Returns Coordinator / Buyer Assistant

Price Engineering; Town of Hartland (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Price Engineering, a SunSource company, seeks a detail-driven Returns Coordinator/Buyer Assistant to manage end-to-end returns and support the purchasing team in inventory accuracy and item setup.

The role requires hands-on warehouse coordination with P21 ERP work, excellent communication with vendors and internal teams, and ownership of accurate records and timely credits.

Qualifications

• 2+ years experience in purchasing, inventory control, returns processing, or related supply chain.
• Experience with Prophet 21 (P21) or similar ERP/distribution software preferred.
• Strong Excel skills; data analysis to spot trends and errors.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Clear, professional communication with vendors, customers and internal teams.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in wholesale distribution/industrial products is a plus.
• High school diploma or equivalent; associate/bachelor in business or supply chain preferred.

Responsibilities

• Process all customer and vendor return authorizations from initiation through resolution
• Coordinate with warehouse staff to inspect, sort, and disposition returned merchandise
• Track return status and follow up on RMAs to prevent aging inventory
• Communicate with customers, sales staff, and vendors to resolve return discrepancies, damages, or shortages
• Issue credits and coordinate with accounting to reflect returns in financial records
• Maintain accurate return documentation and reporting for audit purposes
• Perform scheduled and ad hoc cycle counts to maintain inventory accuracy
• Investigate and resolve count discrepancies, identifying root causes
• Adjust inventory records in P21 following established approval procedures
• Support annual physical inventory as needed
• Create and maintain new item records in P21 with descriptions, units, cross-references, and classifications
• Set up and update purchase pricing, cost tiers, and vendor pricing agreements
• Audit existing item records for pricing or setup errors
• Coordinate with purchasing and sales to confirm new item requirements before setup
• Monitor open purchase orders and follow up with suppliers on status, lead times, and delays
• Escalate at-risk orders to Purchasing Manager and communicate updates to stakeholders
• Maintain accurate PO records in P21, updating ship/receipt dates as needed
• Build and maintain relationships with key suppliers to improve responsiveness

Skills

Excel skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Clear communication

Vendor/customer coordination

Multitasking

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate’s or bachelor's in business/supply chain (preferred)

Tools

Prophet 21 (P21)

Job description

Price Engineering, a SunSource company, specializes in engineered custom products and solutions through engineering resource management, research, planning and development in the areas of hydraulics, pneumatics, automation and electrical systems. www.priceeng.com

We're looking for a detail-driven Returns Coordinator/Buyer Assistant to manage our end-to-end returns process while supporting the purchasing team with inventory accuracy, item setup, and supplier follow-up. This role sits at the intersection of operations and procurement, requiring someone comfortable juggling hands-on warehouse coordination with system-based administrative work in Prophet 21 (P21). The ideal candidate is organized, communicates well with both internal teams and outside vendors, and takes ownership of getting things right the first time.

Key Responsibilities

Returns Management

• Process all customer and vendor return authorizations from initiation through resolution
• Coordinate with warehouse staff to inspect, sort, and disposition returned merchandise
• Track return status and follow up on outstanding RMAs to prevent aging inventory
• Communicate with customers, sales staff, and vendors to resolve return discrepancies, damages, or shortages
• Issue credits and coordinate with accounting to ensure returns are properly reflected in financial records
• Maintain accurate return documentation and reporting for audit purposes

Cycle Counting

• Perform scheduled and ad hoc cycle counts to maintain inventory accuracy
• Investigate and resolve count discrepancies, identifying root causes (receiving errors, mis-picks, data entry issues, etc.)
• Adjust inventory records in P21 following established approval procedures
• Support annual physical inventory as needed

New Part Setup & Pricing Maintenance

• Create and maintain new item records in P21, including item descriptions, units of measure, vendor cross-references, and product classifications
• Set up and update purchase pricing, cost tiers, and vendor pricing agreements
• Audit existing item records periodically to catch and correct pricing or setup errors
• Coordinate with purchasing and sales teams to confirm new item requirements before setup

Supplier Expediting

• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively follow up with suppliers on order status, lead times, and delays
• Escalate at-risk orders to the Purchasing Manager and communicate updates to affected internal stakeholders (sales, warehouse, customer service)
• Maintain accurate PO records in P21, updating expected ship/receipt dates as new information comes in
• Build and maintain working relationships with key suppliers to improve responsiveness and reliability

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in purchasing, inventory control, returns processing, or a related supply chain function
• Experience with Prophet 21 (P21) or similar ERP/distribution software strongly preferred
• Strong Excel skills; comfortable working with data to spot trends and errors
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• Clear, professional communication skills for working with vendors, customers, and internal teams
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple ongoing tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Experience in wholesale distribution, industrial products, or a similar industry is a plus
• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate's or bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, or related field preferred

Physical Requirements

• Ability to occasionally lift 50 lbs when inspecting or handling returned merchandise
• Comfortable spending part of the day on the warehouse floor and part at a desk/computer

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. If you are an individual with a disability and require an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact [e-mail] to request reasonable accommodation. Only requests for accommodation in the application process will be returned from this email address. This employer uses E-Verify.

Sun-Source | Privacy Policy #priceengassc

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.