Manufacturing Buyer

DeWys Manufacturing • Marne, MI

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing Buyer works alongside the Materials Manager to manage subcontracting, outside services, and assigned purchasing activities. Subcontracting is the primary focus, with responsibility from the initial request and RFQ through supplier coordination, delivery, and closeout. The role is suited to someone with manufacturing, estimating, or production experience who can read engineering drawings, manage multiple priorities, and follow through with vendors. Purchasing experience is helpful, and training may be available for candidates with strong manufacturing knowledge, sound judgment, and a willingness to learn.

The position is based in Marne, Michigan, and is full-time, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It reports to the Materials Manager. Work takes place in office and manufacturing settings, with daily computer use and communication with office and shop-floor teams. Appropriate PPE is required in designated areas.

Requirements

• 2–5 years of manufacturing, estimating, production coordination, or related technical experience.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and understand tolerances, material specifications, finishes, bills of material, and manufacturing routings.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and follow-through across multiple vendors and deadlines.
• Clear communication with suppliers and team members in office and manufacturing settings.
• Ability to investigate problems, work within established guidelines, ask technical questions, and recognize when Engineering or Quality input is needed.
• Experience using an ERP or MRP system and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work in office and manufacturing settings, including periods of sitting, standing, and walking throughout the facility; use required PPE in designated areas.

Nice To Haves

• Metal fabrication experience.
• Subcontract coordination experience.
• Purchasing experience or training.
• Outside processing experience.
• Supplier quality follow-up experience.
• Inventory transaction experience.
• Global Shop Solutions experience; experience with other ERP systems is also welcome.
• Relevant technical training or coursework in manufacturing, supply chain, or business. Practical manufacturing experience may be considered in place of formal supply chain education.
• A willingness to learn, take ownership, build trust, accept feedback, partner with others, and support continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Own subcontract projects, coordinating scope, drawing packages, quotations, approvals, purchase orders, supplier progress, shipments, completed-part delivery, and order closeout.
• Work with Engineering, Scheduling, Quality, Shipping, and Receiving to meet production and customer requirements.
• Review drawings, bills of material, and routings to verify revisions, quantities, tolerances, material specifications, finishes, and customer requirements; resolve missing or conflicting information with Engineering or Quality before releasing work.
• Coordinate supplier sourcing and quotations within approved vendor lists and purchasing guidelines; compare pricing, lead times, capacity, process capability, quality, tooling, and freight; coordinate sourcing and make-versus-buy recommendations with the Materials Manager and obtain required approvals.
• Coordinate outside services such as plating, powder coating, e-coat, heat treating, and deburring, confirming specifications, certifications, schedules, transportation needs, and completion dates.
• Purchase assigned maintenance, repair, and operations supplies and miscellaneous items by clarifying needs, obtaining quotes, placing approved orders, confirming delivery, and resolving discrepancies.
• Coordinate supplier quality resolutions for assigned subcontract, outside-service, and MRO suppliers, including NCMRs, corrective-action requests, supplier responses, returns, replacements, rework, and credits; track actions through completion with Quality.
• Investigate assigned material holds, shortages, physical quantities, and ERP transactions; coordinate counts and recovery actions, make inventory adjustments within documented guidelines, and escalate exceptions. Obtain authorized Quality disposition before releasing quality-held material.
• Obtain quotes for purchased parts and services on potential customer BOMs and communicate pricing, lead times, minimum quantities, tooling costs, and sourcing risks to support customer proposals.
• Recommend new sources and coordinate approved supplier onboarding when needed.
• Maintain accurate quotations, purchase orders, acknowledgments, revisions, pricing, due dates, and status in Global Shop Solutions; resolve order, receiving, and invoice discrepancies with suppliers and internal teams.
• Identify delays and quality concerns early, recommend recovery actions, keep the Materials Manager and affected teams informed, and support process improvements and other assigned projects.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) with matching contributions
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Training and professional development opportunities, subject to applicable plan eligibility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed