Purchasing Agent

Job Description – Purchasing Agent 
Position Summary
The Purchasing Agent / Procurement Manager reports directly to the Controller and is responsible for sourcing, purchasing, coordinating, and expediting materials, equipment, subcontracted services, and outside processing required to support complex structural steel fabrication projects. This position works closely with estimating, project management, production, quality control, accounting, operations, and executive leadership to control costs, maintain schedules, support AISC quality requirements, and ensure accurate procurement documentation.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Procurement and Purchasing

• Generate accurate purchase orders from approved requisitions, bills of material, project requirements, estimates, and management direction.
• Source and procure structural steel, plate, shapes, pipe, miscellaneous metals, fasteners, welding consumables, coatings-related materials, shop supplies, equipment, freight, outside processing, and subcontracted services.
• Coordinate with estimating to obtain vendor and subcontractor pricing during bid phases, including materials, freight, outside processing, coatings, galvanizing, and specialty services.
• Negotiate pricing, delivery terms, lead times, and payment terms with suppliers, vendors, subcontractors, and service providers.
• Track open purchase orders, confirm vendor acknowledgments, monitor delivery commitments, and expedite critical materials to support production schedules.

Vendor and Subcontractor Management

• Identify, qualify, and maintain reliable suppliers, subcontractors, and vendors capable of supporting complex steel fabrication work.
• Build and maintain relationships with mills, steel service centers, fastener suppliers, coating providers, galvanizers, machine shops, trucking companies, equipment suppliers, and specialty subcontractors.
• Evaluate vendor performance based on cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, documentation, and overall reliability.
• Maintain vendor files, contact information, insurance certificates, tax documentation, qualification records, and other required compliance documents.
• Support continuous improvement of the approved vendor list, purchasing procedures, and supplier performance standards.

AISC Quality and Compliance Support

• Ensure procurement activities support the company’s AISC quality management system and project-specific quality requirements.
• Coordinate with Quality Control to obtain and verify material certifications, mill test reports, traceability documentation, receiving records, and supplier compliance documents.
• Confirm that purchased materials and services meet applicable contract documents, drawings, specifications, approved submittals, and company quality procedures.
• Identify and report incomplete, nonconforming, or questionable vendor documentation.
• Maintain procurement records required for internal audits, external audits, project closeout, and quality compliance.

Cost Control and Accounting Coordination

• Support accurate job costing by properly coding purchase orders, vendor invoices, credit card purchases, freight costs, and subcontractor expenses.
• Review vendor invoices against purchase orders, quotes, receiving records, and approved pricing before accounting approval.
• Work with accounting, project management, production, and vendors to resolve invoice discrepancies, pricing conflicts, tax issues, delivery disputes, and purchase order variances.
• Establish and maintain standard unit costs for recurring materials, supplies, fabricated components, and commonly purchased items as needed.
• Assist with inventory control, material tracking, reorder planning, and cost reporting as required.

Communication and Cross-Functional Coordination

• Communicate professionally with vendors, subcontractors, internal departments, and management staff to ensure accurate and timely procurement execution.
• Maintain written records of vendor commitments, pricing changes, scope clarifications, delivery updates, and procurement decisions.
• Participate in estimating, production, project management, accounting, and departmental meetings as required.
• Coordinate with shipping, receiving, production, quality control, and field operations to support material availability and project execution.
• Handle urgent purchasing needs, schedule changes, expedited freight, and time-sensitive procurement issues with accuracy and urgency.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 3–5 years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, or vendor management experience in steel fabrication, heavy industrial construction, manufacturing, or a closely related environment.
• Working knowledge of structural steel fabrication, bills of material, shop drawings, project specifications, and material takeoffs.
• Strong understanding of purchasing procedures, vendor management, job costing, inventory control, and basic accounting practices.
• Experience sourcing structural steel, plate, shapes, fasteners, welding supplies, coatings materials, fabricated components, outside processing, freight, and subcontracted services.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and electronic document management systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records in a fast-paced fabrication environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, vendors, and projects simultaneously.
• Commitment to company safety, quality, and compliance standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working for an AISC Certified fabricator, preferably in complex bridge, building, industrial, or infrastructure fabrication.
• Familiarity with AISC quality certification requirements and material traceability expectations.
• Knowledge of sales/use tax, subcontractor documentation, certificates of insurance, freight coordination, and vendor compliance requirements.
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, construction management, business, engineering technology, or equivalent practical experience.

Key Competencies

• Procurement discipline and cost awareness.
• Technical aptitude for steel fabrication and construction documents.
• Vendor negotiation and relationship management.
• Schedule-driven execution and follow-up.
• Accuracy in documentation, pricing, quantities, and job costing.
• Ability to identify scope gaps, material conflicts, and vendor risks.
• Organization, prioritization, and time management.
• Professional communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Problem-solving under deadline pressure.
• Commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement.

Work Conditions

• Office-based role within a steel fabrication environment.
• Regular interaction with estimating, project management, production, quality control, accounting, receiving, operations, and executive leadership.
• Periodic visits to fabrication shops, receiving areas, inventory locations, supplier facilities, or project sites.
• Sitting for extended periods while using a computer, phone, and procurement systems.
• Occasional travel may be required for supplier visits, trade shows, pre-bid meetings, or project coordination.
• Must be able to operate effectively in a high-volume, schedule-sensitive, and detail-oriented work environment.

Reporting Structure
This position reports directly to the Controller and works closely with other members of management, including estimating, project management, production, quality control, accounting, operations, and executive leadership. The Purchasing Agent / Procurement Manager is expected to support cross-functional coordination between departments to ensure that materials, subcontracted services, vendor documentation, purchase orders, job costing, and procurement records are accurate, timely, and aligned with project requirements and company procedures.
Performance Expectations
Successful performance in this role will be measured by:

• Accuracy and timeliness of purchase orders.
• Material availability to support fabrication schedules.
• Vendor pricing competitiveness.
• Reduction of procurement-related delays, errors, and cost overruns.
• Compliance with AISC quality documentation requirements.
• Responsiveness to project, production, estimating, accounting, and management needs.
• Strength and reliability of vendor and subcontractor relationships.
• Quality of procurement records, quote files, and supporting documentation.