Buyer

Aston Carter; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 34,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Buyer for a 1-year contract based in Kitchener, Ontario. The role focuses on coordinating purchasing with manufacturing and engineering to ensure timely, cost-effective inventory and strong supplier relationships.

Ideal candidates will have deep knowledge of mechanical and electronic parts, strong Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP), and experience with ERP systems. It is a fully onsite contract with pay around $30.29/hour.

Qualifications

• 35 years of buying or purchasing experience in manufacturing or supply chain.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables) for data analysis and reporting.
• Experience using ERP systems to track purchase orders, ideally SAP or Epicor.
• Hands-on purchasing of mechanical and electronic parts.
• Strong understanding of purchasing, procurement, and PO processes.
• Ability to perform invoice matching and resolve PO discrepancies.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate purchasing with manufacturing and engineering to ensure timely, cost-effective inventory.
• Acquire and maintain a strong technical understanding of mechanical and electronic products being purchased.
• Perform cost analysis and volume planning for major commodities to support budgeting and forecasting.
• Manage purchase orders from creation to delivery and invoicing reconciliation.
• Develop new supplier sources and evaluate vendor performance.
• Use ERP systems to track orders and maintain procurement records.

Skills

Buying experience

Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot)

ERP systems (SAP, Epicor)

Purchasing mechanical & electronic

Cost analysis

Vendor management

PO tracking

Communication skills

US work authorization

Tools

SAP ERP

Epicor ERP

Job description

Job Title: Buyer

Job Description

The Buyer coordinates purchasing activities with manufacturing and engineering teams to acquire inventory in a cost-effective and timely manner. This role requires a strong technical understanding of mechanical and electronic parts, careful cost analysis, and volume planning for major commodities. The Buyer develops and manages supplier relationships, monitors subcontracts for cost, schedule, and scope, and recommends cost-saving initiatives such as make-versus-buy analyses and alternative sourcing strategies. The position involves frequent interaction with internal and external stakeholders, requiring sound judgment within established procedures and practices. This is a 1-year contract role with the possibility of extension and requires legal authorization to work in the United States, as employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate purchasing activities with manufacturing and engineering departments to ensure timely and cost-effective acquisition of inventory.
• Acquire and maintain a strong technical understanding of the mechanical and electronic products and components being purchased.
• Perform cost analysis and volume planning for major commodities to support budgeting and forecasting.
• Obtain materials, components, equipment, and services in alignment with quality, cost, and delivery requirements.
• Develop new supply sources when existing vendors and suppliers do not adequately meet business needs.
• Monitor the cost, schedule, and scope of assigned subcontracts to ensure the highest quality at the best overall value.
• Recommend cost-saving proposals, including make-versus-buy analyses, alternative sourcing options, and vendor evaluation criteria.
• Manage purchase orders, including creation, tracking, and follow-up, to ensure on-time delivery and material readiness.
• Perform invoice matching and resolve discrepancies between purchase orders, receipts, and invoices.
• Use ERP systems to track purchase orders and maintain accurate procurement records.
• Prepare and analyze data using Excel, including pivot tables and VLOOKUPs, to support purchasing decisions and reporting.
• Work on issues of moderate scope, analyzing situations and data by reviewing relevant factors to determine appropriate actions.
• Exercise judgment within defined procedures and practices to address purchasing and supply chain challenges.
• Receive assignments in the form of objectives and goals and follow defined processes to meet those goals.
• Follow general instructions on routine work and detailed instructions on new projects or assignments.
• Frequently interact with peers and internal customers to gain cooperation, share information, and coordinate project activities.
• Conduct presentations or discussions of technical information and project activities with internal and external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with suppliers, internal teams, and other business partners.
• Ensure material readiness to support production schedules and minimize supply disruptions.
• Adhere to all company policies, procedures, and applicable regulations related to purchasing and supply chain operations.

Essential Skills

• 35 years of buying or purchasing experience, preferably in a manufacturing or supply chain environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the use of VLOOKUP and pivot tables for data analysis and reporting.
• Experience using an ERP system to track purchase orders, ideally SAP or Epicor.
• Hands-on experience with purchasing mechanical and electronic parts.
• Strong understanding of purchasing, procurement, and purchase order processes.
• Ability to perform invoice matching and resolve discrepancies between purchase orders, receipts, and invoices.
• Experience with PO tracking and ensuring timely delivery of materials and components.
• Familiarity with bills of materials (BOMs) and their role in material planning and purchasing.
• Ability to assess material readiness and support production schedules.
• Strong analytical skills for cost analysis and volume planning of major commodities.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment within defined procedures and practices.
• Effective communication skills to interact with peers, internal customers, and suppliers.
• Ability to build productive internal and external working relationships.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States, with no requirement for employment visa sponsorship.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with SAP or Epicor ERP systems is highly desirable.
• Experience in supply chain, procurement, or related disciplines.
• Experience developing new supply sources and evaluating vendor performance.
• Ability to recommend and implement cost-saving initiatives such as make-versus-buy analyses and alternative sourcing strategies.
• Experience working with mechanical and electronic components in a manufacturing environment.
• Comfort presenting technical information and project activities to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently with general instructions on routine tasks and detailed guidance on new assignments.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in managing multiple purchase orders and supplier relationships.
• Capability to work on issues of moderate scope, analyzing data and situations to determine appropriate actions.

Work Environment

This role follows a hybrid work schedule, combining onsite and virtual work. Training will be conducted fully onsite to provide hands-on exposure to systems, processes, and team members. After training, the typical schedule includes onsite work on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with virtual work on Wednesday and Friday. The Buyer collaborates closely with a local team lead at the office and works as part of a broader strategic sourcing organization. The work environment involves regular use of ERP systems such as SAP or Epicor, Microsoft Excel for data analysis, and interaction with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams. The setting is a professional office environment that supports both in-person and remote collaboration, with a focus on timely material readiness, accurate purchase order management, and effective supplier communication.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Kitchener, ON.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $30.29 - $30.29/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Kitchener, ON.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Kitchener,ON.

À propos d'Aston Carter

Aston Carter fournit des solutions de talent de classe mondiale à des milliers de clients à travers le monde. Spécialisés dans la comptabilité, la finance, les ressources humaines, lacquisition de talents, la chaine dapprovisionnement, et certaines professions administratives, nous étendons les capacités des entreprises à la pointe de lindustrie. Nous nous appuyons sur notre profonde expertise en matière de recrutement et sur notre vaste réseau pour répondre aux besoins évolutifs de nos clients et de notre communauté de talents avec agilité et excellence. Avec des bureaux aux États-Unis, au Canada, en Asie et en Europe, Aston Carter est au service dun grand nombre dentreprises du classement Fortune 500. Nous sommes fiers davoir remporté la désignation « Prix Platine » dans le cadre des prix Best of Staffing® Client et Talent décernés par ClearlyRated.

Aston Carter est un employeur souscrivant au principe de légalité des chances et accepte toutes les candidatures sans tenir compte de la race, du sexe, de lâge, de la couleur, de la religion, des origines nationales, du statut dancien combattant, dun handicap, de lorientation sexuelle, de lidentité sexuelle, des renseignements génétiques ou de toute autre caractéristique protégée par la loi.

Si vous souhaitez faire une demande daccommodement raisonnable, tel que la modification ou lajustement du processus de demande demploi ou dentrevue à cause dun handicap, veuillez envoyer un courriel à [e-mail] ([e-mail]) pour connaître dautres options daccommodement.

Ordonnance sur légalité des chances de San Francisco: Conformément à lOrdonnance sur légalité des chances de San Francisco, pour tous les postes situés dans la ville et le comté de San Francisco, nous examinerons les candidatures des personnes qualifiées ayant un casier judiciaire ou des antécédents criminels.

Utilisation de lintelligence artificielle (IA): Nous pouvons utiliser lintelligence artificielle (IA) pour soutenir certaines étapes de notre processus dembauche, notamment la recherche, la présélection et lévaluation des candidatures. LIA aide à analyser les candidatures et les qualifications, mais les décisions finales sont prises par notre équipe de recrutement. En soumettant votre candidature, vous reconnaissez et acceptez que celle-ci puisse être examinée à laide doutils dIA.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] ([e-mail]) for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.