Associate Buyer

Smart Teams; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Health, dental and vision insurance

Paid holidays

Paid vacation days

Paid sick days

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Pet insurance

Employee assistance programs

Job summary

Elucent Medical in Minneapolis seeks an Associate Buyer to execute purchase orders and move materials through the supply chain. Working from priorities set by the Supply Chain Manager, you will place and release orders in the ERP system and track acknowledgments and delivery dates.

You will also cross-train on inventory tasks, covering receiving and shipping when needed, and help resolve supplier invoices and discrepancies while maintaining accurate PO records in the quality system.

Qualifications

• 1 to 5 years in purchasing, buying or supply chain, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• High school diploma required. An Associate's or Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain or a related field is preferred, though the right person outweighs the degree.
• Purchasing or buying experience is required.
• ERP or MRP system experience is required.
• Medical device or manufacturing experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Create, release and revise purchase orders in the ERP system based on planned requirements and priorities set by the Supply Chain Manager.
• Follow up with suppliers to confirm order acknowledgments, delivery dates and quantities, and track open POs through receipt.
• Expedite critical and late materials, and alert the Supply Chain Manager early when a supplier is likely to miss a date or when a shortage could affect production or customer shipments.
• Maintain accurate PO records, including change orders, reschedules, cancellations and supplier documentation, in line with Elucent's quality system and document control procedures.
• Report open PO status, past-due lines and supplier on-time delivery data to supply chain and planning.
• Work with Receiving, Quality and Accounts Payable to resolve invoice, pricing and receipt discrepancies, and assist with supplier returns and RMAs.
• Maintain a professional and collaborative relationship with suppliers.
• Create and maintain item and supplier data in the ERP system, including creating new part numbers, updating reorder points, and keeping vendor information, part numbers and pricing current.
• Purchase maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) items, including production supplies, packaging and general office supplies, working with approved suppliers and following company purchasing procedures.
• Act as backup to the Inventory Operations Specialists when they are out of the office, covering core tasks such as receiving supplier deliveries and shipping for the Inventory Operations Specialists.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication

MS Office

Organisational skills

Reliability

Cross-training

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma

Associate or Bachelor's degree preferred

ERP/MRP experience

Tools

ERP/MRP system

Job description

Elucent Medical | Minneapolis, Minnesota

Nothing gets built until the parts arrive. You are the person who makes sure they do.

Department: Operations

Reports to: Supply Chain Manager

Work location: On-site and in person, Minneapolis area. Minnesota-based candidates only.

Hours: Full time, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. Typically 8:00 am to 4:30 or 4:45 pm CT.

Pay range: Confidential, discussed early in the process

Supervisory responsibilities: None

About Elucent Medical

Elucent Medical is a medical device company focused on developing surgical navigation technologies, particularly for cancer surgery, to improve patient outcomes through precision and efficacy. The company's solutions are designed to transform traditional surgical instruments into smart tools, enhancing surgical precision and patient outcomes.

Elucent is still a small business at heart. People jump in, get things done and learn as they go, and supply chain sits right alongside R&D and Quality rather than in a silo.

About The Role

The Associate Buyer is primarily responsible for executing purchase orders and keeping materials moving from supplier to dock. Working from the plans and priorities set by the Supply Chain Manager, you will place and release orders in the ERP system, follow up with suppliers on acknowledgments and delivery dates, expedite critical materials, and keep PO records accurate a nd current.

You will also be cross-trained on core Inventory Operations Specialist tasks, such as shipping and receiving, so you can provide backup coverage when an Inventory Operations Specialist is out of the office.

This role supports, but does not replace, the planning function. MRP ownership, demand planning and supplier selection remain with the Supply Chain Manager.

What you will do

• Create, release and revise purchase orders in the ERP system based on the planned requirements and priorities set by the Supply Chain Manager.
• Follow up with suppliers to confirm order acknowledgments, delivery dates and quantities, and track open POs through receipt.
• Expedite critical and late materials, and alert the Supply Chain Manager early when a supplier is likely to miss a date or when a shortage could affect production or customer shipments.
• Maintain accurate PO records, including change orders, reschedules, cancellations and supplier documentation, in line with Elucent's quality system and document control procedures.
• Report open PO status, past-due lines and supplier on-time delivery data to supply chain and planning.
• Work with Receiving, Quality and Accounts Payable to resolve invoice, pricing and receipt discrepancies, and assist with supplier returns and RMAs. Resolve minor problems and elevate complex ones to the Supply Chain Manager.
• Maintain a professional and collaborative relationship with suppliers.
• Create and maintain item and supplier data in the ERP system, including creating new part numbers, updating reorder points, and keeping vendor information, part numbers and pricing current.
• Purchase maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) items, including production supplies, packaging and general office supplies, working with approved suppliers and following company purchasing procedures.
• Act as backup to the Inventory Operations Specialists when they are out of the office, covering core tasks such as receiving supplier deliveries and shipping customer orders, after cross-training.
• All other duties as assigned.

What you bring

Education and experience

• 1 to 5 years in purchasing, buying or supply chain, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• High school diploma required. An Associate's or Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain or a related field is preferred, though the right person outweighs the degree.
• Purchasing or buying experience, including placing and following up on purchase orders, is required.
• ERP or MRP system experience is required. This one is firm.
• Medical device or manufacturing experience is preferred.

Skills And Abilities

• Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy when entering and maintaining PO data.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook and Word.
• Well organised, and able to prioritise multiple open orders and shifting deadlines.
• Dependable and persistent in following through on suppliers and commitments.
• Willingness to be cross-trained on warehouse tasks, covering receiving and shipping for the Inventory Operations Specialists.
• The ability to work effectively with others and follow established procedures.

Who will thrive here

• Someone who learns quickly, asks questions and takes notes. Reliability and a good attitude matter more here than another year of buying experience.
• An inquisitive problem solver. You want to know what happens before and after your step, and when something goes wrong you dig into why rather than waiting to be told.
• Comfortable with a blank canvas. This is a brand new role and the details are still being worked out, so the path will be built as you go.
• Independent, but knows when to raise a hand. You will have plenty of support and a manager who explains the why, not just the what.
• A small team mentality. Elucent has no layers of approval, and people here jump in rather than hand off.

Physical requirements and work conditions

Primarily desk work, with occasional warehouse work when covering for Inventory Operations Specialists.

Ability to occasionally lift 30 pounds.

Benefits

Elucent Medical prioritises employee well-being with comprehensive health insurance, a generous retirement savings plan with company matching, flexible work arrangements, generous paid time off and ongoing professional development. Full time employees receive:

• 401(k) with 4 percent company matching
• Health, dental and vision insurance
• Paid holidays, paid vacation days and paid sick days
• Short term disability and long term disability
• Life insurance
• Pet insurance
• Employee assistance programs

Equal employment opportunity

Elucent Medical 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.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.