Buyer - Mexico

Buyer – Mexico Distribution Center

Location: San Mateo Atenco/Toluca, Estado de México

Work Arrangement: Onsite 

Department: Purchasing/Supply Chain

Status: Full-Time

Position Summary

Walker Products is seeking an experienced Buyer to support purchasing and inventory activities for our distribution center in San Mateo Atenco, near Toluca, Estado de México. This is an onsite position requiring the employee to reside within reasonable commuting distance of the facility or be willing to relocate to the area.

The Buyer will be responsible for purchasing finished goods and other inventory needed to support customer demand, maintain appropriate stock levels, and ensure timely product availability. This position will work closely with suppliers and collaborate with Walker Products' purchasing, inventory, sales, customer service, logistics, and distribution teams.

The successful candidate will possess strong purchasing, supplier-management, analytical, and inventory-planning skills and be comfortable working in a fast-paced distribution environment.

Primary Responsibilities

• Purchase finished goods, components, packaging, supplies, and other materials needed to support distribution center operations and customer demand.
• Review inventory levels, forecasts, sales activity, customer requirements, lead times, and usage trends to determine purchasing needs.
• Create, issue, and maintain purchase orders, ensuring accurate pricing, quantities, delivery dates, and supporting documentation.
• Monitor open purchase orders and communicate with suppliers regarding production status, shipment schedules, delivery changes, shortages, and other potential concerns.
• Work with inventory planning and distribution teams to maintain appropriate inventory levels and reduce the risk of product shortages or excess inventory.
• Support inventory availability and service-level expectations for key retail and distribution customers.
• Identify potential inventory shortages, delivery delays, and supply-chain risks and communicate concerns before they affect customers or operations.
• Evaluate supplier quotations, pricing, minimum order quantities, lead times, payment terms, and other commercial conditions.
• Negotiate pricing, delivery schedules, terms, and service expectations with suppliers.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to improve reliability, responsiveness, quality, cost, and overall performance.
• Measure and evaluate supplier performance, including delivery, quality, cost, and service.
• Work with suppliers and internal departments to resolve late deliveries, shortages, quality issues, pricing discrepancies, and invoicing concerns.
• Coordinate with logistics, freight, and customs personnel to support the timely movement and receipt of purchased inventory.
• Collaborate with sales, customer service, product management, inventory control, warehouse operations, and other departments to understand purchasing priorities and changing customer requirements.
• Identify cost-reduction, inventory-optimization, and supply-chain improvement opportunities without sacrificing product availability, quality, or customer service.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier information, pricing agreements, order status, and related documentation within the company's ERP and purchasing systems.
• Prepare and communicate purchasing, inventory, and supplier-performance reports as requested.
• Ensure purchasing activities follow company policies and applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards.
• Perform other purchasing and supply chain responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (Licenciatura) in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, International Business, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least three years of experience as a Buyer, Purchasing Specialist, Procurement Analyst, Inventory Planner, or in a similar purchasing role.
• Experience purchasing finished goods or inventory for a distribution, wholesale, retail-support, or manufacturing organization.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing inventory requirements, demand forecasts, lead times, and purchasing data.
• Experience creating and managing purchase orders and monitoring supplier delivery performance.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate favorable pricing, terms, lead times, and service expectations.
• Proficiency with ERP, MRP, purchasing, and inventory-management systems.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and data-analysis skills.
• Knowledge of inventory planning, purchasing practices, supplier management, and supply chain principles.
• Familiarity with logistics, freight, customs, or import processes is preferred.
• Automotive, automotive aftermarket, retail distribution, or high-volume distribution experience is preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Professional working proficiency in English sufficient to communicate with suppliers and international colleagues.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to analyze inventory, forecasts, sales trends, purchase orders, quotations, and supplier-performance data.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to develop productive relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Strong sense of urgency when addressing inventory shortages and customer requirements.
• Proactive approach to identifying delivery risks, supply-chain disruptions, cost increases, and inventory concerns.
• High level of integrity and professionalism when handling supplier relationships, pricing, and confidential business information.

Working Conditions

• This position is based onsite at Walker Products de México in San Mateo Atenco, Estado de México.
• Regular and reliable onsite attendance is required.
• Occasional travel to supplier locations or other company facilities may be required.
• The employee must be legally authorized to work in Mexico.