Procurement Specialist – Midwest Operations

• Review MRP, purchase requisitions, operational requests, inventory positions, and open demand for assigned sites and categories.

• Review MRP, purchase requisitions, operational requests, inventory positions, and open demand for assigned sites and categories.
• Create and maintain accurate purchase orders, including item, quantity, unit of measure, price, terms, delivery location, requested date, and required documentation.
• Obtain supplier confirmations and keep promised delivery dates current in D365.
• Manage partial deliveries, backorders, cancellations, expedites, substitutions, and PO corrections through closure.
• Maintain disciplined follow-up on past-due and unconfirmed purchase orders; escalate business-critical risks promptly.

• Monitor shortages, below-minimum items, excess or slow-moving inventory, seasonal requirements, and long lead-time exposure.

• Monitor shortages, below-minimum items, excess or slow-moving inventory, seasonal requirements, and long lead-time exposure.
• Validate unusual demand and planning signals before ordering; partner with Planning and site teams when requirements or parameters appear inaccurate.
• Support inventory optimization by reviewing order quantities, lead times, safety stock, coverage settings, and supplier constraints.
• Manage material stocking for assigned sites, ensuring the right items are stocked at the right levels to support operations.
• Coordinate transfers or alternative supply solutions when they reduce cost, lead time, or stockout risk.

• Build effective working relationships with assigned suppliers and maintain clear, documented commitments.

• Build effective working relationships with assigned suppliers and maintain clear, documented commitments.
• Request and compare quotations using total cost, lead time, quality, payment terms, freight, and service considerations.
• Support negotiations, cost-saving initiatives, supplier reviews, and corrective actions.
• Source, evaluate, and onboard new vendors to strengthen supply options, competitiveness, and continuity.
• Resolve delivery, pricing, quality, invoice, and documentation issues with the appropriate internal partners.

• Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier data in D365, including prices, lead times, trade agreements, purchasing agreements, and item-vendor relationships within role authority.

• Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier data in D365, including prices, lead times, trade agreements, purchasing agreements, and item-vendor relationships within role authority.
• Follow purchasing approvals, segregation-of-duty controls, documentation standards, and established SOPs.
• Ensure purchasing processes are consistently followed across assigned sites and reinforce them with site teams and suppliers.
• Identify recurring data or process issues and propose practical improvements, automation, or reporting enhancements.

• Provide clear ETAs and risk updates to stakeholders; avoid surprises by communicating changes as soon as they are known.
• Coordinate with receiving and Accounts Payable to resolve receipt and invoice mismatches.
• Participate in site, shortage, supplier, and procurement review meetings as required.
• Actively support other buyers by providing backup coverage, sharing knowledge, and supporting cross-training across Midwest locations.
• Collaborate across multiple sites to align purchasing practices, share best practices, and drive consistent, reliable supply outcomes.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, planning, or related operational experience; manufacturing or distribution experience is preferred.
• Experience creating and managing purchase orders in an ERP. Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience is an asset; SAP, Oracle, or equivalent ERP experience is transferable.
• Working knowledge of MRP, inventory replenishment, supplier follow-up, and basic purchasing controls.
• Comfort using Excel for analysis and operational follow-up; Power BI exposure is an asset.
• Clear written and verbal communication, strong organization, effective prioritization, and consistent follow-through.
• Ability to work with site teams and suppliers, challenge information respectfully, and escalate based on business risk.
• Ability to visit assigned Midwest sites and suppliers as business needs require.