Purchasing Coordinator / Buyer

Position Summary

The Entry-Level Buyer/Purchasing Coordinator is responsible for supporting the procurement team by purchasing materials, equipment, and services required for daily business operations. This role ensures purchase orders are processed accurately, vendor relationships are maintained, inventory levels are monitored, and deliveries arrive on time. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, analytical, and eager to build a career in procurement and supply chain management.

Key Responsibilities

• Purchasing & Procurement
• Create and issue purchase orders (POs) accurately and on time.
• Obtain vendor quotes for materials, products, and services.
• Compare pricing, lead times, and availability from multiple suppliers.
• Follow company purchasing policies and approval processes.
• Assist in negotiating pricing, payment terms, and delivery schedules.
• Monitor open purchase orders until delivery is complete.
• Expedite urgent orders when necessary.
• Vendor Management

Communicate daily with suppliers regarding:

• Pricing
• Order confirmations
• Shipping status
• Delivery schedules
• Backorders
• Build professional relationships with vendors.
• Maintain accurate vendor records and contact information.
• Assist in evaluating supplier performance.

Inventory Support

• Monitor inventory levels and reorder materials when needed.
• Coordinate with warehouse personnel to ensure inventory accuracy.
• Assist with cycle counts and inventory audits.
• Help prevent stockouts and excess inventory.
• Data & Reporting
• Maintain purchasing records within the ERP system.
• Update product costs and vendor pricing.
• Track purchasing metrics including:
• Purchase order accuracy
• Supplier on-time delivery
• Cost savings
• Lead times
• Prepare reports for management.
• Cross-Functional Support

Work closely with:

• Operations
• Warehouse
• Logistics
• Accounting
• Project Managers

Other Job Duties:

• Resolve purchasing issues quickly to avoid project delays.
• Assist with new vendor setup and documentation.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to reduce purchasing costs.
• Recommend alternative suppliers when appropriate.
• Assist in improving procurement processes.
• Support company cost-reduction initiatives.

Education

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Associate or bachelor's degree Preferred in:
• Supply Chain Management
• Business Administration
• Finance
• Logistics
• Operations Management
• or related field preferred.

Experience

• 0–2 years of purchasing, procurement, inventory, logistics, warehouse, or administrative experience.
• Internship experience is a plus.

Required Skills

• Excellent organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good verbal and written communication
• Basic negotiation skills
• Analytical thinking
• Time management
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks
• Problem-solving mindset
• Customer service orientation
• Team player
• Technical Skills

Experience with or willingness to learn:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word
• ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, etc.)
• Purchase Order software
• Inventory management systems

Preferred Excel skills:

• VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP
• Pivot Tables
• Filters
• Basic formulas
• Data sorting