Purchasing & Inventory Coordinator

Dock & Door Tec; Elk River (MN); On-site; USD 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Dock & Door Tec in Minnesota is seeking a Purchasing & Inventory Coordinator who thrives on detail and problem solving to ensure the right materials are in the right place at the right time. You will own the day-to-day flow of service and project materials—from order verification through purchasing, receipt, inventory control, returns, and delivery communication—supporting the Operations team and clients.

This onsite role requires strong ERP experience, clear vendor communication, and

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 2+ years in purchasing, inventory control, or related operations.
• Experience creating POs and working with vendors.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and Excel.
• Ability to communicate clearly with vendors and teams.
• Experience in field-service or industrial equipment a plus.

Responsibilities

• Review service and project orders for complete scope, correct part numbers, quantities, pricing, lead times, freight, and vendor information before releasing purchases.
• Create and issue purchase orders in the ERP system; send orders to vendors and maintain complete purchasing records.
• Obtain and verify vendor acknowledgments. Update projected ship dates, backorders, substitutions, freight details, and other commitments in the system.
• Source parts, tools, equipment, and services from multiple manufacturers and vendors; compare total cost, availability, quality, and service.
• Develop productive vendor relationships, request improved pricing and terms, and resolve shortages, damages, incorrect shipments, credits, and invoice discrepancies.
• Communicate expected delivery dates and material-related changes to clients and internal owners in accordance with the company proven process.
• Maintain open-PO visibility and elevate risks that could affect scheduling, client commitments, cash flow, or job profitability.
• Maintain accurate inventory item records, descriptions, classes, costs, units of measure, stocking status, and related system data.
• Own routine inventory transactions, including receipts, transfers, adjustments, returns, and replenishment entries, with supporting documentation.
• Establish and maintain appropriate stocking levels for commonly used parts and materials in partnership with Operations leadership.
• Monitor usage, shortages, stockouts, excess inventory, obsolete material, and negative inventory; recommend actions.
• Coordinate cycle counts and periodic physical inventory; research variances and improve processes.
• Coordinate shipping and returns, including freight quotes, carrier selection, and tracking.
• Support warehouse receiving and staging with accurate PO information.
• Manage ERP workflow stages and ensure records are current and actionable.
• Reject or return incomplete orders with clear explanations.
• Cross-check purchasing, inventory, work-order, costing, and billing information for accurate closeout and invoicing.
• Support project costing, planned-maintenance billing, and technician workflows.

Skills

Purchasing

Inventory Control

Vendor Management

ERP Systems

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Tools

Acumatica

Excel

Outlook

Microsoft 365

Job description

Company Description Dock & Door Tec is an independent distributor specializing in loading dock equipment, industrial doors, mezzanines, vertical reciprocating conveyors, safety gates, and HVLS fans. The company is committed to exceptional customer service by carefully addressing client needs and offering a range of product choices. Dock & Door Tec provides solutions that support long-lasting, reliable operations and stands behind its work with strong guarantees. In addition to equipment, the company offers on-demand repair, proactive maintenance, installation, upgrades, and specialized services such as fire door drop testing. Applicants join a team focused on problem-solving, quality workmanship, and long-term client partnerships.

Dock & Door Tec is looking for a Purchasing & Inventory Coordinator who loves keeping the details straight, solving problems, and making sure the right materials are in the right place at the right time.

This role is at the center of our day-to-day operations—coordinating purchasing, vendor relationships, inventory, shipping and returns, and material availability for our service and project teams. You’ll work closely with our technicians, Operations, Sales, Finance, and vendors to keep jobs moving and catch issues before they become delays.

We’re looking for someone who is organized, comfortable working in an ERP system, confident communicating with vendors and teammates, and willing to take ownership from start to finish. If you’re the person who notices when something doesn’t add up, tracks down the answer, and closes the loop without needing to be reminded, you’ll fit right in.

This is a full-time, onsite position at Dock & Door Tec in a fast-paced, growing service business where accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement matter.

The Purchasing and Inventory Coordinator owns the day-to-day flow of service and project materials from order verification through purchasing, receipt, inventory control, returns, and delivery communication. This role protects job readiness, inventory accuracy, vendor accountability, and cost integrity while supporting the Operations team and providing proactive updates to clients and internal partners. Success requires disciplined follow-through, accurate ERP transactions, sound purchasing judgment, and a willingness to resolve problems before they delay the work.

The primary duties and responsibilities of the Purchasing & Inventory Coordinator consist of but are not limited to:

Purchasing and Vendor Management

• Review service and project orders for complete scope, correct part numbers, quantities, pricing, lead times, freight, and required vendor information before releasing purchases.
• Create and issue purchase orders in the ERP system; send orders to vendors and maintain complete purchasing records.
• Obtain and verify vendor acknowledgments. Update projected ship dates, backorders, substitutions, freight details, and other commitments in the system.
• Source parts, tools, equipment, and services from multiple manufacturers and vendors. Compare total cost, availability, quality, and service—not price alone.
• Develop productive vendor relationships, request improved pricing and terms, and resolve shortages, damages, incorrect shipments, credits, and invoice discrepancies.
• Communicate expected delivery dates and material-related changes to clients and internal owners in accordance with the company proven process.
• Maintain open-PO visibility and proactively elevate risks that could affect scheduling, client commitments, cash flow, or job profitability.

Inventory Control and Material Flow

• Maintain accurate inventory item records, descriptions, classes, costs, units of measure, stocking status, and related system data.
• Own routine inventory transactions, including receipts, transfers, adjustments, returns, and replenishment entries, with supporting documentation.
• Establish and maintain appropriate stocking levels for commonly used parts, fasteners, tools, and service materials in partnership with Operations leadership and field technicians.
• Monitor usage, shortages, stockouts, excess inventory, obsolete material, and negative inventory. Recommend corrective actions and follow them through to completion.
• Coordinate cycle counts and periodic physical inventory. Research variances, document root causes, and improve the process that allowed the variance.
• Coordinate shipping and returns, including freight quotes, carrier selection, packaging documentation, tracking, vendor authorizations, and credits.
• Support warehouse receiving and staging by ensuring purchase-order information and material status are accurate and easy to act on.

Service and Project Workflow Support

• Manage assigned ERP workflow stages from order review through Parts Ordered and POs Acknowledged, keeping records current and handoffs clear.
• Reject or return incomplete orders to the appropriate owner with a clear explanation of what must be corrected.
• Cross-check purchasing, inventory, work-order, costing, and billing information to support accurate job closeout and invoicing.
• Support project costing, project and planned-maintenance billing, service-call opportunity processing, and technician-lead workflows as assigned.
• Maintain accurate records in Acumatica, AIM, and applicable customer portals such as ServiceChannel, Facilio, CBRE, and SafeDoor.
• Provide backup support for dispatch, inbound calls, office administration, and technician or account-manager requests when operational needs require it.

Process Ownership and Communication

• Follow and strengthen documented purchasing, inventory, and order-communication processes. Identify recurring breakdowns and recommend practical fixes.
• Maintain timely, professional communication with vendors, clients, technicians, Sales, Finance, and Operations. Confirm ownership and next steps rather than allowing issues to drift.
• Produce regular purchasing and inventory reports and key performance indicators for Operations leadership.
• Document key procedures, vendor contacts, system practices, and backup instructions so the work is repeatable and transferable.

Perform other related duties as needed to support safe, efficient service delivery and an exemplary client experience.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two or more years of experience in purchasing, inventory control, service operations, distribution, warehouse coordination, or a closely related role preferred.
• Demonstrated experience creating purchase orders, working with vendors, tracking deliveries, and maintaining accurate inventory or item records.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems and Microsoft 365, especially Outlook and Excel. Acumatica experience is preferred.
• Comfort working with technical parts, manufacturer information, pricing, units of measure, freight, and order documentation.
• Experience in a field-service, construction, industrial equipment, distribution, or B2B environment is preferred.
• Experience in an EOS or Traction environment is helpful but not required.
• Ownership and follow-through: takes responsibility for the full outcome and closes loops without repeated reminders.
• Accuracy and organization: manages details, documents decisions, and keeps system information reliable.
• Prioritization and urgency: distinguishes true operational priorities from noise and responds appropriately.
• Problem solving: investigates discrepancies, identifies root causes, and implements practical corrective action.
• Vendor and internal communication: communicates directly, professionally, and early enough for others to act.
• Commercial judgment: balances cost, lead time, quality, freight, reliability, and client impact.
• Process discipline and improvement: follows established workflows while constructively improving weak or outdated steps.
• Team orientation: supports technicians and office teams while maintaining clear accountability and role boundaries.
• Learning agility: builds working knowledge of dock, door, and related service parts, systems, vendors, and terminology.
• High level of professionalism when dealing with sensitive information and difficult project situations.
• Ability to take initiative and be energetic, resourceful and reliable in a fast-paced environment.
• A no-task-too-small approach to the work; able to work independently and remain flexible when direction is needed.
• Willingness to learn and adopt new technology and techniques to improve individual, team and company performance.