Associate Buyer

Jimmy Jazz; Saint Cloud (MN); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K with Employer Match

Disability insurance (Employer Paid)

Sick time

Voluntary benefits (Accident & Ill

Job summary

Nahan, a Minnesota-based direct marketing company, is seeking an Associate Buyer to support outsourcing and material purchasing for catalog print and direct mail projects. You will liaise between internal teams and external vendors to coordinate procurement and project management.

The role requires an Associate’s degree or 3 years in purchasing, strong communication, and the ability to meet tight deadlines in a hybrid office environment.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree and/or three years’ experience in purchasing, business, or project management environment, required.
• Experience in Direct Mail Industry/Catalog Industry is helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily with Purchasing, vendor partners, Scheduling, and Warehouse Logistics to ensure timely pickup and delivery of ordered products.
• Assist the Manager of Outsource Procurement with outsource cost analysis exercises across vendor partners and summarize findings.
• Request quotes, analyze and negotiate pricing to place the outsource work with the partner offering the best solution.
• Manage the lifecycle of the project outside, ensuring deadlines and project deliverables are met, while ensuring accurate PO pricing to avoid billing discrepancies.
• Work with internal and external teams to navigate project needs and troubleshoot issues.
• Work with Materials Purchasing team by entering order confirmations, creating Customer Supplied Paper Purchase Orders, and processing FSC certification requests.
• Assist the team in creating SOPs for the department.
• Follow all Nahan Safety and Quality policies and procedures.

Skills

Time management

Organization

Deadline-driven

Written communication

Verbal communication

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

English proficiency

Education

Associate’s degree or 3 years in purchasing

Job description

• Employee Type Full Time Exempt

Description

Job Posting

Department: Purchasing FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Manager, Outsourcing Procurement Wage Range: $50,000-65,000

Shift: Hybrid, 3+ Days in office

*Base pay is based on job-related skills, experience, credentials, role scope, and location. Candidates outside the posted range are encouraged to apply, as qualifications and market factors may influence consideration.

Job Summary:

An Associate Buyer is a first level buyer, responsible for supporting the Purchasing team on various outsourcing and material purchasing job functions for catalog print and direct mail jobs. The Associate Buyer will also serve as the liaison between Nahan’s internal teams and external vendors partners, coordinating and ensuring smooth procurement and project management of outsourced services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate daily with Purchasing, vendor partners, Scheduling, and Warehouse Logistics to ensure timely pickup and delivery of ordered products.


• Assist the Manager of Outsource Procurement with outsource cost analysis exercises across vendor partners and summarize findings.


• Request quotes, analyze and negotiate pricing to place the outsource work with the partner offering the best solution.


• Mange the lifecycle of the project outside, ensuring deadlines and project deliverables are being met, while ensuring accurate PO pricing to avoid billing discrepancies.


• Work with internal and external teams to navigate project needs and troubleshoot when issues arise.


• Work with Materials Purchasing team by entering order confirmations, creating Customer Supplied Paper Purchase Orders, and processing FSC certification requests.


• Assist the team in creating SOPs for the department.


• Follow all Nahan Safety and Quality policies and procedures.


• Support 6S initiatives as required.


• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities Required:

• Strong time management and organizational skills.


• Ability to work within tight timelines and in a fast-paced work environment.


• Strong written, verbal and listening skills.


• Strong attention to detail and quality, paired with strong-problem skills.


• Flexibility to work across the entire Purchasing department as needed.


• Proficiency in the English language, verbally and written.

Education and Experience:

• Associate’s degree and/or three (3) years’ experience in purchasing, business, or project management environment, required.


• Experience in Direct Mail Industry/Catalog Industry is helpful but not required.

• 100% Employer Paid Short Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance


• Other Voluntary Employee Benefits i.e. (Accident & Critical Illness)


• 401K with Employer Match


• Sick and Safe time (where applicable by state)

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The work environmental characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job operates in a hybrid office environment with exposure to a Manufacturing environment on occasion. While performing the duties of this job inside and outside the manufacturing facility/office setting, the employee is frequently exposed to normal to moderate working conditions for a hybrid office and manufacturing facility with a noise level that is usually quiet - moderate with minimal to some interruptions. The role routinely uses office equipment, software and hardware.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear, type, write and be exposed to regular meetings, both virtually and in person. The employee may be required to stand/sit for long periods of time as well as use hands or fingers to reach or handle, and to reach with hands and arms. The employee is sometimes required to stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee will regularly lift 25lbs or more at a time. All vision abilities are required to encompass close-up work. Employees must be able to tolerate and endure extended seasonal hours and maintain alertness to meet deadlines.

Occasionally while performing duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to machinery and moving parts, airborne particles including paper dust and hazardous materials or fumes, which may require the use of PPE. The employee may be exposed to adverse weather conditions, extended seasonal hours, high precarious places, and confined spaces. The nose level in some of the work environments may require the use of hearing protection.

About the Company

Nahan was founded 60 plus years ago by a local family in the heart of Minnesota. It is a deeply human company from how we work with each other, how we serve our clients, to how we reach customers. We provide full service direct marketing with award winning results. Innovation and insight inform everything we do. Our success is rooted in putting people first, doing the right thing for our clients and associates and delivering the highest levels of quality. In a world where personalization and customization are valued above all, we make messages feel personal while keeping the process simple. We’re here to listen to, create and deliver results to our clients. Our winning track record is based on proof, not promises. We consistently deliver big wins, better performance and continual growth for marketers. We’re Nahan-real people making real connections.

Disclaimer

This job description is not a complete description of responsibility but reflects the general qualifications, duties and/or responsibilities necessary to perform this position. All candidates who receive a written offer of employment will be required to successfully complete and pass all or some of the following: a background check, a physical test, as well as test for commonly abused controlled substances in accordance with the Company’s Drug Free Workplace Policy. Nahan reserves the right to revise the job description as a circumstance warrant. Nahan is an at-will employer, which means that either the employee or the company may terminate the relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause.

Base pay is based on job-related skills, experience, credentials, role scope, and location. Candidates outside the posted range are encouraged to apply, as qualifications and market factors may influence consideration.

Nahan is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic projected by law.