Purchasing Coordinator

Northwood; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood Space in Torrance, CA is seeking a Purchasing Coordinator to join our fast-paced supply chain team. You will execute day-to-day procurement, create and manage POs, and liaise with suppliers to ensure on-time delivery and data integrity in our ERP system.

The role requires the ability to collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, planning, inventory, quality, receiving, and finance to resolve issues and support uninterrupted production in a high-growth aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, operations, or administrative experience.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment.
• Prior experience in the aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, or defense industries is a plus.
• Experience with ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Create, issue, revise, and maintain purchase orders in accordance with approved requisitions while ensuring accuracy and timely processing within the ERP system
• Manage supplier communications by obtaining order acknowledgements, confirming pricing and lead times, monitoring shipment status, expediting critical materials, and proactively resolving delivery risks
• Track supplier performance, including quality, on-time delivery, responsiveness, and cost, and support continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers
• Maintain accurate supplier master data, pricing, lead times, and purchasing records while supporting supplier onboarding and vendor compliance activities.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Planning, Inventory, Quality, Receiving, and Finance to ensure material availability and resolve purchasing, receiving, quality, and invoice discrepancies
• Support sourcing activities by assisting with RFQs, supplier research, quote analysis, and supplier selection recommendations

Skills

Organizational skills

Time management

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle)

Job description

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.

Role

Northwood is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive Purchasing Coordinator to join our rapidly growing Supply Chain organization. This role is responsible for executing day-to-day procurement activities that ensure materials and services are purchased accurately, delivered on time, and available to support production, engineering, and customer commitments. The Purchasing Specialist will serve as a key liaison between Northwood and its suppliers while maintaining the integrity of purchasing data, supplier records, and ERP transactions.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, enjoys solving problems, and can effectively manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail. This position partners closely with Buyers, Engineering, Manufacturing, Planning, Inventory, Quality, Receiving, and Finance to proactively resolve supply chain issues, improve supplier performance, and help ensure continuity of supply. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build a long-term career in procurement and supply chain within a high-growth aerospace company.

Responsibilities

• Create, issue, revise, and maintain purchase orders in accordance with approved requisitions while ensuring accuracy and timely processing within the ERP system
• Manage supplier communications by obtaining order acknowledgements, confirming pricing and lead times, monitoring shipment status, expediting critical materials, and proactively resolving delivery risks
• Track supplier performance, including quality, on-time delivery, responsiveness, and cost, and support continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers
• Maintain accurate supplier master data, pricing, lead times, and purchasing records while supporting supplier onboarding and vendor compliance activities.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Planning, Inventory, Quality, Receiving, and Finance to ensure material availability and resolve purchasing, receiving, quality, and invoice discrepancies
• Support sourcing activities by assisting with RFQs, supplier research, quote analysis, and supplier selection recommendations

Basic Qualifications

• 1–3 years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, operations, or administrative experience
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in the aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, or defense industries
• Experience with ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, etc.)
• Proficient in SQL or advanced competency in MS Excel
• Startup or fast-paced environment experience a plus

Additional Information

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.