What are the responsibilities and job description for the Purchasing Agent position at Walton's Inc?
Keep the right products moving at the right cost, at the right time. We’re looking for a detail-oriented Purchasing Agent who can manage vendor relationships, maintain accurate purchasing records, support inventory availability, and help a high-volume distribution business buy smarter. In this role, you’ll work closely with operations, warehouse, sales, and leadership to make sure the products our customers need are sourced, ordered, received, and replenished efficiently.
About us
We’re a family-owned and operated distributor that has been serving the meat processing industry for 40 years. We ship approximately 250,000 packages a year across the United States from our 100,000 square foot facility in Bel Aire, KS. With a team of 55–65 people, we’re small enough that one person can truly shape how purchasing, inventory availability, and vendor support work across the business.
Our one-year-old facility is modern, clean, and efficient, with up-to-date equipment, systems, and processes. We also use Acumatica ERP and a custom-built warehouse management system supported by our in-house developers, giving our team the ability to improve purchasing, inventory, and operational workflows as the business grows.
The opportunity
This role is a key connection point between what customers need, what vendors can provide, and what our warehouse must have on hand to ship accurately and on time. You’ll monitor inventory levels, create and manage purchase orders, communicate with suppliers, follow up on backorders and lead times, help resolve receiving or invoice issues, and look for opportunities to reduce cost without sacrificing quality or service. The right person is organized, proactive, comfortable with systems, and able to balance daily purchasing tasks with longer-term vendor and inventory improvement work.
What you’ll own
Purchasing & vendor support
• Create, review, and manage purchase orders to support customer demand and inventory availability
• Communicate with vendors regarding pricing, lead times, availability, order status, backorders, substitutions, and delivery expectations
• Maintain accurate vendor, item, cost, and purchasing information in company systems
Inventory availability & replenishment
• Monitor inventory levels, usage trends, and reorder needs to help prevent stockouts and excess inventory
• Coordinate with warehouse and operations teams to support receiving accuracy and resolve discrepancies
• Follow up on open purchase orders, delayed shipments, and vendor issues that could affect customer orders
Cost, accuracy & process improvement
• Review vendor pricing, freight costs, minimum order requirements, and purchasing patterns to identify savings opportunities
• Help maintain clean purchasing data and accurate item records so teams can make timely, informed decisions
• Support process improvements that make purchasing, replenishment, receiving, and vendor communication more efficient
Cross-functional coordination
• Work closely with sales, warehouse, customer service, accounting, and leadership to keep product and information flowing
• Communicate clearly when supplier delays, pricing changes, substitutions, or availability issues may affect the business
• Assist with invoice, receiving, and purchase order discrepancies by researching details and coordinating resolution
• Use Acumatica ERP, spreadsheets, email, vendor portals, and internal tools to manage purchasing work accurately and efficiently