Strategic Plant Buyer & Supplier Lead

United Future; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

United Future is seeking a Buyer to manage day-to-day procurement execution for plant and regional Operations. You will drive procure-to-pay processes, supplier follow-through, and inventory actions to meet cost, quality, and delivery targets.

The role requires 2+ years in purchasing or supply chain, strong Excel/ERP skills, and the ability to analyze data and escalate issues. This is an on-site position based in Pittsburgh.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of relevant purchasing, materials, supply chain or manufacturing customer-service experience.
• Working proficiency with Excel and ERP purchasing processes; Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience preferred.
• Ability to analyze supplier delivery, open orders, inventory and cost data, establish priorities, and communicate escalations effectively.
• Strong ethics, ownership, attention to detail, service mindset, collaboration and ability to work across multiple plant priorities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary purchasing execution partner for designated facilities and their Operations leadership; understand production schedules, constraints, working capital, and the effect of purchasing decisions on regional results.
• Execute sourcing strategies, negotiated contracts, approved supplier lists, pricing, and specifications established by Global / Regional Category leadership. Escalate exceptions and market intelligence rather than independently altering strategic agreements.
• Collaborate daily with Operations, Planning, Inventory, Quality, Finance/AP and Category Management; maintain clear escalation paths and documented decision rights.
• Procure-to-pay discipline: Convert approved demand and requisitions into accurate, timely purchase orders; confirm price, terms, quantities, delivery dates, coding and approvals; monitor open orders through receipt, invoice resolution, and closure.
• Contract and policy compliance: Use approved suppliers, negotiated terms, buying channels, and delegated authority; flag maverick spend, off-contract pricing, duplicate orders, and exceptions for resolution.
• Supplier execution and escalation: Secure order acknowledgements, maintain realistic promise dates, expedite critical material, resolve shortages and discrepancies, and coordinate escalation and recovery plans before operations are impacted.
• Inventory and working capital: Partner with Operations and Planning to review demand, lead times, safety stock, excess/obsolete inventory, open-PO exposure, and opportunities to lower inventory days on hand without jeopardizing service.
• Supplier performance: Maintain supplier delivery and defect data, support corrective actions with Quality and Category Management, and implement focused scorecards for the top five suppliers by category as deployed.

Skills

Excel

ERP systems

Dynamics 365

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Collaboration

Escalation management

Education

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

United Future is seeking a Buyer to manage day-to-day procurement execution for plant and regional Operations. You will drive procure-to-pay processes, supplier follow-through, and inventory actions to meet cost, quality, and delivery targets.

The role requires 2+ years in purchasing or supply chain, strong Excel/ERP skills, and the ability to analyze data and escalate issues. This is an on-site position based in Pittsburgh.