Corporate Purchasing Agent

Great Dane LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 53,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Dental, vision, and medical insurance

Pension Plan and 401(k) with employer

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Great Dane LLC is seeking a Corporate Purchasing Agent in Chicago, IL to procure materials for all production locations and manage ordering strategies with a focus on minimizing inventory and maximizing turns.

You will reconcile invoices, work with category managers on supplier scorecards, and maintain supplier knowledge while ensuring on-time delivery and accurate post-order processing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline preferred.
• 1–3 years of relevant work experience or equivalent combination of education and training.
• CPP or CPPM preferred, not required.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong customer service orientation with professional demeanor.
• Travel to manufacturing facilities expected 25%.

Responsibilities

• Regularly report out clear to build status for assigned materials and components; highlight risks or shortages.
• Develop and implement plant level strategies to optimize inventory turnover and reduce excess.
• Analyze purchasing trends; set safety stock, min order quantities, and recurring orders.
• Monitor open work orders and ensure timely disposition to protect inventory.
• Assist corporate buyer and accounts payable with invoice reconciliation.
• Coordinate with logistics to schedule material delivery before line start.
• Audit locations and quantities for assigned materials/components.
• Determine redistribition, substitution, or disposal of excess inventory.
• Issue requests for deviations or substitutions and obtain approvals.
• Process defective material, returns, scrap, and inventory adjustments.
• Collaborate with production and other departments on material issues.
• Ensure timely receipt of materials; proper quantity for line consumption.
• Own inventory accuracy and schedule cycle counts; report discrepancies.
• Attend weekly safety meetings and share relevant topics with team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Organizational Skills

Customer Service

Problem Solving

Verbal & Written Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Manufacturing Experience

Purchasing Concepts

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Overview

THE ROLE

At Great Dane, we rely on makers and we’re calling on them to join our expanding team, the time has never been better to Embrace Your Great and work in an environment with the highest safety standards in the industry.

The Position: The Corporate Purchasing Agent is responsible for procurement of assigned materials/components from approved suppliers for all Great Dane production locations. The Purchasing Agent will review and processes requisitions and execute both blanket and discrete purchase orders to fulfill the demand plan. Working closely with Material Planners, will develop ordering strategies to minimize inventory, while maximizing inventory turns. Will be responsible for both pre and post order accuracy and work with appropriate functions to reconcile invoice discrepancies. Maintains knowledge of vendors; coordinates with category managers in quarterly supplier score cards, contractual terms including regular pricing validation.

Responsibilities

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Regularly report out clear to build status for assigned materials and components. Highlight risks or shortages and collaborate with corporate buyers to mitigate risks.
• Develop and implement plant level strategies to optimize inventory turnover rates and reduce excess and obsolete inventory. Share best practices with peers within facility and other manufacturing locations.
• Analyze purchasing and consumption trends and work with corporate buyer to establish safety stock levels, minimum order quantities, and recuring orders.
• Monitor open work orders and ensure they are dispositioned in a timely manner to not negatively affect inventory.
• Assist corporate buyer and accounts payable department with invoice reconciliation efforts
• Work with corporate logistics to schedule material delivery prior to line start.
• Perform audits on assigned materials/components to verify locations and quantities are accurate.
• Assist in determining whether excess inventory is subject to redistribution, substitution, or disposal.
• Issue request for deviation or substitutions and implement approvals, advise stakeholders of status
• Assis with the processing of defective material, returns, scrap, and miscellaneous inventory adjustments.
• Work closely with production personnel and other departments regarding potential material issues such as delays, substitutions, vendor problems and shortages
• Collaborate with other Supply Chain staff to ensure effective use of inventory, and ensuring material are received at the right time, right material, right quantity for line consumption
• Own inventory accuracy for all assigned materials and components, schedule regular cycle counts and reconcile to ensure accuracy for assigned parts and notify management of discrepancy.
• Attend weekly safety meetings and communicate relevant topics to individual team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Your skills and abilities (required qualifications)

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in related discipline preferred
• Experience: 1-3-years of relevant work experience or equivalent combination of education, training
• CPP or CPPM preferred not required
• Skills: Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong customer service orientation and ability to maintain a professional, friendly demeanor
• Solid ability in identifying and resolving problems in a timely, effective manner
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal skills
• Manufacturing experience is a plus
• Must have general knowledge of purchasing concepts
• Travel: Travel to manufacturing facilities will be expected 25%

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: While performing duties of job, employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close and distance vision.
• Work environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal to moderate.

ABOUT GREAT DANE

With a history dating back to 1900, Great Dane has established itself as a transportation solutions leader of today – delivering innovative products and exceptional services that help our customers and employees succeed. We not only engineer durable and high-quality trailers and truck bodies; we foster relationships that last a lifetime.

WHY WORK FOR US?

Great Dane is a leading manufacturer of dry-freight vans, refrigerated trailers, and flatbeds with 10 manufacturing facilities and 20 service centers throughout the United States. With a legacy like ours comes a dedication to the hard-working individuals that make Great Dane what it is today. Our jobs are waiting to be filled by driven, challenge-focused & enthusiastic people like you.

Our culture is comprised of “Champions” and offers a rewarding workplace rooted in core values of safety, leadership, integrity, quality, and passion. Every employee has opportunities to learn, to grow, to succeed and to be engaged in a collaborative environment.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW

• Competitive compensation
• Benefits, including but not limited to dental, vision, and medical with employer contributions
• Retirement programs, including a Pension Plan and 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid holidays and vacation
• And more!

SALARY RANGE

The expected salary range for this role is $52,946 - $99,086 per year.

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your exact pay, we may also consider your skills, experience, and other job-related factors.

Great Dane is an Equal Opportunity Employer