Buyer II

Crane Engineering Sales LLC • Kimberly, WI

8d

About The Position

The Buyer II is responsible for the day-to-day procurement and supplier coordination required to support the design and manufacture of custom-engineered skid systems. This position manages purchasing activities across multiple concurrent customer projects, ensuring materials, components, fabricated items, and subcontracted services are purchased at the right cost and delivered in accordance with project schedules and technical requirements. Working closely with Project Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Finance, the Buyer converts project requirements and bills of material into executable purchasing plans, places and manages purchase orders, expedites critical materials, resolves supplier issues, and maintains accurate purchasing and delivery information within the ERP system. Because the business operates in a custom, engineered-to-order environment, the Buyer must be comfortable working with changing requirements, project-specific components, long-lead equipment, technical specifications, and schedule-driven priorities. Success in this role requires strong follow-through, attention to detail, supplier communication, commercial judgment, and the ability to proactively identify material risks before they impact fabrication or customer delivery commitments.

Requirements

• Associate degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering Technology, Operations, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Three to five years of purchasing, procurement, material planning, or supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting engineered-to-order, make-to-order, industrial equipment, process systems, machinery, fabrication, or project-based manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Experience purchasing mechanical, electrical, fabricated, or industrial components preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage purchase orders from request through delivery and issue resolution.
• Experience obtaining quotations, comparing supplier proposals, and negotiating price and delivery requirements.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems required; experience with purchasing and inventory transactions strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Outlook.
• Experience reading bills of material, drawings, technical specifications, or equipment data sheets preferred.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage a high volume of open purchase orders across multiple simultaneous projects.
• Strong sense of urgency and follow-through, particularly when project schedules are at risk.
• Ability to distinguish between routine purchasing activity and items requiring immediate escalation.
• Strong supplier communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to professionally challenge supplier commitments and obtain realistic recovery plans when deliveries are at risk.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyze cost, lead-time, delivery, and supplier-performance information to make sound purchasing decisions.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining awareness of overall project priorities.
• Ability to work effectively with Engineering, Project Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and suppliers.
• Comfortable working in an environment where engineering requirements and project priorities may change during execution.
• Ability to understand the downstream impact that purchasing decisions have on fabrication schedules, project cost, customer delivery, and overall project performance.
• Professional integrity, sound judgment, and a collaborative, customer-focused approach.

Nice To Haves

• Associate degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering Technology, Operations, or a related field.
• Experience supporting engineered-to-order, make-to-order, industrial equipment, process systems, machinery, fabrication, or project-based manufacturing.
• Experience purchasing mechanical, electrical, fabricated, or industrial components.
• Experience with purchasing and inventory transactions within ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience reading bills of material, drawings, technical specifications, or equipment data sheets.

Responsibilities

• Manage purchasing activities across multiple concurrent customer projects, ensuring materials, components, fabricated items, and subcontracted services are purchased at the right cost and delivered in accordance with project schedules and technical requirements.
• Convert project requirements and bills of material into executable purchasing plans.
• Place and manage purchase orders.
• Expedite critical materials.
• Resolve supplier issues.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and delivery information within the ERP system.
• Demonstrate and promote Crane’s core values: Act with Integrity and Respect, Foster Teamwork, Focus on the Customer, Strive for Excellence and Innovation, Project Passion and Energy, and Have Fun.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree