Purchasing Assistant

Gilder Search Group; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

Gilder Search Group is hiring a Purchasing Assistant for an on-site, Cleveland, OH plant. The role supports plant-level procurement, owning PO processing, cost tracking, and inventory management alongside the MRO Purchasing Manager.

The ideal candidate will have 2+ years in manufacturing purchasing, strong Excel skills (formulas, sorting, pivot tables), and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced plant environment with an early shift (6:00/7:00 AM – 2:30/3:30 PM).

Qualifications

• 2+ years purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment or strong plant-floor operational exposure with procurement skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel (formulas, sorting, pivot tables).
• Experience managing high-volume PO activity and coordinating with vendors and internal teams.

Responsibilities

• Convert internal requisitions into purchase orders and transmit POs to vendors across plant entities on schedule.
• Expedite open purchase orders to meet production schedules and deadlines.
• Build and distribute weekly PO Funds Committed and PO Receipts reports using Excel.
• Research, analyze, and resolve pricing discrepancies on PO confirmations and invoices.
• Manage plant-wide blanket purchase orders for timely renewals and accurate records.
• Track MRO cost-reduction initiatives using Excel and pivot tables.

Skills

Excel

Attention to detail

Vendor coordination

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate degree preferred

Tools

Infor / legacy database

Job description

Purchasing Assistant

Location / Work Mode: On-Site – Cleveland, OH (East 78th St. Plant Facility)

Role Type: Full-time, Permanent

Compensation: $55,000 – $67,000/year base

The Opportunity & Impact

A leading Cleveland-based industrial manufacturing manufacturer is seeking a detail-driven, reliable Purchasing Assistant to own plant-level procurement support and cross-divisional purchasing workflows. Working directly alongside a MRO Purchasing Manager, you will serve as the operational backbone for four localized plant facilities, taking full ownership of purchase order processing, cost tracking, and inventory maintenance. This role is ideal for an independent self-starter who thrives in an authentic, fast-paced plant environment, takes pride in high-accuracy execution, and seeks long-term job stability, everyday autonomy, and a consistent early-shift work-life balance (6:00/7:00 AM – 2:30/3:30 PM).

Key Responsibilities

• Convert internal requisitions into purchase orders and accurately transmit POs to vendors across multiple plant entities on schedule.
• Expedite open purchase orders proactively to meet critical plant production schedules and business deadlines.
• Build and distribute weekly PO Funds Committed and PO Receipts reports across all divisions using intermediate Microsoft Excel functions.
• Research, analyze, and resolve pricing discrepancies on PO confirmations, receiving logs, and vendor invoices.
• Manage and monitor plant-wide blanket purchase orders to ensure timely renewals, rate verification, and accurate record-keeping.
• Track Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) cost-reduction initiatives using Excel formulas and pivot tables to capture analytical savings data.
• Maintain proper stocking levels for office, breakroom, and facility supplies to support uninterrupted corporate and plant operations.
• Enter vendor and purchasing data into custom internal enterprise software with strict audit-ready precision and detail.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Minimum of 2+ years of purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment (or strong plant-floor operational exposure paired with core procurement skills).
• Mid-level proficiency in Microsoft Excel (demonstrated capability using formulas, data sorting, and pivot tables required).
• Proven ability to manage high-volume, competing deadlines independently in a fast-paced, industrial plant environment.
• High degree of data entry accuracy and familiarity working with enterprise software (Infor or legacy database experience preferred).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively collaborate with direct plant workers, vendors, and accounting teams.
• Solid problem-solving aptitude focused on resolving vendor pricing gaps, invoice discrepancies, and delivery bottlenecks.
• High School Diploma or GED required (Associate degree or relevant coursework preferred).
• Commitment to a 100% on-site, early-shift schedule (arriving between 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM, Monday through Friday).

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