Purchasing Agent

GrayWolf; Owensboro (KY); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

GrayWolf is seeking a Purchasing Agent to support its construction operations in Owensboro, KY. You will manage requisitions, solicit proposals, identify vendors, and negotiate terms, ensuring timely purchases through the MRPs and internal systems.

You will work with field teams to receive materials, monitor supplier performance, and provide key procurement data to project leadership. Strong negotiation, communication, and organizational skills are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (2) years of experience directly related purchasing experience.
• Core Competencies and capabilities required to support field projects, vendor relations, and cost savings.

Responsibilities

• Provides exceptional customer service and accurate paperwork, as well as approving invoices for material timely.
• Assists field with material questions on buys and estimating projects as needed.
• Purchase all materials to schedule, special requirements, location and budget, and process POs timely.
• Responds to RFQ, PO changes, adjustments, and cancellations; communicates with PMs about issues.
• Maintain relationships with vendors and suppliers; monitor performance.
• Identify price improvement opportunities and supplier selections.
• Develop and provide periodic procurement reports and job purchasing plans.
• Stay informed on market conditions and adjust buying patterns accordingly.
• Ensure purchase terms and prices adhere to contracts or negotiated terms.
• Follow jobs in progress to expedite or delay shipments when needed.

Skills

Timely Decision Making

Functional Technical Skills

Listening

Written Communications

Problem Solving

Time Management

Integrity and Trust

Customer Focus

Education

High school diploma or equivalent; progress toward APICS or related training

Associates or Bachelors degree a plus

Specialized knowledge: SOX buying requirements; basic business/purchasing principles; steel construction overview; end-to-end Supply Chain Management

Tools

MS Windows

MS Word

MS Excel

MS Outlook

Blue Beam PDF

Oracle system

Job description

Position

Position: Purchasing Agent – Graywolf Integrated Construction Company

Reports to: Purchasing Director

Department: Purchasing

Status: Regular Full Time Position – Non-Exempt

Position Value Proposition

Purchasing agents play a critical role in the Purchasing Department as they are the first line point of contact with the field construction team. They receive requisitions, solicit proposals for those requisitions, identify new vendors, ensure compliance with corporate vendor agreements, timely purchase them using the MRP system and other internal system tools. Once the order is placed, Purchasing Agent will work with field teams to properly receive the items that are delivered in the field. Purchasing Agents oversee and coordinates various functions of business for a specific group of products while acting as an intermediator between suppliers and internal customers. Including but not limited to, purchasing, accounting, and relationship management. This role is also responsible for price negotiation, staying informed of industry trends, communicating market conditions with our profit center locations, and continually searching for cost saving options.

Core Responsibilities

• Provides exceptional customer service and accurate paperwork, as well as approving invoices for material timely.
• Assists field with material questions on buys, missing material. Provide assistance with estimating projects, as needed.
• Purchase all materials to schedule, special requirements, location and budget. Review material and determine best nested requirement and buy materials, accurately process purchase orders in a timely manner.
• Responds to requests for price quotations, purchase orders, order changes, adjustments, and cancellations in a timely manner. Communicate with PMs on any issues.
• Maintain constructive relationships with vendors, suppliers and contractors; measure and ensure continuous performance.
• Identify and evaluate quality issues and opportunities for quality and/or price improvement through new supplier selection, price negotiation or new product introduction.
• Develop and provide periodic and ad-hoc key performance reports and indicators on purchasing activities (e.g. material usage, price development, reporting, etc)
• Create job purchasing plan for all assigned jobs.
• Stays knowledgeable on all current market conditions and adjusts buying patterns accordingly.
• Ensure the terms of purchase and prices of materials adhere to contractual or negotiated pricing parameters.
• Follow jobs in progress to expedite or delay shipments as needed.
• Interface with various levels of management with differing demands.
• Manage multiple projects while meeting stringent deadlines.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: (This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job responsibilities and functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform. Above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed, .Duties and responsibilities can be changed, expanded, reduced or delegated by management to meet the business needs of the company)

Required qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) to perform essential functions of this position:

Core Competencies:

• Timely Decision Making - Makes decisions in a timely manner, sometimes with incomplete information and under tight deadlines and pressure; able to make a quick decision.
• Functional Technical Skills - Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.
• Listening - Practices attentive and active listening; has the patience to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinions of others even when he/she disagrees.
• Written Communications - Is able to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles; can get messages across that have the desired effect.
• Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers.
• Time Management - Uses his/her time effectively and efficiently; values time; concentrates his/her efforts on the more important priorities; gets more done in less time than others; can attend to a broader range of activities.
• Integrity and Trust - Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.
• Customer Focus - Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Work Experience

Minimum of five (2) years of experience directly related purchasing experience. Preferably in the industrial construction industry.

Education/Training

High school diploma or equivalent with demonstrable progress towards professional certification (for example APICS) or industry specific education or training. Associates or Bachelors degree a plus.

Specialized Knowledge – Certificates & Licenses

As outlined in the Core Competencies, an individual must have thorough knowledge and an advanced understanding of each competency outlined above in order to carry out the essential functions of this position. Specialized Knowledge is also required in the following areas:

• Demonstrated knowledge of basic business and purchasing principles;
• Basic knowledge and understanding of steel construction in terms of required materials;
• General understanding of end to end Supply Chain Management.
• Understands and follows all SOX related buying requirements

Software & Technology

Position will require the frequent use of MS Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, and Blue Beam PDF Software . Oracle system proficiency is a plus.

Work Environment

Position requires as many hours needed to fulfill the daily and weekly obligations required to carry out the functions. Working long days including evenings and weekends can be required for this position. This position is indoors and may sit for long periods of eight (8) hours or more per day. Position requires ability to lift and carry shop drawings on occasion. Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request for those who have disabilities that qualify under the American with Disabilities Act. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 lbs.

Graywolf is an Equal Opportunity Employer with and Affirmative Action Plan.

Employee is required to sign this document in the space provided below, acknowledging receipt, review and comprehension of this job description.