Purchasing Operations Coordinator

About Local Eclectic

Local Eclectic is a Chicago-based fine jewelry company operating five proprietary brands (Family Gold, For You With Love, Harvest Moon, Carried Jewels, Period Piece), with wholesale partnerships including Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and Free People. We have now expanded beyond e-commerce with a flagship retail store and café opening at 212 E. Ontario in downtown Chicago — adding an in-person, high-touch dimension to a highly engaged, authentic customer base.

Position Summary

The Purchasing Operations Coordinator manages the administrative execution and tracking of purchase orders from placement through final receipt. This role ensures purchase orders are accurately created and maintained in GoodDay, delivery timelines are up to date, and communication flows smoothly between vendors, Buying, Demand Planning, Warehouse Operations, and Accounts Payable.

Serving as the primary point of contact for PO-related vendor communication, this person monitors incoming shipments, coordinates receiving and discrepancy resolution with the warehouse, and ensures purchase orders are accurately reconciled and closed in the system. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple orders and follow-ups at once.

Key Responsibilities

Purchase Order Management & GoodDay Ownership

• Create and issue purchase orders in GoodDay once orders are approved by Buying, ensuring all order details are accurate and complete.
• Send purchase orders to vendors for confirmation and resolve administrative questions or discrepancies.
• Maintain GoodDay as the central source of truth for PO details, vendor contacts, order statuses, and expected ship and arrival dates.
• Keep PO statuses and delivery timelines current, proactively flagging delays, changes, and exceptions to the appropriate teams.
• Coordinate order updates, split shipments, and delivery timing changes with Buying and Demand Planning as needed.

Vendor Communication & Coordination

• Serve as the primary contact for vendors regarding purchase orders, order confirmations, shipping timelines, tracking, receiving discrepancies, and outstanding operational questions.
• Maintain accurate vendor contact information, communication records, and relevant vendor documentation, including approved terms and agreements.
• Follow up with vendors to confirm ship dates, obtain tracking information, resolve delivery questions, and keep orders moving.
• Maintain vendor delivery report cards to track on-time performance, late shipments, and recurring fulfillment issues.
• Build positive, professional vendor relationships through timely communication, consistent follow-up, and clear expectations.

Shipping, Receiving & Warehouse Coordination

• Monitor incoming purchase orders and maintain visibility into expected deliveries and shipment tracking.
• Communicate incoming shipments and changes in arrival timing to Warehouse Operations, helping the team prioritize receipts based on business needs.
• Partner with Demand Planning and vendors to coordinate and stagger incoming shipments, smoothing receipt timing to maintain a steady flow of inventory and avoid large, concentrated deliveries whenever possible.
• Serve as the primary communication link between vendors and the warehouse when delivery, receiving, or order questions arise.
• Confirm with Warehouse Operations that purchase orders have been received and that quantities align with the original order.
• Investigate missing, incorrect, damaged, or otherwise discrepant quantities with the warehouse and vendors, escalating unresolved issues as needed.
• Close purchase orders in GoodDay once receipt has been confirmed and discrepancies have been resolved or appropriately documented.

Cross-Functional Coordination & Accounts Payable

• Partner with Accounts Payable to address PO-related questions, receiving discrepancies, and outstanding vendor payment inquiries.
• Ensure purchase orders accurately reflect confirmed orders and final receipts so Accounts Payable has the information needed to process invoices and payments.
• Coordinate with vendors and Accounts Payable on outstanding payment questions, helping identify missing information or documentation and route issues to the appropriate owner.
• Communicate recurring delivery issues, outstanding discrepancies, and other exceptions to Buying, Demand Planning, and relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain organized records and follow established processes to support accurate purchasing, inventory receiving, and financial administration.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of experience in purchasing coordination, buying operations, merchandising, inventory administration, logistics, or a related field preferred.
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Comfortable working across multiple systems, spreadsheets, and administrative processes.
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills.
• Proactive follow-through and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and outstanding requests.
• Comfortable communicating with vendors and collaborating across internal teams.
• Ability to identify discrepancies, ask questions, and escalate issues when needed.
• Experience with inventory, purchasing, or ERP systems is a plus; experience with GoodDay is beneficial but not required.

What Success Looks Like

• Purchase orders are accurately entered, confirmed, tracked, and maintained in GoodDay.
• Expected shipping and arrival dates are current, with delays communicated proactively.
• Warehouse Operations has clear visibility into incoming shipments and can prioritize receiving effectively.
• Receiving discrepancies are identified, communicated, and resolved or documented promptly.
• Purchase orders are closed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Accounts Payable has the necessary PO and receiving information to process vendor invoices and payments.
• Vendor contacts and delivery performance records are maintained consistently, improving visibility into vendor reliability and recurring issues.