Purchasing Assistant

Purchasing Assistant

Salary Range $24.00 - $30.00 Hourly Position Type Full Time Job Shift Day Education Level Bachelor's Degree Travel Percentage Less than 10% Category Purchasing - Procurement

Description

Purchasing Assistant $24.00-30.00 per hour Are you highly organized, detail-oriented, and passionate about keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes? J.H. Larson Company is looking for a motivated Purchasing Assistant to support our purchasing team through accurate data management, vendor communication, and proactive problem-solving. We value team players who are dependable, collaborative, and committed to delivering exceptional service. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy contributing to the success of a growing organization, we'd love to meet you.

J.H. Larson Company is an independent distributor of Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC products with 8 locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota and 3 showroom locations. We remain dedicated to our employees, customers and vendors, and are positioned to move into the future as a family owned and operated business. We're proudly celebrating our 95th anniversary this year!

We have a great opportunity to join our Purchasing Team at our Corporate branch as a Purchasing Assistant. The Purchasing Assistant is responsible for supporting the procurement and inventory management functions of the organization. This role works closely with vendors, warehouse personnel, Accounts Payable, and internal stakeholders to ensure the timely purchase, delivery, and availability of materials and supplies. The Purchasing Assistant processes purchase orders, maintains accurate purchasing and inventory records, monitors stock levels, and assists with vendor communications and sourcing activities. This position contributes to operational efficiency by providing responsive service, supporting cost-effective purchasing decisions, and helping maintain strong supplier relationships.

What's In It For You?

• Highly competitive benefits package
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401k with employer match
• Life insurance
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Health Saving Account with employer match
• Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
• Employee assistance program
• PTO and 9 paid holidays, as well as your birthday!

Responsibilities Include:

• Manage existing purchase orders, ensuring accuracy and proper follow-up documentation through queue management.
• Communicate with vendors to confirm orders, track deliveries, and resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain positive supplier relationships and support vendor performance monitoring.
• Support market research to identify new suppliers, competitive pricing, and cost-saving opportunities.
• Monitor inventory levels and coordinate replenishment activities to ensure adequate stock availability.
• Maintain accurate purchasing, inventory, and supplier records within ERP system.
• Reconcile purchase orders, receiving documents, and invoices; collaborate with Accounts Payable to resolve discrepancies.
• Coordinate with warehouse personnel to verify deliveries, investigate shortages, and ensure order accuracy.
• Assist with inventory audits, cycle counts, and reporting to support inventory accuracy and operational efficiency.
• Prepare purchasing and inventory reports and provide administrative support to the department as needed.
• Travel up to 10%

Qualifications

Education

• Highschool diploma or GED
• Associate's or bachelor's degree preferred

Experience and/or Training

• Minimum 1 year of experience in an administrative, purchasing, inventory, customer service, or related role preferred.
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel
• Experience with distribution, inventory, or ERP software preferred; Eclipse experience a plus
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Wholesale distribution experience preferred
• Ability to occasionally drive to branch and other locations (up to 10%)

Licenses/Certificates

• Valid US Driver's license and reliable transportation
• Clean driving record

We are committed to providing salary ranges for open positions. Please note that the specific compensation for this role will be determined based on your experience, qualifications, location, and internal equity considerations.