Buyer

Job Description

Job Description

The Buyer is responsible for purchasing and replenishment activities that support the day-to-day operation of our Minnesota manufacturing facility. This includes Raw Materials, Outsourced Products, Production Supplies, and Office Supplies.

A primary focus of this role is ensuring the right materials and products are available when needed while maintaining appropriate inventory levels. The Buyer will manage Raw Material replenishment using established Kanban, min/max, usage, and other inventory replenishment methods; purchase and coordinate Outsourced Products to meet customer and production requirements; and maintain accurate purchasing and supplier data to support effective purchasing decisions.

The Buyer is responsible for the accuracy and integrity of purchasing data within the ERP system (NetSuite), particularly for Raw Materials and Outsourced Products. This position also works closely with Operations and Inventory Management to maintain inventory accuracy, support cycle counting, resolve discrepancies, and continuously improve purchasing and material flow.

Key Responsibilities

Raw Material Replenishment & Inventory Management

• Manage day-to-day replenishment of Raw Materials using Kanban, min/max levels, usage trends, supplier lead times, and other established purchasing parameters.
• Review inventory levels and demand regularly to determine appropriate order quantities and timing.
• Place and maintain purchase orders to ensure Raw Materials are available to support production requirements.
• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively address late deliveries, shortages, or other supply issues.
• Expedite materials when necessary to prevent production disruptions.
• Balance material availability with inventory objectives to minimize both stockouts and excess or obsolete inventory.
• Work closely with Operations and Inventory Management to identify and resolve inventory discrepancies.
• Support cycle counting and other inventory accuracy activities.
• Identify purchasing, inventory, or system data issues that may contribute to stockouts, excess inventory, or inaccurate replenishment.

Outsourced Products

• Manage purchasing activities for Outsourced Products, including metal plates, O-rings, specialty products, and other items purchased from external suppliers to fulfill customer and production requirements.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotes based on price, quality, lead time, capabilities, and delivery requirements.
• Place and manage purchase orders for Outsourced Products.
• Coordinate closely with Operations, Customer Service, and other internal teams to ensure Outsourced Products are ordered accurately and delivered in time to meet customer requirements.
• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively communicate and resolve potential delivery issues.
• Expedite Outsourced Products when necessary to meet production or customer deadlines.
• Work with suppliers and internal teams to resolve quality, quantity, specification, receiving, and invoice discrepancies.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost, lead time, quality, or service through existing or alternative suppliers.

Purchasing Data & System Integrity

• Own the accuracy and integrity of purchasing data within the NetSuite ERP system, with particular focus on Raw Materials and Outsourced Products.
• Maintain accurate supplier assignments, purchasing units, pricing, lead times, order quantities, min/max levels, Kanban replenishment parameters, and other purchasing-related item data.
• Regularly review purchasing and inventory data for accuracy and correct issues that could result in stockouts, excess inventory, incorrect purchasing decisions, or order delays.
• Ensure the appropriate supplier and purchasing information is maintained when items are added, changed, or transitioned between suppliers.
• Use system data and reporting to support accurate and consistent purchasing and replenishment decisions.
• Monitor usage, inventory levels, and purchasing history and recommend changes to replenishment parameters as business needs change.
• Partner with Operations and Inventory Management to investigate and resolve differences between physical inventory and system inventory.
• Support cycle counting and inventory accuracy efforts, including identifying and addressing root causes of recurring discrepancies.
• Maintain organized purchasing records and documentation and support continuous improvement of purchasing processes and controls.

Production & Office Supplies / Budget Management

• Purchase Production Supplies and Office Supplies needed to support day-to-day facility operations.
• Maintain appropriate stocking levels for regularly used supplies.
• Develop and manage the annual budget for Production and Office Supplies.
• Monitor actual spending against budget and provide regular visibility to budget variances.
• Investigate significant budget-to-actual variances and take appropriate action to manage spending.
• Review purchasing patterns and identify opportunities to consolidate purchases, improve pricing, reduce unnecessary spending, or improve service.
• Manage supplier relationships for recurring Production and Office Supply purchases.
• Work with internal departments to understand needs and ensure purchases are appropriate and cost-effective.

Supplier Management

• Develop and maintain productive relationships with suppliers.
• Manage the appropriate mix of suppliers based on price, quality, lead time, service, reliability, and business needs.
• Request and evaluate supplier quotes as needed.
• Work with suppliers to resolve pricing, quality, delivery, and other purchasing-related issues.
• Monitor supplier performance and communicate concerns when expectations are not being met.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost, delivery, quality, or service through existing or alternative suppliers.

Cross-Functional Support

• Partner closely with Operations, Inventory Management, Finance, Customer Service, and other departments to support facility and customer needs.
• Communicate material shortages, supplier delays, and other potential issues in a timely manner.
• Assist with resolving receiving, inventory, quality, and invoice discrepancies.
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts related to purchasing, inventory management, supplier performance, and material flow.
• Perform other purchasing and supply-chain-related duties as needed to support the facility.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in purchasing, buying, inventory management, materials management, or a related role.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and inventory replenishment methods such as Kanban or Min/Max preferred.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Comfortable working with data and using information to make purchasing and replenishment decisions.
• Strong Excel and Microsoft Office skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively to changing production and customer needs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build productive working relationships with suppliers and internal teams.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while contributing as part of a cross-functional team.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a continuous-improvement mindset.

Key Measures of Success

Success in this role will be measured by the Buyer's ability to:

• Maintain Raw Material availability and minimize production disruptions caused by material shortages.
• Maintain appropriate Raw Material inventory levels and minimize excess and obsolete inventory.
• Ensure Outsourced Products are purchased accurately and delivered on time to meet customer and production requirements.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and item data for Raw Materials and Outsourced Products.
• Maintain accurate and effective Kanban, min/max, supplier, lead-time, pricing, and other purchasing parameters.
• Maintain a manageable level of late or past-due purchase orders.
• Support accurate physical and system inventory through cycle counting, discrepancy resolution, and corrective action.
• Manage Production and Office Supply spending within established budgets and provide timely visibility to budget variances.
• Maintain reliable supplier performance for quality, delivery, cost, and service.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve purchasing accuracy, inventory levels, cost, and supplier performance.

DuraMark Core Values 

CUSTOMER FOCUSED 

• Give our Customers the Best Experience Possible

DO THE RIGHT THING 

• Act with Integrity and Trust 
• Confront the Hard Stuff 
• Treat people how you would like to be treated 

POSITIVE “GET IT DONE” ATTITUDE 

• Adaptive to Change 
• Work Hard and Have Fun 
• Motivate others 
• Committed to Quality and Execution 

COLLABORATIVE TEAM PLAYER 

• "Win as a Team" Mentality 
• Creative Problem Solver 
• Humble & Confident Contributor 

PASSION TO GROW 

• Achievement driven with a "Will to Win" 
• Curious Learner 
• Energetic Competitor 

If you align with these core values, are a highly motivated and results-oriented individual with a passion for the labeling industry, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity at DuraMark Technologies.

Equal Opportunity Employer: This organization is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, marital status, familial status, or status with regard to public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to these protected characteristics.