Purchasing Agent

Recruiting For Less – Our client specialises in custom commercial industrial polymer flooring, coatings & linings, decorative flooring and wall systems. They are looking for a Purchaser to join their team.

Responsibilities:

• Direct management and oversight of Warehouse Assistant(s).
  • Ensure all SOPs are properly communicated and followed.
• Receiving and processing all material orders through partnership with PMs.
  • Ensures orders are placed timely and all appropriate verifications are made on the front end to limit risk and exposure of error upon start of project.
• Tracking of orders sent from manufacturers from shipment to delivery at jobsite destination.
  • Ensure all issues resolved prior to delivery and appropriate acceptance of materials at jobsite prior to designated start time.
  • Preparation of alternative and backup plans such that issues are encountered.
  • Partnership with PMs to avoid such issues, maintain on-call availability to address as needed.
• Setup material transfer shipments between jobsites and warehouses.
  • Including, but not limited to, deliveries, returns, repairs, international shipments, miscellaneous requests or add-ons, and small packages.
  • Ensure timely pickup and delivery to proper locations
• Schedule equipment delivery and rentals ahead of project commencement.
  • Includes scheduling in-house equipment with field operations manager to respective jobs.
  • Coordinate shipment and delivery equipment not onboard crew vehicles.
  • Coordinate pickup of equipment from warehouse or jobsite for handoff between crews.
  • Setup necessary rentals with suppliers including specified equipment, timeline, and location.
  • Identify secondary vendors for limited capacity and/or new territories.
  • Coordinate pickup/delivery/returns to ensure no overage of charges or penalties are incurred.
  • Resolve issues with vendors for problems identified with function of rented equipment. Resolutions needed in real time requiring on-call availability.
  • Decision making and price analysis responsibilities to ensure cost effective use of vendors and internal vs. external equipment on projects.
• Manage material shortages with suppliers.
  • Partner with crew and PM to determine root cause on jobsite of short-shipment, damage or loss. Resolve issue through supplier(s) as available and obtain materials from alternative sources locally. Minimize cost, minimize delay.
  • Follow up with party at-fault for resolution after triage of a) supplier short shipment or damage, b) shipment carrier lost or damaged, or c) crew if incorrect order placement from internal source.
• Manage purchasing of all large equipment and tools for field and office.
  • Includes grinders, trucks, trailers, and small equipment items (hand grinders, chipping hammers, vacs, small tools, and anything else that may be needed in the field).
  • Coordinate scheduled maintenance of equipment with crew through field operations manager, plan for coordination of out of service equipment.
  • Partner with vendors and technicians for shipment, repair and return of equipment.
  • Track and monitor repairs for time, production, and cost effectiveness. Avoid field disruptions.
  • Assist setup of DOT inspections, vehicle labeling and branding, local maintenance through field operations manager as needed.
• Process all vendor and supplier invoices.
  • Partner with Accounts Payable to process invoices against purchase orders, work orders and job costs for all purchases of materials, consumables, equipment, freight…etc.
  • Review, match and reconcile invoices for accuracy. Ensure proper entry by accountant and accurate job costing. Identify and resolve discrepancies via administration internally or externally (i.e. error in freight charge or tax rates).
  • Review open purchase orders daily to ensure items are receiving, open items have proper attention and transparency, and escalations made as needed.
• Customer services and warranty claim submissions.
  • Partner with accounting and PMs on customer service and warranty work where at-fault party is materials manufacturer, vendor, or supplier. Track, communicate and ensure proper offset of credits received against future purchases.
  • Monitor outstanding items and follow up until resolution, verify correct amount of credit is received, or the correct value of material is provided.
  • Ensure proper financial reporting and job cost tracking with accounting.
• Material inventory returns to warehouse and transfers between jobs.
  • Manage, compile, and summarize all inventory transfers between jobsites and warehouses. Complete and maintain detailed inventory counts by location. Provide to accounting monthly for recording of proper job cost adjustments.
  • Manage SOP with PMs for allowable returns to warehouse based on ability to transfer to another job or otherwise reuse. Maintain clear and distinct labeling of original PM and jobsite. Ensure materials requiring disposal are done so at the direction of the PM and not returned to warehouses. Charge jobs for any costs incurred to dispose.
  • Do not allow credits for materials that cannot be directly transferred and used. Strictly enforce rules to minimize waste and obsolete materials.
• Vendor management.
  • Relationship management, pricing analysis, cost-benefit analysis, ongoing pricing negotiations.
  • Regularly scheduled update of Top 10 items purchased pricing analysis including total spend and alternative options to ensure best value achieved.
• Freight management.
  • Oversight and management of freight carriers used, pricing analysis and cost benefit analysis. Tasked with ensure best value achieved.
  • Management shipments and deliveries to ensure freight charges incurred provide maximum value and minimize waste. Organize and manage process to avoid expedited shipment charges and minimize overpaying for under-weight pallets.
  • Identify, propose, and implement value-added and/or cost-reducing processes.
• Maintain stock of consumable supplies in warehouses and fleet, limit crew expenditures by enforcing use of supply and preferred supplier relationships.
  • Monthly backstock reviews and purchasing and creation of open purchase orders with preferred, local, suppliers. Review monthly expense reporting and address those not in compliance.
• Bid, quote, and coordinate shipments for Asia including management of customer relationships, intake, and preparation of requests for bid, organization and arrangement of deliveries, partnership with transportation agents and border customers, and coordination of payment.
• Maintenance and tracking of inventory at physical locations including monthly counts and financial reporting. Manage aged inventory and eliminate obsolescence.
• Prepare and coordinate pricing requests for PMs.
  • Including materials, equipment, rentals, freight, and others for projects currently under intake or in progress.
  • Routine and ongoing maintenance of internal price sheets for frequent and recurring purchases.
• Coordination of various requests and questions with internal and external customers.
  • Including PMs, operations managements, senior leadership, crew members, sub-contractors, outside vendors and suppliers. In relation to equipment, materials, consumables, special requests, replacement items, sample preparation, customer service and repairs.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years experience in a similar role.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, telephone and email management skills.
• Prepared to work in a fast-paced team environment.
• Strong knowledge of MS Word, Excel, One Note, Outlook and Sage Software.
• Ability to prioritize daily workload and operate with a high degree of autonomy.
• Highly driven, motivated and outgoing personality with a positive attitude.
• Customer service-based experience and demeanor.

Salary: Commensurate with experience, Medical, Dental 401k