Purchasing Buyer

Sumitomo Electric; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 34,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Sumitomo Electric in Troy, Michigan seeks a contract Purchasing Buyer to support the procurement function. The role involves managing POs, tracking raw materials and MRO, facilitating RFQs, and delivering spend analytics, working cross-functionally with operations, cost estimation, finance, and suppliers.

The contract is 2-3 months with potential extension based on performance and business needs. Strong experience with fasteners, MRO, and supplier management is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain or related field is preferred.
• 2+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience; fastener/MRO experience encouraged.
• Experience in manufacturing or automotive environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Source, quote, and manage purchase orders for industrial fasteners to specification.
• Manage consumables categories and maintain accurate records.
• Interpret drawings to ensure correct fastener grade and material.
• Negotiate pricing and supply agreements with distributors and VMI providers.
• Monitor consumption patterns and optimize inventory to reduce waste.
• Perform spend analysis and benchmark pricing against market standards.
• Support standardization initiatives with engineering to reduce variety.

Skills

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

AI tools

Organizational skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Fastener standards

VMI/distributor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain or related field

Job description

Position Title:Purchasing Buyer

Duration:Contract

Location: Troy, Michigan USA

Position Summary:

• This is a temporary contract position (2-3 months) for a Purchasing Analyst to provide immediate support to the procurement function.

• The contractor will manage purchase orders, track raw materials and MRO consumables, facilitate RFQ processes, and deliver spend analytics.

• This role works cross-functionally with operations, cost estimating, finance, and suppliers to ensure timely, cost-effective procurement while maintaining accurate documentation and compliance with company agreements.

• The contract may be extended based on business need and performance.

Skills & Competencies:

• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar)

• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, pivot tables, and reporting

• Intermediate + skills in using AI tools

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional and supplier interaction

• Detail-oriented with a high degree of accuracy in data entry and documentation

• Demonstrated knowledge of industrial fastener standards (SAE, metric, ASTM grades) and MRO consumable categories; experience with VMI programs and distributor management is a plus

Key Responsibilities:

Fasteners & Consumables Procurement:

• Source, quote, and manage purchase orders for industrial fasteners including bolts, screws, nuts, washers, rivets, and specialty hardware to specification

• Manage consumables categories including brake fluid, adhesives, sealants, and lubricants

• Interpret engineering drawings and part specifications to ensure correct fastener grade, thread form, drive type, finish, and material (e.g., SAE, metric, stainless, zinc-plated)

• Negotiate pricing and supply agreements with fastener distributors and VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) providers to reduce unit cost and ensure stock availability

• Monitor consumption trends for high-velocity consumables and collaborate with production and maintenance teams to right-size inventory and reduce waste

• Conduct spend analysis on fastener and consumable categories to identify consolidation opportunities and benchmark pricing against market standards

• Support standardization initiatives by working with engineering to reduce fastener variety across platforms, driving economies of scale

Purchase Order Management:

• Issue, update, and manage purchase orders in accordance with approved requisitions and procurement policies

• Monitor PO status, delivery schedules, and supplier acknowledgments to ensure on-time fulfilment for pre-production parts

• Maintain accurate PO records and ensure proper documentation throughout the order lifecycle

• Support change management tracking during design phases, coordinating PO updates and revisions as engineering changes occur

• Manage PO updates for raw material adjustments per contracts with suppliers

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or related field preferred

• 2+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain operations; candidates with direct fastener or MRO category experience are strongly encouraged to apply

• Experience in a manufacturing or automotive environment strongly preferred

Work Authorization Requirement:

• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis.

• Our Client is unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.