Purchasing Coordinator (Inventory Control)

Job Description

Job Description

The Purchasing Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the purchasing of raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials, supplies, and other items necessary to support production and facility operations.

The position works closely with Production, Warehouse, Quality Control, Accounting, Sales, and Management to ensure required materials are ordered accurately, delivered on time, and available to meet production requirements.

The Purchasing Coordinator is responsible for maintaining purchase orders, communicating with vendors, monitoring delivery schedules, identifying potential shortages, and supporting accurate inventory information within NetSuite or the company's ERP system.

A key responsibility of this position is to proactively identify purchasing or supply issues that could affect production and communicate those concerns to management before they result in production delays.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Purchasing & Purchase Order Management

• Purchase approved raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials, production supplies, and other operational items.
• Create, issue, update, and maintain purchase orders in NetSuite or the company's ERP system.
• Ensure purchase orders accurately reflect approved items, quantities, pricing, specifications, and delivery dates.
• Submit purchase orders to approved suppliers and obtain order confirmations.
• Maintain accurate records of open, completed, canceled, and outstanding purchase orders.
• Follow up with vendors on outstanding orders and expected delivery dates.
• Monitor supplier lead times and plan purchases accordingly.
• Communicate changes in pricing, availability, lead times, or minimum order requirements to management.
• Obtain vendor quotes and pricing as requested.
• Assist management with identifying purchasing efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities.
• Maintain organized purchasing documentation and vendor correspondence.

Production Material Planning

• Review production schedules to determine upcoming material requirements.
• Coordinate with Production to understand anticipated requirements for raw materials, ingredients, marinades, packaging, and other production materials.
• Compare production requirements against available inventory and outstanding purchase orders.
• Place orders early enough to support scheduled production based on supplier lead times.
• Identify potential material shortages and immediately communicate concerns to Production and management.
• Follow up on critical materials until delivery is confirmed.
• Adjust purchasing priorities when production schedules or customer requirements change.
• Support new product development by coordinating purchases of new ingredients, raw materials, and packaging materials as directed.

Vendor Coordination

• Serve as a primary point of contact for routine purchasing communication with suppliers.
• Request and confirm product availability, pricing, lead times, quantities, and delivery dates.
• Follow up with vendors regarding late deliveries, shortages, backorders, incorrect shipments, or damaged materials.
• Communicate urgent production requirements to suppliers when necessary.
• Coordinate with management and Quality Control regarding substitutions or changes to approved materials.
• Maintain professional working relationships with suppliers.
• Track recurring vendor service, quality, pricing, or delivery concerns and communicate them to management.
• Assist with vendor performance evaluations as requested.

Receiving & Purchasing Reconciliation

• Coordinate with Warehouse personnel regarding expected inbound deliveries.
• Review receiving information against purchase orders.
• Research discrepancies involving quantities ordered versus quantities received.
• Follow up with suppliers regarding shortages, overages, damaged materials, or incorrect products.
• Update purchase orders based on confirmed receipts, cancellations, or approved changes.
• Work with Accounting to resolve discrepancies between purchase orders, receiving records, and vendor invoices.
• Ensure purchasing transactions are completed timely and accurately.

Inventory Support

Although purchasing is the primary responsibility of this position, the Purchasing Coordinator will support inventory control activities necessary for effective purchasing decisions.

Responsibilities include:

• Review inventory levels before placing purchase orders.
• Monitor critical raw material, ingredient, and packaging inventory.
• Assist with identifying low-stock, excess, slow-moving, or obsolete materials.
• Review inventory discrepancies that may affect purchasing decisions.
• Coordinate with Warehouse personnel to verify physical inventory when system quantities appear inaccurate.
• Assist with cycle counts and physical inventory when required.
• Report negative inventory, unusual usage, or inventory discrepancies that may affect material availability.
• Support accurate BIN, lot, and inventory information within NetSuite.

Quality & Food Safety Coordination

• Purchase materials from approved suppliers in accordance with company requirements.
• Coordinate with Quality Control when new ingredients, raw materials, packaging materials, or suppliers are being considered.
• Do not independently approve substitutions or changes to materials that require Quality Control or management approval.
• Maintain purchasing records necessary to support lot traceability and supplier documentation.
• Assist with documentation requested for USDA, FDA, customer, food safety, or internal audits.
• Follow company GMP, food safety, allergen, sanitation, and workplace safety requirements.

Daily Purchasing Priorities

The Purchasing Coordinator is expected to routinely:

1. Review current and upcoming production requirements.
2. Review material availability and critical inventory levels.
3. Review open purchase orders and expected deliveries.
4. Follow up on overdue or unconfirmed purchase orders.
5. Identify materials that need to be ordered.
6. Confirm critical materials will arrive before scheduled production.
7. Communicate shortages, delays, or supply risks to management.
8. Resolve purchasing and receiving discrepancies.
9. Update NetSuite/ERP purchasing information.
10. Coordinate changes with Production, Warehouse, QC, and suppliers.

Purchasing Expectations

The Purchasing Coordinator is expected to maintain a proactive approach to purchasing.

The employee should not wait until materials are depleted or production is impacted before addressing purchasing needs. Potential shortages, late deliveries, significant price changes, discontinued materials, or other supply concerns must be communicated promptly.

The Purchasing Coordinator does not have authority to independently change approved suppliers, product specifications, ingredients, packaging specifications, or other controlled materials without appropriate approval.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field preferred.
• Previous purchasing, procurement, supply chain, production planning, or related experience preferred.
• Previous food manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with raw materials, ingredients, packaging, or manufacturing supplies preferred.
• Experience with NetSuite or another ERP/MRP system preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and general computer applications.
• Strong organizational and follow-up skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple purchase orders and changing priorities.
• Ability to communicate professionally with vendors and internal departments.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

The Purchasing Coordinator must be able to:

• Understand purchasing and basic inventory principles.
• Read and understand production schedules and material requirements.
• Effectively manage supplier lead times.
• Maintain accurate purchase orders and purchasing records.
• Identify potential material shortages before they affect production.
• Compare pricing, quantities, and vendor quotations.
• Research and resolve purchasing discrepancies.
• Prioritize urgent production requirements.
• Communicate effectively with vendors and internal departments.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding company pricing, costs, suppliers, and business information.

Key Performance Expectations

Performance may be evaluated based on:

• Availability of materials for scheduled production.
• Timely placement of purchase orders.
• Purchase order accuracy.
• Vendor delivery follow-up.
• Reduction of preventable material shortages.
• Timely identification and escalation of supply risks.
• Accuracy of pricing, quantities, and delivery information.
• Resolution of purchasing and receiving discrepancies.
• Accuracy of NetSuite/ERP purchasing records.
• Responsiveness to Production, Warehouse, QC, Accounting, and management.
• Organization and audit readiness of purchasing documentation.
• Physical & Work Environment Requirements
• Ability to work in an office, warehouse, refrigerated production, and food manufacturing environment as needed.
• Ability to walk through Warehouse and Production areas to verify materials when necessary.
• Ability to work in refrigerated areas for limited periods.
• Ability to comply with required PPE, GMP, food safety, and facility requirements.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and perform routine computer and administrative duties.

Additional Responsibilities

This job description describes the primary responsibilities of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties. Responsibilities may be modified or additional duties assigned based on purchasing, production, customer, inventory, or operational needs.