Buyer

Johnson Outdoors•Mankato, MN

12d•Onsite

About The Position

At Johnson Outdoors, home to some of the world’s most innovative and best-known outdoor recreation brands, we create amazing outdoor experiences - for adventurers, by adventurers. Check out each of the unique Johnson Outdoors brands in Fishing, Camping, Watercraft and Diving! Come help shape the future growth of Johnson Outdoors and our Fishing brands by playing a key role within the Materials Management department. Located at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mankato, Minnesota, the Buyer is responsible for the procurement of materials, daily supplier performance management, purchasing issue resolution, and MRP-driven supply execution to support manufacturing and customer demand. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong ability to use analytics and automation tools such as approved AI for continuous improvement of supply chain management to support delivery of business results.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, purchasing or equivalent.
Typically requires a minimum of 2 years of buying/procurement in a manufacturing consumer goods environment.
Excellent quantitative and analytical skills, along with a strong attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems and analyze possible solutions using technical experience and judgment.
Proficiency in using MRP software, Excel and automation tools to create analytics that create actionable insights.
Strong working knowledge of supply chain management, production planning, and inventory control methods.
Knowledge and strong understanding of receiving, manufacturing engineering, quality and material flow processes.
Excellent interpersonal/communication skills to communicate with multiple internal teams, external vendors/suppliers and various levels of employees.
Strong attention to data integrity, systems discipline, confidentiality and supplier-facing professionalism.

Responsibilities

Material planning and MRP execution: Purchase materials to ensure supply meets MRP planned order requirements and supports on-time delivery for domestic and global demand.
Demand, forecast, and inventory alignment: Ensure international, subsidiary, and miscellaneous demand requirements are accurately incorporated into monthly purchasing actions as required by the business unit. Review annual forecast requirements with planning to ensure inventory availability and participate in determining disposition of excess and obsolete materials.
Order placement, supplier follow-up, and delivery management: Place purchase orders, manage supplier delivery schedules, and maintain accurate order status in the system of record. Use analytics and automation tools to summarize supplier status, identify overdue confirmations, and escalate issues as appropriate. Ensure supplier communications remain accurate, professional, and aligned with contract terms, sourcing strategy, and company commitments.
Risk identification, shortage management, and issue resolution: Identify potential issues and continuously monitor and resolve disconnects such as anticipated product shortages, nonconforming material, and excess or obsolete material. Use predictive indicators, supplier performance trends, and AI-assisted summaries to identify at-risk parts, capacity constraints, recovery gaps, and alternate supply options. Develop alternative solutions, assess impact on product delivery, and communicate options and resolutions to internal teams including sourcing, planning, operations, engineering, quality, and product management.
Supplier performance, contract compliance, and accountability: Manage day-to-day supplier performance and fulfillment. Evaluate and monitor contracts to ensure vendors and suppliers comply with expectations, contract terms, and conditions. Use dashboards and AI-assisted analytics to monitor supplier delivery performance, responsiveness, confirmation discipline, quality trends, and recurring root-cause themes. Clearly communicate expectations to suppliers, monitor compliance, and escalate repeated performance gaps through the appropriate sourcing or supplier management process.
Inventory partnerships and working capital improvement: Assist in the development of partnership arrangements with suppliers to manage internal inventories and vendor-consigned inventories to reduce inventory ownership and lead time. Perform inventory analysis when required, including safety stock, open order exposure, aged inventory, E&O risk, and supplier flexibility.
Quality, freight, and cost-impact collaboration: Troubleshoot and analyze quality issues in collaboration with internal and external teams to obtain resolution. Focus on reducing freight expense, material liability, and cost of managing materials through disciplined follow-up, data-based decisions, and cross-functional root-cause resolution.

Benefits

Competitive base salary
Additional earning potential through participation in the management bonus program
Eligibility for annual pay increases
Generous Paid Time Off
Holiday benefits
Full benefits package
Broad range of employee support and fitness and wellness plans
Performance development and training opportunities
Tuition assistance program
Collaborative and casual work environment
Fun company events
Employee discounts on outdoor recreational products
401(k) with company match
Deferred retirement contributions
Sons & Daughters Scholarship program
College savings program
Life and LTD insurance