Purchasing Agent

Bluebird Fiber; Maplewood (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Bluebird Fiber in Maplewood, Missouri is seeking a Purchasing Agent to source, negotiate, and procure materials for outside plant construction and maintenance. You will collaborate with engineering, construction, and field ops to secure fiber, conduit, handholes, and related telecom infrastructure while optimizing cost, quality, and on-time delivery.

The role requires 3+ years in procurement in telecom or construction, strong vendor relations, and experience managing purchase orders tied to

Qualifications

• 3+ years of procurement experience, preferably in telecom or construction.
• Strong knowledge of OSP materials and telecom infrastructure.
• Experience negotiating pricing and managing vendor relationships.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement of OSP materials, including fiber, conduit, vaults, and related services.
• Issue and manage purchase orders tied to construction work orders, ensuring alignment to scope, budget, and schedule.
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships; negotiate pricing, lead times, and terms for cost savings and reliability.
• Monitor and analyze material spend and variances to support cost control.
• Track order status and mitigate supply chain risks, including long lead items and shortages.
• Support vendor performance management, including SLAs and corrective actions.
• Maintain procurement data integrity in ERP systems and support reporting on purchasing activity.

Skills

Procurement experience

OSP materials knowledge

Negotiation skills

Vendor management

Excel proficiency

Multi-project management

Tools

ERP systems

Procurement software

Job description

About the Company

Bluebird Fiber is a premier fiber telecommunications provider of internet, data transport, and other services to carriers, businesses, schools, hospitals, and other enterprises in the Midwest. To learn more, please visit bluebirdfiber.com.

Position Purpose

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and procuring materials and services that support outside plant construction and maintenance activities. This role partners closely with engineering, construction, and field operations teams to ensure timely availability of fiber, conduit, handholes, and related telecom infrastructure materials while optimizing cost, quality, and delivery performance.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of procurement or purchasing experience, preferably in telecom or construction
• Strong working knowledge of OSP materials, fiber construction processes, and telecom infrastructure
• Experience managing purchase orders tied to construction or capital projects
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate pricing and manage vendor relationships
• Proficiency in Excel and procurement/ERP systems
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting fiber network builds or data center connectivity projects
• Knowledge of CAPEX vs. OPEX classification and telecom project cost structures
• Familiarity with telecom supply markets and major OSP suppliers
• Experience working with work order-based procurement environments

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement of OSP materials including fiber optic cable, conduit, vaults, handholes, vault hardware, and construction-related services
• Issue and manage purchase orders tied to construction work orders, ensuring alignment to project scope, budget, and schedule
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships; negotiate pricing, lead times, and contractual terms to drive cost savings and service reliability
• Monitor and analyze material spend, including variance between budgeted and actual costs to support cost control efforts
• Track order status and proactively mitigate supply chain risks, including long lead items and material shortages
• Support vendor performance management, including service level adherence and corrective action planning
• Maintain procurement data integrity in ERP/procurement systems and support reporting on purchasing activity

Bluebird is an equal opportunity employer.