Junior Buyer

Description

The Junior Buyer supports procurement operations in a regulated, high-volume, low-mix military manufacturing environment. This role applies acquired job skills, company policies, and established procedures to execute semi-routine purchasing activities that ensure material availability, cost awareness, and schedule adherence. The Junior Buyer works independently on routine tasks and receives guidance on new or non-standard assignments, contributing through personal effort to team and organizational goals.

Requirements

Purchasing & Supply Support

• Execute purchase orders for production and non-production materials in accordance with approved procedures, contracts, and military compliance requirements.
• Manage semi-routine buying assignments by selecting appropriate solutions from defined procedures using sound judgment and prior experience.
• Monitor supplier delivery performance and follow up on late, incomplete, or incorrect shipments.
• Support material planning and production schedules in a high-volume, low-mix environment to minimize shortages or disruptions.
  
  

Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Address routine purchasing issues that are known, defined, and readily apparent.
• Perform basic fact-finding to resolve occasional non-routine issues, escalating as appropriate.
• Ensure actions taken align with established procurement policies, quality standards, and compliance requirements.
  
  

Cost & Performance Awareness

• Maintain awareness of material costs, lead times, and service-level expectations.
• Support cost control initiatives by ensuring accurate pricing, quantities, and terms on purchase orders.
• Understand the downstream impact of purchasing decisions on production, inventory, and customer commitments.
  
  

Communication & Collaboration

• Interact daily with internal stakeholders (planning, production, quality, engineering, and finance) to exchange basic information and support operational needs.
• Communicate professionally with suppliers to convey order details, delivery expectations, and routine issue resolution.
• Demonstrate customer service skills, common courtesy, and tact in all internal and external interactions.
  
  

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure purchasing activities comply with company policies, military/defense regulations, and quality management system requirements.
• Maintain accurate records, documentation, and system data to support audits and traceability requirements.
  
  

Skills & Competencies

• Working knowledge of procurement and supply chain processes
• Ability to follow established procedures and instructions with minimal supervision
• Sound judgment and common-sense decision making within defined guidelines
• Basic problem-solving and fact-finding skills
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities
• Professional communication and customer service skills
• Attention to detail and documentation accuracy
  
  

Experience & Education

• Typically requires 1–2 years of related purchasing, supply chain, or manufacturing experience
• Entry point into skilled procurement roles
• May require formal occupational training or certification related to supply chain, procurement, or manufacturing
• Experience in a regulated or military/defense manufacturing environment is a plus
  
  

Level & Impact (Intermediate S2 Alignment)

• Applies acquired job skills and company policies to complete assigned tasks
• Works on semi-routine assignments with limited impact, typically within the immediate team
• Financial accountability is limited to cost awareness and service-level expectations
• Normally follows established procedures on routine work; instructions required primarily for new assignments
• Supports team and organizational goals through personal contribution in own work area