, pricing, invoicing, and quality. Additional responsibilities include maintaining accurate ERP/MRP transactions, following up on purchase orders, shipments, and delivery discrepancies, performing demand analysis, preparing material consumption and trend reports, and developing delivery schedules. Success in this role requires effective communication, attention to detail, a proactive sense of urgency, and strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Source and procure assigned commodities across a range of materials, products, and services, ensuring timely and cost-effective acquisition in support of business needs.
• Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, negotiate pricing, terms, and conditions, and ensure quality and on-time delivery.
• Monitor and manage inventory levels for assigned commodities, coordinating with inventory, maintenance, and operations teams to ensure appropriate stock levels and timely replenishment.
• Identify and implement cost-saving and process improvement initiatives while maintaining compliance with quality, delivery, and budget requirements.
• Create, manage, and follow up on purchase orders; track shipments; and resolve discrepancies related to pricing, quantity, quality, or delivery.
• Support the development and negotiation of supplier and service contracts, ensuring favorable terms and long-term value.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, maintenance, operations, manufacturing, and logistics teams to align procurement activities with operational requirements.
• Maintain D365 material master records, ensure data accuracy, and reconcile supplier invoices, resolving price discrepancies as necessary.
• Review and maintain internal/external Kanban replenishment, inventory management, vendor programs, and scheduling agreements.
• Participate in NCR reviews of defective materials to eliminate root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Support the Commodity Manager's vision and strategy as requested.
• Perform other duties as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Supply Chain Management, or a related field with at least 2 years of recent supply chain experience in a manufacturing or assembly environment.
• Experience sourcing and managing suppliers for assigned commodities, including purchase order creation, inventory management, and delivery tracking.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems (D365 preferred) and strong data accuracy discipline.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with excellent interpersonal and collaboration abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, maintenance, manufacturing, and logistics teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong problem-solving, project management, and analytical skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience negotiating with suppliers.
• Demonstrated supplier negotiation experience.
• High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and a proactive sense of urgency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting multiple or evolving commodity categories in a manufacturing or operations-focused environment.
• Familiarity with MRO, hardware, components, or industrial materials (specific commodities may vary).
• Experience with cost-reduction initiatives, supplier performance management, and contract negotiations.
• Knowledge of inventory replenishment models, including Kanban systems and vendor-managed inventory (VMI).
• Experience participating in NCR reviews, root cause analysis, and corrective action processes.
• Strong problem-solving, project management, and analytical skills.
• APICS, CPSM, or other supply chain-related certification.
• Experience working in a matrixed or cross-functional organization.