Purchasing Agent / Buyer

Michael Lewis Company; McCook (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Michael Lewis Company is seeking a Purchasing Analyst / Buyer to procure products supporting airline, food service, and hospitality customers. You will blend day‑to‑day purchasing with analysis of demand, inventory, and supplier performance to ensure product availability and cost control.

The role emphasizes data‑driven decisions: analyzing customer demand, forecasting inventory needs, tracking trends, and maintaining strong supplier relationships while guiding purchase orders from demand

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, or finance, or equivalent experience.
• 2–5 years in Buyer/Purchasing with inventory analysis and supplier management.
• Advanced Excel skills: Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH.
• Experience with ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Place and manage purchase orders for food, disposables, equipment.
• Analyze demand forecasts and inventory levels for replenishment.
• Collaborate with operations, logistics, finance, and account management.
• Manage supplier relationships and resolve pricing/lead-time issues.
• Maintain purchasing documentation and supplier records.
• Analyze vendor FOB vs landed cost with logistics.
• Ensure compliance with policies and internal controls.

Skills

Data analysis

Forecasting

Inventory management

Supplier relationships

Communication

Education

BSc/BA in SCM or related

Tools

ERP systems

Excel

Job description

The Purchasing Analyst / Buyer at Michael Lewis Company is responsible for procuring products that support airline, food service, and hospitality customers. This role blends day‑to‑day purchasing execution with analytical review of demand, inventory, and supplier performance. The position plays a critical role in ensuring product availability, cost control, and service continuity in a fast‑paced, customer‑driven environment.

The ideal candidate is an experienced Buyer who enjoys using data to make smarter purchasing decisions. This is not a transactional purchasing role—we're looking for someone who can analyze customer demand, forecast inventory needs, identify purchasing trends, and proactively manage inventory levels while maintaining strong supplier relationships.

You should be comfortable owning the purchasing process from demand analysis through purchase order creation, supplier follow-up, and product receipt.

Key Responsibilities

• Place and manage purchase orders for food, disposables, equipment, and related supply chain items supporting MLCo customer programs
• Analyze demand forecasts, usage trends, and inventory levels to support accurate purchasing and replenishment decisions
• Collaborate with internal teams including operations, customer service, logistics, finance, and account management to align purchasing with customer requirements
• Manage supplier relationships, including pricing, lead times, service performance, and issue resolution
• Monitor deliveries, resolve shortages or variances, and support urgent or time‑sensitive purchase needs
• Ensure purchase pricing, terms, and agreements are accurately maintained within ERP systems
• Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies related to pricing, quantities, freight, or terms
• Support sourcing initiatives, including supplier evaluations, cost‑saving opportunities, and contract compliance
• Prepare and analyze reports related to inventory turns, supplier performance, spend analysis, and purchasing KPIs
• Maintain accurate purchasing documentation, item master data, and supplier records
• Spot irregularities in ordering patterns and collaborate with customer facing teams to resolve
• Assist with continuous improvement initiatives to enhance purchasing processes, controls, and efficiency
• Systematically analyze vendor FOB price vs delivered landed price. Utilize logistics department to arrive at lowest landed cost
• Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls, and audit requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business, Finance, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 2–5 years of experience in a Buyer, Purchasing, or Procurement role where you were directly responsible for inventory analysis, purchasing decisions, supplier management, and purchase order execution. Experience purchasing food, beverage, or other consumable products is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing inventory, customer demand, purchasing trends, and supplier performance to make data‑driven purchasing decisions.
• Experience working with ERP systems
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills are required, including experience using Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, and data analysis tools to support purchasing decisions.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work cross‑functionally and manage external supplier relationships
• Detail‑oriented with strong organizational and time‑management skills
• Ability to adapt and respond effectively in a fast‑paced, customer‑driven environment
• Must be able to multitask and self‑prioritize tasks in order of importance
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given

Core Competencies

• Inventory and demand planning
• Cost analysis and negotiation support
• Problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis
• Professional judgment and accountability