Buyer

Aston Carter; Prior Lake (MN); Hybrid; USD 48,216,000 - 55,104,000; Full time

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Buyer to support procurement, inventory management, and vendor communications in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will manage SAP purchase orders, monitor stock levels, and collaborate with Quality, Operations, and Purchasing teams to ensure timely, accurate purchasing and reporting.

The role emphasizes data-driven decision-making, strong Excel skills, and the ability to work onsite with hybrid work options.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, inventory control, supply chain, or a closely related field.
• Proven experience creating and managing purchase orders in a professional environment.
• Strong hands-on experience with SAP, including use of transactional modules for inventory and purchasing activities.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables and VLOOKUP functions.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while meeting deadlines and performance expectations.
• Comfort working in a data-driven environment with heavy computer and data-entry responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Create and manage purchase orders within SAP, typically processing 3–5 or more purchase orders daily.
• Monitor inventory levels and perform SAP transactions to track material availability and stock movements.
• Review inventory projections and purchasing requirements based on sales forecasts and operational demand.
• Coordinate purchasing activities for a wide range of materials and supplies, including machine parts, packaging materials, product flavorings and ingredients, and office and operational supplies.
• Communicate directly with vendors regarding order status, delivery schedules, quality concerns, and supply needs to ensure reliable material flow.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and inventory records through timely data entry and regular reporting.
• Generate, update, and analyze inventory-related reports using Microsoft Excel to support decision-making and forecasting.
• Partner closely with Quality, Operations, and Purchasing teams to address inventory, material, and supply chain concerns.
• Provide operational and administrative support to the Purchasing Manager, including documentation, follow-up, and coordination tasks.
• Ensure all purchasing activities are completed accurately, on time, and with a high level of attention to detail.
• Work closely with the current supply chain manager to align purchasing activities with overall supply chain strategies.

Skills

Purchasing experience

SAP experience

Excel proficiency

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Description

The Buyer supports procurement, inventory management, and vendor communications in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This role ensures that materials, supplies, and inventory are available to support daily operations while providing administrative and operational support to the Purchasing Manager. The position is ideal for someone who enjoys working independently, thrives in a data-driven setting, and has strong SAP and Excel experience.

Job Title: Buyer

Responsibilities

• Create and manage purchase orders within SAP, typically processing 3–5 or more purchase orders daily.
• Monitor inventory levels and perform SAP transactions to track material availability and stock movements.
• Review inventory projections and purchasing requirements based on sales forecasts and operational demand.
• Coordinate purchasing activities for a wide range of materials and supplies, including machine parts, packaging materials, product flavorings and ingredients, and office and operational supplies.
• Communicate directly with vendors regarding order status, delivery schedules, quality concerns, and supply needs to ensure reliable material flow.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and inventory records through timely data entry and regular reporting.
• Generate, update, and analyze inventory-related reports using Microsoft Excel to support decision-making and forecasting.
• Partner closely with Quality, Operations, and Purchasing teams to address inventory, material, and supply chain concerns.
• Provide operational and administrative support to the Purchasing Manager, including documentation, follow-up, and coordination tasks.
• Ensure all purchasing activities are completed accurately, on time, and with a high level of attention to detail.
• Work closely with the current supply chain manager to align purchasing activities with overall supply chain strategies.

Essential Skills

• 3–5+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, inventory control, supply chain, or a closely related field.
• Proven experience creating and managing purchase orders in a professional environment.
• Strong hands-on experience with SAP, including use of transactional modules for inventory and purchasing activities.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables and VLOOKUP functions.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while meeting deadlines and performance expectations.
• Comfort working in a data-driven environment with heavy computer and data-entry responsibilities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting manufacturing, production, or distribution environments.
• Experience working with inventory forecasting and purchasing projections.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse, multicultural teams.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are a plus but not required.
• Strong communication skills for interacting with vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to build productive relationships with Quality, Operations, Purchasing, and Supply Chain teams.

Work Environment

The role is based primarily onsite, with flexible core hours during training. After completing training, the Buyer may work two days per week from home while maintaining the same core hours. This is a primarily desk-based position with extensive computer use and a strong focus on data entry and analysis. The environment is fast-paced and requires strong organization, multitasking, and attention to detail. The company offers a supportive leadership structure, a team-oriented culture, and a strong training and onboarding process. Employees work in a collaborative, multicultural environment with exposure to purchasing, inventory, quality, and vendor relations, and there is significant growth potential within a mid-sized organization of approximately 1,500 employees. The role also provides opportunities to collaborate with teams located across multiple countries, including Latin America.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Shakopee, MN.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $40.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a hybrid position in Shakopee,MN. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 17, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.