What are the responsibilities and job description for the Junior Buyer position at ECHELON SUPPLY AND SERVICE?
About Us: Echelon Supply and Service is a leading provider of premium industrial and hydraulic hose solutions for commercial and defense markets across North America. Since 1977, we've built our reputation on a customer-first approach, delivering quality products and exceptional support.
Headquartered in Liverpool, NY, we operate over ten locations in the U.S. and Canada, with recent expansion to the west coast. Our mission is to be North America's premier industrial and hydraulic hose supplier, empowering our customers' success through reliable, innovative products and outstanding service. Join us in shaping the future of industrial and hydraulic solutions!
Job Summary:
The Buyer I plays a key role in Echelon’s supply chain operations by managing and optimizing the movement of inventory between branch locations. This position is responsible for ensuring that inventory is used effectively and efficiently to meet organizational needs while ensuring cost-effective fulfillment of non-inventory requirements. This role is crucial in supporting the purchasing and supply chain functions, contributing to overall operational efficiency.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Timely Internal Response to Supply Chain Inquiries: Act as a point of contact for internal teams, providing quick and accurate responses to inquiries regarding pricing, product availability, sourcing options, or technical product specifications. This will require liaising with vendors, suppliers, and other departments to gather the necessary information.
- Purchase Order Management: Enter and track Purchase Orders (POs) within the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, ensuring smooth movement of inventory assets to acquired businesses. This ensures that inventory is maintained at optimal levels across all locations.
- Inventory Transfer Documentation: For branches operating on the Prelude ERP, you’ll be responsible for generating and managing transfer documents. This involves ensuring that inventory is efficiently and accurately transferred between locations based on current needs.
- Part Number Creation: Respond promptly to internal requests for the creation of new inventory part numbers. This is crucial for maintaining up-to-date records and supporting the accurate tracking of inventory.
- Support for the Purchasing Department: Provide assistance with other project-based tasks as assigned by the Purchasing Supervisor. This could include conducting research on suppliers, helping with supplier negotiations, or participating in inventory audits.
Who We're Looking For
The ideal candidate for the Buyer I role is someone who has:
- 4-year degree in Business or related field.
- While not mandatory, experience in or knowledge of purchasing or the procurement process will be advantageous.
- Intermediate knowledge of MS Office, including Excel. You’ll need to track data, analyze trends, and generate reports.
- Knowledge of warehouse operations.
- Excellent oral/written communication skills to ensure all parties are aligned on inventory needs, pricing, and timelines.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task. The ability to prioritize tasks, track deadlines, and coordinate across departments is essential for success.
Why This Role Matters
The Buyer I plays a crucial role in ensuring the seamless flow of inventory and supplies across Echelon’s branch locations. By managing and optimizing inventory transfer and purchasing processes, this position directly contributes to the efficiency of the organization’s supply chain operations. Ensuring that inventory is utilized effectively and non-inventory needs are fulfilled on time helps the company maintain optimal operations, reduce costs, and meet business demands.
Echelon Supply and Service provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
