Purchasing Agent

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for planning, sourcing, and procuring materials required to support manufacturing operations in an injection molding environment. This position manages supplier relationships, inventory levels, purchase orders, material availability, and vendor performance to ensure uninterrupted production while maintaining cost, quality, and delivery objectives. The Purchasing Agent works closely with Production Scheduling, Quality, Engineering, Shipping, Receiving, and Accounting to support operational goals and continuous improvement initiatives

Purchasing

• Plan and procure resin, colorants, additives, packaging materials, and other production-related supplies.
• Generate, issue, and manage purchase orders through the ERP/MRP system.
• Monitor inventory levels and replenish materials to support production schedules and safety stock targets.
• Track supplier deliveries and expedite orders as necessary to prevent production interruptions.
• Analyze supplier pricing and negotiate favorable terms, costs, and lead times.
• Maintain supplier relationships and evaluate vendor performance related to quality, delivery, and service.
• Resolve supplier issues, receiving discrepancies, and invoice variances in coordination with Receiving and Accounting.
• Maintain supplier certifications, SDS documentation, compliance records, and approved supplier files.
• Support supplier qualification and continuous supplier improvement activities.

Inventory & Supply Chain Management

• Monitor inventory usage trends and forecast material requirements.
• Assist with cycle counts, physical inventories, and inventory accuracy initiatives.
• Review demand requirements and adjust purchasing plans based on production schedules and customer forecasts.
• Coordinate incoming material deliveries to ensure availability for production.
• Identify opportunities to reduce excess inventory while maintaining adequate supply levels.

Manufacturing & Cross-Functional Support

• Collaborate with Scheduling and Production teams to ensure materials are available before mold changeovers and production runs.
• Support Engineering and Quality departments with material sourcing, qualification, and documentation requirements.
• Participate in cost reduction, process improvement, and supplier development initiatives.
• Assist in evaluating alternative materials and suppliers to improve performance and reduce costs.
• Provide procurement-related data and reports to management as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• 2-4 years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain accurate purchasing records.
• Effective communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally.

Preferred

• Injection molding or plastics manufacturing experience.
• Knowledge of thermoplastics, engineering resins, color concentrates, and packaging materials.
• Understanding inventory management, forecasting, and supplier performance metrics.
• Experience with supplier quality requirements and manufacturing documentation.

Revised Specific Duties

• Create, maintain, and manage purchase orders and procurement records.
• Review production schedules and forecast material requirements.
• Track open purchase orders and supplier commitments.
• Expedite critical materials and communicate supply risks to management.
• Maintain supplier documentation, certifications, SDS records, and compliance files.
• Support inventory management activities, cycle counts, and variance investigations.
• Assist with supplier negotiations and annual cost reduction initiatives.