Purchase Specialist

Ashley Furniture Industries; Advance (NC); On-site; USD 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision

Paid Time Off

Employee Discount on home furnishings

Professional Development Opportunities

Tuition Assistance

Wellness Centers

401(k) and Profit Sharing

Life Insurance

Job summary

Ashley Furniture Industries seeks a strategic MRO Purchasing Specialist to manage procurement of maintenance materials in a fast-paced manufacturing and distribution setting. You will oversee requisitions, supplier selection, pricing, and delivery while aligning with asset management policies.

Based at an on-site facility in Advance, NC (with roles in MS and WI locations). Expect collaboration across internal teams to optimize spend and strengthen supplier partnerships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in supply chain, business, engineering or related field.
• Professional certifications CPSM, CPPO or APICS preferred.
• Continuing education in procurement and supply chain management.

Responsibilities

• Source and procure MRO materials, parts, and services.
• Develop and execute procurement strategies for MRO categories.
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance.
• Identify cost reduction and value improvement opportunities.
• Support strategic sourcing initiatives and evaluate make vs. buy decisions.
• Evaluate, select, and qualify MRO suppliers; conduct supplier audits.

Skills

MRO purchasing

Industrial purchasing

ERP systems

Maintenance operations knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree (Supply Chain/Business/Engineering) or equivalent

CPSM

CPPO

APICS

Continuing education in procurement

Job description

Build Your Career with Ashley Furniture- Where Innovation Meets Comfort

This role is 100% onsite in either Advance, NC; Ecru, MS; or Arcadia, WI. Relocation is not provided. Must be able to reliably commute.

Who We Are:

At Ashley, inspiring the love of home is at the heart of everything we do. As the world’s largest manufacturer of home furnishings, we’re more than a business — we’re a family driven by innovation, competitiveness, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We persevere through challenges, push beyond the status quo, and constantly seek better ways to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Our solutions-first mindset and dedication to growth are why Ashley remains #1 in our industry.

If you’re ready to grow, you’ve come to the right place. With a true “Growth Mindset,” Ashley Furniture invests in developing future leaders and helps every team member learn from the best in the business.

If you are a current Ashley employee: Please login to your UKG account and apply using the internal job board.

Summary:

The MRO Purchasing Specialist will provide appropriate quality materials in an MRO environment on time and utilize the best cost-management practices while maintaining favorable long-term relationships with suppliers. The MRO Purchasing Specialist will collaborate with internal customers to determine requirements and specifications. This position will also review purchase requisitions, analyze specifications, investigate suppliers, analyze supplier capabilities, meet and communicate with suppliers, study costs and prices, negotiate pricing, terms and delivery, and select or recommend suppliers.

The MRO Purchasing Specialist is accountable for all MRO Purchasing activities, performing them in accordance with the applicable asset Management system and Ashley policies.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Procurement

• Source and procure MRO materials, parts, and services
• Develop and execute procurement strategies for MRO categories
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers
• Manage supplier relationships and performance
• Identify cost reduction and value improvement opportunities
• Support strategic sourcing initiatives
• Evaluate make vs. buy decisions
• Evaluate, select, and qualify MRO suppliers
• Conduct supplier audits and assessments
• Manage vendor contracts and agreements
• Resolve supplier quality and delivery issues
• Develop strategic supplier partnerships

Purchase Order Management

• Process purchase requisitions and create purchase orders
• Manage purchase order lifecycle from creation to closure
• Expedite critical and emergency orders
• Track order status and delivery schedulesResolve purchasing discrepancies and issues
• Coordinate with receiving and accounts payable
• Maintain accurate purchasing records

Cost Management

• Analyze MRO spending patterns and trends
• Identify and implement cost savings opportunities
• Monitor budget compliance and variances
• Negotiate favorable pricing and payment terms
• Track and report cost savings achievements
• Support budget planning and forecasting
• Optimize total cost of ownership

Required Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent work experience
• Professional certifications (CPSM, CPPO, APICS) preferred
• Continuing education in procurement and supply chain

Experience:

• 3+ years MRO or industrial purchasing experience
• Manufacturing environment experience required
• ERP/procurement system experience
• Knowledge of maintenance operations

This position is located in an active industrial manufacturing and distribution center with moderate to high noise levels, temperature variations, and material handling equipment in operation. The role may require extended periods of standing or walking on concrete floors and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses and steel-toed boots. The fast-paced environment involves time-sensitive and safety sensitive operations and may include various shift schedules to support production and distribution needs.

Pay:

$19.00-$22.00

Benefits We Offer:

• Health, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off; increases with years of service
• Generous Employee Discount on home furnishings
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Tuition Assistance
• Ashley Wellness Centers (location specific)
• 401(k) and Profit Sharing
• Life Insurance

Our Core Values:

• Honesty & Integrity: Acts with transparency, discretion, and ethical judgment. Trusted to handle sensitive information and provide accurate, unbiased insights.
• Dirty Fingernail: Takes full accountability for outcomes, not just tasks. Inspects details, ensures data accuracy, and follows through to completion.
• Continuous Improvement: Actively seeks better ways to improve templates, tools, and processes. Learns from prior initiatives and embeds lessons into standard work.
• Growth & Results Focus: Understands how transformation initiatives drive growth, cost reduction, and profitability. Keeps work aligned to enterprise priorities.
• Culture of Leadership: Leads through influence, reliability, and example. Builds trust across functions and supports leaders at every level.
• Customer-Centric & Boundaryless: Works across silos for the greater good of the organization. Ensures outputs meet the needs of executives, initiative owners, and teams.
• Operational Excellence: Demonstrates strong organizational discipline, attention to detail, and the ability to translate ambiguity into clear, executable tools.

Interested in learning more about Ashley Furniture’s Community Engagement programs, Environmental Stewardship, or our Core Values, click the links below:

Corporate Social Responsibility

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide a drug-free working environment. While Ashley appreciates the interest of all candidates only those meeting specific position requirements may be contacted. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. The company reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Please note this position is not eligible for current or future employment sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or at any time in the future.