Buyer/Purchasing Agent
Nuance Solutions
- Chicago, IL
- $55,000-75,000 per year
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Monitor inbound shipments from suppliers to ensure materials are delivered on-time and at the right location; proactively identify and resolve delivery delays to ensure continuity of supply; respond to inquiries regarding purchase order status, changes, or cancellations.
- Resolve situations related to material shortages, supplier quality, delivery delays.
- Run MRP reports to assess demands and propose future purchases.
- Generate purchase orders and submit to approved vendors.
- Work with various internal departments such as production, scheduling, customer service, maintenance and accounting to communicate with and resolve purchasing related issues.
- Collaborate with Accounts Payable/Receivables to resolve purchase price variations.
- Maintain pricing for all raw materials and packaging components within operating system.
- Maintain a positive business relationship with suppliers which include communication with key contacts, pricing and supply discussions, identifying and disseminating new product opportunities to the appropriate people, as well as handling the resolution of quality and supply issues.
- Work collaboratively with Purchasing department on implementation of new order procurement by following up with vendors on the details of the order, shipment and due dates.
- Continuously seek alternate source of suppliers for both raw materials and packaging components.
- Assist in executing new packaging sizes and/or packaging projects for new and existing customers.
- Serve as back-up to fellow Purchasing team members.
- May be a Key Customer contact to help provide exceptional customer service to our strategic customers.
- Attend the daily morning production meeting.
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
- Language Ability: Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to interact with manufacturing, sales/marketing personnel, and vendors are necessary.
- Math Ability: Strong general math skills (e.g., arithmetic, percentages); financial ratios; Payment terms calculations.
- Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply analytical and deductive reasoning skills which are essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of the job successfully. Ability to deal with problems involving multiple variables and sometimes unusual situations.
- Computer Skills: Must possess Intermediate Windows, Word and Excel Skills. Experienced with ERP software (TCM) and processes.
- Organizational Skills: Ability to multi-task, manage multiple priorities effectively through excellent time management skills.
- Cost Consciousness: Working within the organization's budgetary guidelines while minimizing expenses and maximizing cost efficiency.
- Accountability/Results: Assuming responsibility for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing excellence standards rather than waiting for others to impose or enforce them. Takes personal ownership, encouraging others to do the same, for actions and outcomes, regardless of positive or negative consequences.
- Adaptability/Flexibility: Open to change and/or welcomes change in the workplace. Able to adapt to the changes in a fast-paced environment without being negatively impacted.
- Detail Oriented: Thoroughly reviews details in completing work tasks.
- Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, dependable and credible.
- Initiative: Willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges by setting goals and continually improving their skill sets.
- Interpersonal Skills/Team Player: Works as a competent member of the team, willing providing back-up support for co-workers when appropriate and actively supporting group goals.
- Problem Solving: Demonstrates the ability to foresee problems and prevents them by taking action. See a problem – Fix a problem.
- Organizing/Planning: Carrying out objectives and involving others in a way that facilitates time-sensitive work completion. Identifies scope of work to be completed and prioritizes work into buckets of importance (e.g., Priority A, B, C etc.). Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish work.
- High School Diploma required; minimum of two years related college course work preferred. New Grads are encouraged to apply!
- Minimum two years of relevant experience in purchasing, inventory, and vendor management required. Preference will be given for a chemical manufacturing environment.
- This job has no direct supervisory responsibilities.
- While performing the duties of the Job, the employee is often exposed to work near moving mechanical parts. The employee is sometimes exposed to wet or hot & humid conditions (non-weather) and fumes or airborne particles. The employee will be occasionally exposed to hazardous chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but is occasionally loud.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Employee filling the job will be located at the 900 East 103rd Street building, but may be required to perform tasks at our manufacturing facility at the 1140 East 103rd Street building or warehouse at the 9860 Dorchester Avenue building on occasion.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit.
- The employee must infrequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Distance vision, Peripheral vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus.