MRO Buyer

PRIMARY FUNCTION: 

Responsible for the Plant MRO and Ohio Operations supplies procurement process. Sources, orders, and replenishes MRO and Ohio Operations supplies to align with the production and maintenance schedules and inventory goals. Responsibilities include placing vendor orders to assure supplies and production items align with the production and maintenance schedule requirements, makes inventory buying decisions that minimize total cost to the company within established cost/delivery guidelines, monitors and reports current and unforeseen service and or quality issues, maintains a positive relationship with our vendors and company associates, keeps management informed at all times of all issues that could impact material availability, cost, and or schedule issues.

REPORTS TO: Materials Manager

DIRECT SUPERVISION: Not a supervisory position

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Purchasing & Order Management

• Orders for materials required to meet operational requirements.
• Manage planning activities, including min/max levels, timely issuance of orders, and proactive vendor follow‑up.
• Serve as a liaison between maintenance and sourcing to ensure needs are clearly understood before orders are entered.
• Partner closely with the maintenance team to streamline purchasing processes and create efficiencies.
• Act as a builder/architect/integrator by developing and implementing purchasing processes and structures.

Vendor & Supplier Management

• Maintain frequent and regular communication with company vendors to stay aware of issues affecting supply or cost.
• Engage and negotiate effectively with suppliers to optimize value and performance.
• Strengthen vendor relationships to ensure alignment with operational needs.
• Monitor, maintain, and improve supplier scorecards and overall supplier performance.
• Communicate supplier or product concerns/opportunities to the appropriate stakeholders (e.g. Materials Manager, Maintenance Manager, Manufacturing Manager, etc.).

Inventory & Material Flow

• Monitor inventory levels to ensure they meet company scheduling requirements.
• Coordinate finished goods movement with suppliers providing secondary operations.
• Coordinate maintenance outsource movement such as blade sharpening, motor rebuild, etc. with suppliers – includes scheduling special pickups or transportation as necessary.
• Maintain and track historical item usage and track relevant metrics.
• Manage and/or assist with physical inventories, including on‑premise counts and reconciliation.

Issue Resolution & Quality Support

• Monitor material deliveries and report all variances to management.
• Address quality, damage, availability, or delivery issues with vendors.
• Work with vendors, shipping/receiving, and accounting to resolve variances (PPV, POPV, etc.) and discrepancies.
• Communicate any issue affecting inventory cost, availability, service, or quality as soon as it arises.

Cost Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and drive cost‑saving opportunities.

Team & Administrative Support

• Maintain accurate data in company MRO systems (Kinetic and P21).
• Assist the Purchasing team with all assignments as needed.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in MRO purchasing and/or other purchasing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to perform MRO purchasing analysis to guide decision making.
• Demonstrated abilities in problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to maintain composure and reason in a fast pace changing work environment. 
• Ability to work as a team player across cross functional areas to resolve issues and improve processes. 
• Good understanding of purchasing, including discounts, freight, warehousing, quality, etc.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills. 
• A detailed oriented and organized person with strong analytical skills. 
• Strong Microsoft Excel and Word knowledge and skill. 
• Can manage multiple projects at the same time with timely follow up.
• A reliable and dependable person with a high work ethic.
• A person who holds themselves accountable for responsibilities.
• Positive attitude even in stressful situations.

The above description covers the principal functions of the job. It is not intended to be a complete listing of all miscellaneous, incidental, or similar tasks which may be assigned during normal or emergency operations.