Buyer

Budnick Converting Inc.; Columbia (IL); On-site; USD 34,440 - 41,328; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation

Medical insurance

401K retirement plan

Profit sharing

Job summary

A leading specialty converting company in Columbia, IL is looking for a Buyer. The Buyer will manage purchasing activities, ensure material availability, and build supplier relationships. This role involves executing purchase orders and supporting inventory reduction strategies while maintaining communication with internal teams. Ideal candidates bring over 2 years of experience and strong organizational skills. The position offers a starting pay of $25-30/hr and comes with a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 2 plus years of purchasing experience preferred.
• Ability to conduct business professionally and courteously.
• Compliance knowledge preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Execute purchasing activities for assigned locations.
• Build strong supplier relationships and ensure material availability.
• Support cost reduction goals and monitor purchase orders.

Skills

Strong communication

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Follow-up skills

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Coursework related to business or purchasing

Tools

ERP systems (Epicor/Kinetic)

Job description

Overview

Budnick Converting, Inc., headquartered in Columbia, IL (in the St. Louis, MO metropolitan area), is a privately held and female-owned corporation. Budnick’s primary focus is specialty converting of adhesive coated tapes and foams. Budnick remains on the leading edge of adhesive tape converting technology; currently utilizing over 70 die-cutting, slitting, laminating, printing, label making and spooling machines to convert materials into labor-saving customized parts. For more information on Budnick, please visit our website at www.budnick.com.

POSITION PURPOSE: The Buyer is responsible for executing purchasing activities for assigned locations while supporting cross-site purchasing functions and issue resolution. This role ensures material availability, supplier performance, process compliance, and accurate purchasing execution. The Buyer supports departmental strategies focused on cost and inventory reduction through supplier collaboration, improved buying practices, and proactive follow-up. Responsibilities include building strong supplier relationships, supporting timely delivery of quality materials, prioritizing purchasing expedites, communicating purchasing status to internal customers, and providing coverage for Purchasing and Inventory Control team members as needed.

QUANTITATIVE DATA: Must be able to remain in stationary sitting position for 75% of the time. Must be able to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer. This position requires frequent communication with vendors and other employees; must be able to exchange accurate and detailed information in these situations. Limited travel to other Budnick locations, vendor training, audits and/or meetings is expected.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Purchasing Responsibilities
• Enter, process, and confirm purchase orders for assigned locations.
• Ensure PO accuracy including supplier, product, pricing, UOM, lead time, and delivery location.
• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively follow up on late or at-risk orders.
• Maintain detailed PO notes and internal visibility.
• Expedite rush orders based on customer volume and vendor strategy. Involve the Purchasing & Inventory Manager as necessary.
• Build relationships with vendor customer service representatives.
• Serve as primary point of contact for purchasing-related issues including DMRs, quality concerns, receiving discrepancies, and AP-related issues.
• Coordinate internally to drive issues through resolution.
• Participate in vendor meetings, training, and sales presentations as needed.
• Regularly update and manage supplier price lists to ensure accurate pricing information.
• Support collection, tracking, and organization of supplier compliance documentation including REACH declarations, RoHS documentation, California Proposition 65 statements, Conflict Minerals (CMRT) reporting, Country of Origin documentation, USMCA/export-related documentation, and customer-specific compliance requirements.
• Request, file, and organize Safety Data Sheets for hazardous items used in production or shipped to customers.
• Assist in identifying products that may be too hazardous for the company to manufacture.
• Navigate customer portals and provide requested documentation in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure documentation remains current and accessible.

• Strategic Purchasing Contribution
• Support department goals to reduce cost and inventory by $500K annually through better buying opportunities, supplier negotiations, MOQ and pack-size adjustments, process improvements, and supplier performance initiatives.
• Support and maintain an overall vendor On-Time Delivery (OTD) performance level of 85% or greater.
• Maintain professional, respectful, solution-oriented communication with Sales, Account Managers, and internal departments.
• Communicate risks, delays, and status updates clearly and proactively.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings as required.

• Other Responsibilities
• Professional communication and collaborative behavior are required for performance expectations for this role.
• Perform duties safely and maintain a high level of safety awareness.
• Assist in the development of long-term purchasing strategies & help implement the plan(s) developed. Communicate purchasing efficiencies and accomplishments to the Purchasing and Inventory Manager.
• Assist in the training of new and current employees as necessary.
• Follow operational standards and all department policies and company directives and assist with other projects and tasks as required by management.

Minimum Qualifications

Skills: Strong communication, organizational, problem-solving & follow-up skills a must. Should have a working competency with all office equipment.

Ability: Conduct business in a professional, positive and courteous manner. Listen effectively, respond clearly, write legible and read a variety of written orders/instructions. Work cooperatively with a variety of individuals. Employ resourcefulness when problem solving to meet customer needs.

Education: High School diploma or equivalent. Course work related to general business, purchasing or industry specific topics desired. Compliance knowledge preferred but not required.

Experience: 2 plus years of purchasing experience preferred. ERP experience preferred (Epicor/Kinetic experience a plus).

Hours: 8:00am – 4:30pm (in-office position)

FLSA Class: Non-Exempt

Reports To: Purchasing & Inventory Manager

Salary: $25-30/hr. (depending on experience), paid Bi-weekly

Benefits

We offer a full-benefit package including the following benefits that are paid 100% by the company: vacation, holidays, $25,000 in life insurance and short-term and long-term disability benefits. We also offer medical (premium cost shared with the company – we pay 99% of premiums for employee basic plan), dental & vision insurance. Insurance benefits start on the 1 st of the month after 60 days of employment. 401K retirement plan with a company match of 25% of the 1 st 6% the employee contributes (match starts bi-annually after 1 year of employment). Reimbursement of travel expenses that includes meals, flights, rental cars, gas and hotels. Profit sharing starts after an employee has been with the company for 3 full years.

Our work environment includes:

Modern office setting

Casual work attire

Relaxed atmosphere

On-the-job training

On-site work out equipment

Safe work environment

Interested Candidates should apply on-line at www.budnick.com, under About Us - Careers.

Equal Opportunity Employer

THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK PERFORMED BY PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO THIS CLASSIFICATION. THEY ARE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL JOB DUTIES PERFORMED BY THE PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED.

Location: 340 Parkway Drive, Columbia, IL 62236. Hours: M-F 8am - 4:30pm CST