Material Sourcing Specialist – Fabrication

thyssenkrupp Materials•Richburg, SC

About The Position

Leads material sourcing and purchasing for the fabrication business. Owns relationships with mills, service centers, and other material suppliers, sourcing and negotiating for total cost, availability, and lead time. The role covers non-flat products—including bar, tube, structural, and other long products—not covered by existing product managers. Partners with inside sales, estimators, and outside processors to ensure awarded jobs are supplied on time and at the quoted margin. The position sources and purchases material for fabrication jobs, provides current material pricing and availability during quoting, and develops supply sources and mill programs to support growth. It manages material and subcontracting purchase orders in SAP, vendor acknowledgements, supplier records, performance data, and order updates. The role also monitors metals pricing and lead times, coordinates quality and logistics activities, resolves purchasing and invoice discrepancies, identifies savings opportunities, and travels for supplier visits as needed.

Requirements

3–5 years of purchasing or material sourcing experience in metals, steel service centers, or manufacturing.
Proven experience negotiating with mills or major material suppliers.
Working knowledge of steel, aluminum, and stainless products, grades, and forms.
Experience with SAP or another ERP system for purchase orders and vendor management.
Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in the MS Office Suite.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, or a related field.
Experience sourcing long products, tube, bar, or structural material.
Experience purchasing for fabrication or subcontracted (outside processing) work.
Familiarity with metals market indicators and surcharge structures.
Strong interpersonal skills for working daily with mill contacts, vendors, and internal customers.
Ability to manage many open orders and priorities at once with strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

Source and purchase materials for fabrication jobs, including products not covered by existing product managers.
Build and manage relationships with mills, service centers, and distributors; negotiate pricing, terms, minimums, and lead times.
Provide estimators with material pricing and availability during quoting.
Develop new supply sources and mill programs for new material lines and long products.
Enter and manage material purchase orders and fabrication subcontracting orders in SAP.
Obtain and verify vendor acknowledgements and manage changes to cost, quantity, and delivery dates.
Communicate purchase order updates, delays, and risks to sales and operations.
Set up and maintain vendors in SAP, including storage locations and required documentation.
Maintain the vendor heat map and supplier performance data, including on-time delivery.
Monitor metals market pricing, surcharges, and lead-time trends, and advise sales and leadership of their impact.
Reconcile purchase and invoice discrepancies and invoice customers on tkss and KM orders.
Work with quality on material certifications, supplier issues, and corrective actions.
Coordinate inbound freight and receiving with logistics to keep awarded jobs on schedule.
Identify cost-saving and consolidation opportunities across the supply base.
Travel as needed for mill and supplier visits.