Assistant Purchasing Agent

Hakes Brothers; McAllen (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Hakes Brothers in McAllen, Texas seeks an Assistant Purchasing Agent responsible for house releases across Rio Grande communities, monitoring product costs during development and construction, and sourcing vendors to reduce expenses.

You will collaborate with multiple departments, build load budgets, generate cost estimates in Excel/Google Sheets, and lead cost-saving initiatives while ensuring pricing accuracy and data integrity.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED is required.
• Must own or have access to a vehicle for daily work.
• Valid driver’s license and auto liability insurance required.

Responsibilities

• House releases for Rio Grande communities and monitor related costs.
• Source new vendors and negotiate to reduce costs while maintaining quality.
• Provide Load Budgets Request Sheets to Accounting with proper expectations.
• Prepare cost estimates using Excel and/or Google Sheets.
• Lead strategies to reduce build-time and costs with quality preserved.

Skills

Excellent organizational skills

Excellent problem-solving skills

Excellent written and verbal comms

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

Duties

The Assistant Purchasing Agent's primary responsibility is house releases for all Rio Grande communities while also monitoring costs associated with products in both development and construction phases, collaborating with other departments to identify and implement new and the most cost-efficient methods and materials, sourcing new vendors and trades, vendor/trade negotiations to obtain reduced costs and purchase order/work order execution. Duties include:

House Release

• Follow House Release Process exactly to ensure correct variance reporting.
• Provide detailed Load Budgets Request Sheets to Accounting with proper expectations when asking for budgets to be loaded.

Controlling and Reducing Costs

• Choose vendors using a balanced approach, including quality, costs, and service.
• Procure contracts and material costs at the lowest possible cost while maintaining quality and service standards.
• Work with other departments to value engineer new product and projects.
• Provide support and feedback for purchasing strategy adjustments.
• Work with peers to come up with ideas to cut costs; motivate team to achieve these goals.
• Complete detailed estimates of costs and quantities of residential products using comparative and differential estimating techniques in Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets.
• Design and implement strategies that reduce build-time, cost, and maintain or increase quality standards.
• Take the lead on Soils and Post-Tension engineering.
• Directly responsible for purchasing information accuracy on sales documents (option prices, custom option costing and pricing, selection, colors, etc.

Variance Reporting

• Meet the goal of 0.5% variances for all houses in all subdivisions.
• Create and analyze Variance Report on a monthly basis. Work with peers to give explanations of variances that are over/under $300.
• Be diligent in working with Accounting to fix any variance issues after reviewing the Variance Report.
• Ensure the Exception Report is processed within 3.5 hours of receipt from Accounting; give to Construction Project Managers by 12PM and back to Accounting by 1:30PM.

Hard Costs

• Provide hard costs for new communities and plans in a timely fashion.

Custom Options

• Review and track Custom Option Requests.
• Assist Estimating team with custom options requests if needed (ensure all estimates are completed within 3 days of the request or 5 days for structural requsts that require a drawing).
• Responsible for the accuracy of all custom option estimates for Sales.

Rebates

• Ensure that Hakes Brothers is submitting and collecting on all rebate programs on a quarterly basis by the 10th of the month.

Builder of Choice

• Help Hakes Brothers become the Builder of Choice for our trade contractors.
• Manage trade contractors and suppliers relationships so they can accomplish their jobs effectively and efficiently.
• Work with trade contractors to create value for them, as well as for Hakes Brothers.
• Be firm but fair; be consistent and reliable; instill discipline; provide proper materials to execute job; negotiate pricing that creates a win-win atmosphere; be a good listener, and show respect.

Manage Professional Relationships

• Cooperate with other departments and work to better the overall culture at Hakes Brothers.

Professional Appearance / Team Player

• Always look, dress and speak professionally.
• Help accomplish whatever task is at-hand to ensure that Hakes Brothers continues to be an industry leader.
• Be a Leader. Be an example to other Assistant Purchasing Agents. Be the top performer of each of the Assistant Purchasing Agent responsibilities. Be a positive voice for the company.

Vehicle

• Must own or have access to a vehicle for daily work.
• Must carry a valid driver\'s license and auto liability insurance.

Other

• Other duties as assigned.

Education

• Required: High School diploma or GED

Experience / Qualifications

• Preferred: At least two years\' relevant experience
• Required: Must own or have access to vehicle for daily work
• Required: Valid driver\'s license and auto liability insurance

Skills / Abilities

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to access and navigate all areas under consideration in all types of weather
• Ability to work in various weather conditions - heat, rain, cold, etc.