Associate Buyer

KDS Strategic Search Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

KDS Strategic Search Group seeks an Associate Buyer for a wholesale distribution company in Staten Island. The role supports purchasing with focus on inventory flow, cost tracking and timely order processing.

Ideal for someone early in their career, organized and comfortable with numbers; prior Buyer experience is not required and training is available.

Qualifications

• Experience with physical products and inventory flow.
• Experience in wholesale distribution or inventory-intensive environments is attractive.

Responsibilities

• Process, track and follow up on purchase orders.
• Monitor order status and delivery dates.
• Communicate with vendors on orders, availability, quantities and delivery timing.
• Expedite orders when required.
• Review cost information for accuracy.
• Support purchasing and inventory reporting.
• Perform ad hoc reporting using Excel.
• Collaborate with sales and other internal departments to respond to product and order needs.
• Maintain records and organized purchasing data.
• Develop knowledge of products, suppliers and purchasing process.
• Take on increasing buying responsibility as experience develops.

Skills

Excel skills

Data interpretation

Vendor communication

Inventory control

Cost awareness

Tools

PivotTable

VLOOKUP

XLOOKUP

Excel

Job description

A large, growing wholesale distribution company is seeking an Associate Buyer to join its purchasing team in Staten Island.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone early in their career who is organized, comfortable working with numbers, and interested in developing a career in purchasing and supply chain.

Previous Buyer experience is not required.

Candidates must have hands-on experience with physical products and inventory flow, such as purchasing, receiving, inventory, warehousing, wholesale or retail operations, product-related accounts payable, logistics, or customs.

The Associate Buyer will support the purchasing process by processing and tracking orders, communicating with vendors and internal teams, working with inventory and cost information, and helping ensure products are ordered and received accurately and on time.

Key Responsibilities

• Process, track and follow up on purchase orders
• Monitor order status, delivery dates and outstanding items
• Communicate with vendors regarding orders, availability, quantities and delivery timing
• Help expedite orders when required
• Review purchase order, inventory, receiving and cost information for accuracy
• Assist in resolving quantity, pricing, receiving and order discrepancies
• Support purchasing and inventory related reporting
• Perform ad hoc reporting and analysis using Excel
• Work closely with sales and other internal departments to respond to product and order needs
• Manage a high volume of email communication and follow up activity
• Maintain accurate records and organized purchasing information
• Develop knowledge of products, suppliers, inventory and the company's purchasing process
• Take on increasing buying responsibility as experience and product knowledge develop

Qualifications

• Approximately 1 to 5 years of relevant experience preferred
• Prior Buyer experience is not required
• Must have hands on experience working with physical products and inventory flow, such as purchasing, receiving, inventory, warehousing, wholesale or retail operations, product related accounts payable, logistics or customs.
• Experience within wholesale distribution, industrial products, building products or another inventory-intensive environment is attractive.

Technical Skills

• Strong basic mathematical ability
• Comfortable working with sums, products, percentages and ratios
• Ability to understand product costs, pricing and basic gross margin calculations
• Intermediate Excel skills required
• Ability to sort and filter data
• Ability to create and use formulas
• PivotTable skills preferred
• VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP skills preferred
• Ability to write clear and professional business emails
• Comfortable managing a high volume of email and follow up communication

Personal Characteristics

The successful candidate will be:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Accurate while working at a fast pace
• Positive and team focused
• Service-oriented and responsive to internal customers
• Able to handle problems without becoming easily frustrated
• Reliable and consistent
• Willing to learn
• Someone who follows through and gets things done

The company is willing to invest in and train a strong junior candidate who demonstrates the right aptitude, work ethic and personality.

The Associate Buyer will have the opportunity to build product, vendor, inventory and purchasing expertise and assume increased buying responsibility as they develop.

Location

Compensation

Compensation will depend upon experience and background.

Approximately $25 to $35 per hour based upon experience, with potential overtime.