Buyer

Foodmate; Ball Ground (GA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Foodmate US is seeking a Purchasing Specialist/Expeditor to manage procurement for Parts, Warehouse, R&D and Projects, ensuring optimal inventory levels and service.

You will plan daily buys in SAP, analyze suppliers, push cost reductions, and coordinate with Engineering and Foodmate NL to approve alternate parts.

The role requires strong vendor mgmt, KPI-driven performance, and ability to expedite urgent orders while maintaining compliance.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 3 years of procurement/buying experience in a technical field.
• A minimum of 5 years total work experience in a B2B environment.
• Proven vendor negotiations and contract evaluations.
• Experience in SAP/MRP system is desired.
• 2-year college degree is desired; equivalent work experience welcome.
• Certification in Supply Chain (e.g. APICS CPIM) is a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Executes purchase orders in SAP and other relevant tools.
• Expedite parts for sales orders, late PO lines and emergencies.
• Supports development of supplier base and cost reduction strategies.
• Collaborates with Quality to manage RMA and First Article Inspections (FAI).
• Run local tenders and manage supplier relationships per management direction.
• Provide admin support for purchasing projects and supplier management.

Skills

Procurement

Vendor negotiations

Expediting

SAP/MRP

Inventory management

Data analysis

Microsoft Office

Education

2-year college degree

APICS CPIM certification

Tools

SAP/MRP

Job description

Responsible for buying parts and components for the different operations departments within Foodmate US such as Parts, Warehouse, R&D and Projects. This position maintains optimal inventory levels while maximizing overall service level within company defined goals. The Purchasing Specialist/Expeditor will perform daily planning and buying of products and parts to meet these inventory and service level goals. This person will analyze alternate/available suppliers in the market for parts and supplies they manage to identify opportunities for cost reductions, improved lead times, improved service, and optimization of inventory turns. This position identifies potential suppliers for standard and non-standard / newly identified items and parts. The Purchasing Specialist/Expeditor will act as the single point of contact for vendors and suppliers to Foodmate US, Inc. in relation to technical parts and supplies as well as order status and updates. This position will actively work with Engineering and Foodmate NL to get approvals to push through alternate parts.ResponsibilitiesSupports different department managers with their purchasing needExecutes purchase orders in SAP Material Requirement Planning and other relevant tools.Part number creation/entry in SAPProcure Non-stock Emergency Orders, Raw material and special ordersProcess Purchase Order ConfirmationsOpen Purchase Order analysis/follow upExpedite parts for sales orders, late PO lines and emergency situationsAssists with implementing short-term and long-term cost reduction strategiesBy, for instance, switching to more local vendors vs International suppliersSupports development of supplier base to expand business, improve financials, reduce in-house total costs, improve quality (customer satisfaction), customer relations, and on-time deliveriesPro-actively identifies potential vendors and helps develop strategyResponsible for running local tenders, aligned with direction from managementWorking with the Quality dept. to manage return material authorizations to vendors (RMA)Will actively work with the Quality dept to manage First Article Inspections (FAI)Ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and regulationsImprove supplier service levels by integrating agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPI)Support and collect due diligence information required for evaluating new suppliersAdministrative support for purchasing projects and supplier managementPerform additional related duties and tasks as neededQualificationsFor this position, we ask candidates to meet the following criteria:A minimum of 3 years of procurement/buying experience in a technical fieldA minimum of 5 years of total work experience in a B2B environment is desired(Preferably with, but not limited to, capital equipment or industrial automation companies)Demonstrated ability to expedite vendors effectively to maximize on-time deliveryProven experience in conducting vendor negotiations and contract evaluationsA keen understanding of inventory planning and forecastingSolid working knowledge of MS Excel, Word and Outlook is requiredExperience working in SAP/MRP system is desiredAbility to prioritize and organize workload across multiple departments and projectsTakes initiative, works with minimum supervision, is a self-starter and comes up with ideas and new conceptsAny certification in Supply Chain (i.e. APICS, CPIM, etc.) is a bonusA 2-year college degree is desired, but equivalent work experience is welcomePhysical RequirementsThe physical requirements listed reflect those needed to perform the essential functions of the Buyer role. Reasonable accommodation is available for individuals with disabilities.Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computerAbility to communicate effectively in person, over the phone and via electronic meansOccasional movement within office facilities and to attend meetings; occasional movement to warehouse area to evaluate partsAbility to review, prepare, and analyze data and figures, view computer screens and printed materialsThe normal working hours are Monday-Friday 8am – 5pm but occasional after-hours support is requiredThis position description identifies the major responsibilities of this job. It does not include all aspects of the position such as the potential additional duties assigned by supervisors and the requirement for flexibility in helping others for the company's overall benefit.Foodmate maintains a drug-free workplace is an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and other characteristics protected by law. The \"EEO is the Law\" poster is available at: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf. Individuals who need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process should contact Foodmate Human Resources Department to request accommodation. In addition to federal law requirements, Foodmate complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities. Must satisfactorily pass background check, post-offer drug screen, and physical prior to employment. Foodmate participates in E-Verify.