Purchasing Specialist

POSITION OVERVIEW: Purchase merchandise, commodities, semi-assembled parts, raw materials, packaging goods and similar for Dunbarton Corporation. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. Issue purchase orders for all maintenance, repair and operating supplies, assigned raw materials, components, supplies, equipment and services that meet Dunbarton’s requirements for safety, quality, delivery, price, terms, lead times and inventory levels. Assists in the purchasing of merchandise for production, maintenance, and engineering support in both Dothan and Camden plants. Also purchase items for employees in administration such as office supplies, cleaning supplies, safety and environmental supplies, and marketing supplies. Work closely with Customer Service, Manufacturing, Shipping and other internal functions to ensure quantity and quality of required materials, ensure proper levels of inventory, forecast future needs and record and manage defective incoming goods. Works with external vendors to negotiate prices and value, expedite shipments, adjust inventory levels, reduce the cost of maintaining existing equipment, and find the lowest cost materials within quality standards. Correct vendor quality issues and understand and factor vendor capabilities and forecasts. Work closely with the ERP system to ensure data is entered correctly, substitutes are made properly, and correct any inherent, repeated errors in the system.

Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Conduct all purchasing business with absolute honesty and integrity. Conduct all business transactions with the sole goal of providing Dunbarton with the best value possible. Never give even the appearance of dishonesty.
• Prepare and send purchase orders to buy merchandise from suppliers to guarantee value and meet the current and forecasted Dunbarton needs.
• Manage key MRO suppliers through supporting activities including ordering, communication of demand/volume/delivery time changes, issue resolution, sharing of end-user feedback, and following up on backorders.
• Conducts quoting activities to ensure best total cost for assigned commodities. Support commodity cost reduction, lead time reduction, and supplier consolidation projects. Maintain a secondary supplier for critical products.
• Negotiate prices, discount terms, transportation details with vendors for assigned products. Review quotes, proposals, and bids and negotiate within budgetary limits and scope of authority.
• Examine, select, order or purchase merchandise consistent with quality, quantity, specification requirements, and other factors, such as environmental soundness.
• Coordinate closely with local vendors for assembly and/or delivery of products to keep production running at a maximum level.
• Maintain an adequate inventory for materials that have been determined to be held on hand for preventive and predictive maintenance schedules, high volume repeat usage products, critical products and products with long lead times. Determine the most economical lot size and supplier lead times for purchasing components.
• Develop a strong understanding and knowledge of suppliers and capabilities, Dunbarton production and maintenance processes and procedures, Dunbarton products with associated trends.
• Confer with Dunbarton personnel at the Dothan Plant, Camden Plant, WRS, vendors, customers and shipping lines to coordinate production, receiving or shipping activities, and to resolve complaints and eliminate delays.
• Coordinate closely with Customer Service, Shipping, Receiving, Inventory Control, Manufacturing and other internal departments to obtain information about issues, such as customer needs and preferences, manufacturing capability and schedule, the ability to ship correctly and on time, inventory discrepancies, and other factors.
• Expedite deliveries from all assigned vendors and resolve issues such as damage, shortages, wrong quantities, etc.
• Respond to customer and vendor inquiries concerning order status and pass the information correctly and on time. Find root cause for lost, late or incorrect deliveries; initiate corrective actions.
• Work closely with key vendors to effectively, manage “consigned” inventories.
• Originate, review and analyze reports, decisions, and department progress toward goals (long-term and short-term).
• Recommend and implement new approaches, goals, objectives, budgets, policies, and procedures to ensure continual improvement in efficiency and effectiveness.
• Prepare, maintain and review purchasing files, reports, price lists, vendor lists, etc.
• Use the ERP system in an effective and efficient manner to enter and manage purchase orders, bills-of-material, and similar items.
• Effectively utilize spreadsheets to manage inventory issues not captured by the ERP.
• Implement and follow all safety, 6S, Kaizen and LEAN guidelines and policies.

Detailed Work Activities:

• Analyze customer trends.
• Authorize financial actions.
• Calculate costs of goods or services.
• Calculate shipping costs.
• Check data for recording errors.
• Confer with personnel to coordinate business operations.
• Coordinate shipping activities with external parties.
• Determine the value of goods or services.
• Deliver items.
• Discuss business strategies, practices, or policies with managers.
• Examine documents to verify adherence to requirements.
• Inspect cargo areas for cleanliness or condition.
• Inspect shipments to ensure correct order fulfillment.
• Measure materials or product dimensions.
• Negotiate contracts with clients or service providers.
• Order materials, supplies or equipment.
• Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
• Purchase products or services.
• Purchase stocks of merchandise and supplies.
• Read work orders to determine material or setup requirements.
• Record operational or production data.
• Respond to customer problems or complaints.
• Send information, materials or documentation.
• Store items.
• Track goods or materials.
• Travel as necessary to meet objectives and training requirements for the company.
• Verify accuracy of financial or transactional data.

Required Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED).
• One (1) years’ experience working in a manufacturing environment or equivalent.
• One (1) years’ experience in a purchasing or inventory control/logistics job with similar job requirements.
• One (1) years’ experience with computer operation, prefer MS Office and/or ERP system.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• BS degree with a concentration in purchasing, inventory control/management or logistics.
• Two (2) or more years’ experience in a purchasing role in a manufacturing plant.
• Two (2) or more years’ experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience and understanding of materials and supply chain management functions.
• APICS certification.
• LEAN, 6S, Kaizen and Six Sigma training.
• Demonstrated effective experience with an ERP system, MS Office, and SharePoint.

About Dunbarton

Dunbarton is a leading manufacturer of metal bifold closet doors and metal door frames. We are more than just a company that produces a great prefinished steel door frame or closet door; we believe our product is the best in the industry. We are proud to be a small company focusing on customer service and total customer satisfaction. Dunbarton stands on its values of producing innovative, durable, and reliable products.

Dunbarton Corporation is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment for all people without regard to the following: race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, national origin, physical or mental disability, service in the military, or any other attribute or characteristic protected by law.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $58,000.00 - $62,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Ability to Relocate:

• Dothan, AL 36303: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $58,000 - $62,000