Senior Buyer

Visual Comfort & Co.; Skokie (IL); On-site; USD 92,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work-Life Balance

Paid Time Off

Holidays

401(k) matching

Health benefits

Life Insurance

Short-term Disability

Training & Development

Job summary

Visual Comfort & Co. is seeking a Purchasing/Operations professional to support purchasing activities for our Direct business. You will manage POs from request to delivery, track inventory, assist showroom openings, and resolve order discrepancies with internal teams and vendors.

The role emphasizes strong communication, organizational skills, and experience with ERP/purchasing systems. A Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years in procurement or related ops is preferred.

Qualifications

• Strong procurement, order management, and supplier relations knowledge.
• Excellent organizational and time management with attention to detail.
• Ability to negotiate and analyze quotations, lead times, and costs.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate purchasing activities for products, services, and showroom needs.
• Troubleshoot order/shipment/invoice discrepancies with vendors and internal teams.
• Monitor inventory, lead times, and delivery performance; coordinate replenishment.
• Manage PO lifecycle from request to delivery and record maintenance.
• Analyze vendor options, negotiate terms, and manage BOM/docs for showroom setups.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations, Finance, or related field

Tools

ERP systems (D365/JDE/Order.co)

Job description

Who we are:

Visual Comfort & Co. is the premier resource for decorative and architectural lighting, ceiling fans, system controls and automated shading solutions from the most influential designers in the world. We are proud to offer a market-leading range of premium products across categories, styles and price points, remaining committed to beautiful design and, above all, a world-class customer experience.

This role is responsible for collaborating with vendors and internal teams to support purchasing activities for Visual Comfort and Co.’s Direct business. Duties include managing purchase orders from request through delivery, maintaining accurate order and inventory records, supporting showroom openings, renovations, resets, gallery programs, employee technology needs, training initiatives, and ongoing showroom operations, and resolving issues that may impact project schedules or business continuity.

Visual Comfort Offers:

• Work-Life Balance: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Training & Development: A comprehensive and structured training program, complemented by ongoing education and opportunities for career advancement.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation accrual and paid time off policies.
• Holidays: 7 paid holidays per year, in addition to 2 floating holidays.
• Compensation: Competitive compensation plan
• Health Benefits: Visual Comfort covers the majority of employee medical premiums, and offers competitive vision and dental coverage available starting the first of the month following your start date.
• Insurance: Company-provided life insurance and short-term disability coverage.
• Retirement: 401(k) plan with company matching up to 4%, available beginning the first of the month following your hire date.

How success is defined:

• Facilitate purchasing activities for assigned products, equipment, services, and operational supplies, including showroom openings, renovations, resets, gallery programs, merchandising installations, Selection Spaces, Hands-on Experience displays, and other operational needs.
• Troubleshoot order, shipment, receiving, invoice, pricing, and payment discrepancies by coordinating with vendors, Accounts Payable, and internal teams to resolve issues and minimize project delays.
• Monitor inventory levels, project-specific material needs, supplier responsiveness, order accuracy, quality, and delivery performance; identify shortages or risks and coordinate replenishment, expedited orders, or escalations as needed.
• Manage the purchase order lifecycle from approved request through delivery, including order creation, confirmation, shipment tracking, receiving support, invoice discrepancy resolution, and record maintenance.
• Analyze product and vendor options, quotations, total costs, and lead times; negotiate pricing, minimum order quantities, payment terms, delivery schedules, and other commercial terms within established authority.
• Review and prepare Bills of Materials, packing lists, purchasing records, item setup information, and other documentation required to support showroom configurations, repeatable programs, and accurate purchasing records.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external vendors to confirm purchasing requirements, source products or qualified vendors, obtain approval for customer-facing substitutions, and support direct-to-showroom deliveries, warehouse consolidation, third-party logistics, equipment rentals, and urgent replacement shipments.
• Works effectively with others in a team environment to accomplish organizational goals and to identify and resolve problems.
• Exhibits and adheres to the established Visual Comfort Company Values.
• Must demonstrate commitment, dependability, punctuality, and adherence to agreed-upon schedule while maintaining a consistent presence in the workplace to effectively collaborate and communicate amongst co-workers and teams.

What you will bring:

• 4+ years’ previous experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, order management, or related operations; experience in a multi-location retail, showroom, distribution, manufacturing, or project-based environment preferred
• College graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations, Finance, or a related field
• Strong aptitude for and proficiency navigating Systems and Programs, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint; experience with ERP, purchasing, inventory, or reporting systems required, with D365, JDE, or Order.co a plus
• Working knowledge of procurement practices, purchase order management, supplier relations, inventory coordination, and basic cost analysis, with the ability to analyze quotations, order data, inventory information, and delivery schedules
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with a strong attention to detail
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and changing priorities
• Effective negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the judgment to elevate material cost, quality, service, or delivery risks
• Ability to achieve results both independently and through others by fostering a spirit of teamwork and cooperation
• Demonstrate exceptional communication across all contact channels, including email, chat and phone
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered for this role

Compensation Range: $92,000 - $95,000

Compensation is based on individual factors, including skill set, relevant experience, and work location

Qualified applicants are considered for employment, and employees are treated during employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, gender identity, or expression, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.

To be eligible for this role, you must be authorized to work in the United States. We do not offer any type of employment-based immigration sponsorship for this role. Likewise, Visual Comfort & Co., will not provide any assistance or sign any documentation in support of any other form of immigration sponsorship or benefit including optional practical training (OPT) or curricular practical training (CPT).