Purchasing Associate

Oshkosh Corporation•Appleton, WI

1d•$51,400 - $79,200•Onsite

About The Position

The Purchasing Associate plays a critical role within the Aftermarket and Service Parts Supply Chain organization. This position is primarily responsible for coordinating and administering daily purchasing activities that support commercial parts distribution, customer service fulfillment, and inventory replenishment. The typical role manages supplier purchase orders, monitors open order pipelines, expedites critical and emergency customer requirements (including vehicle-down orders), and maintains purchasing data integrity. The ideal candidate pairs strong organizational and analytical capabilities with clear supplier communication skills to ensure high order fill rates, accurate commercial pricing, and rapid resolution of supply chain disruptions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Logistics, or a related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and direct purchasing/order management experience.
Prior internship, co-op, or 1–2 years of experience in aftermarket parts purchasing, wholesale distribution, retail supply chain, or inventory coordination.
Hands-on experience navigating ERP/MRP platforms (e.g., JD Edwards, SAP, Epicor, or similar inventory systems) for purchase order entry, supplier inquiry, and order tracking.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, data filtering) to manage large order reports and track supplier delivery performance.
Strong sense of urgency and ability to prioritize competing customer order requirements in a dynamic, high-mix distribution environment.
Professional written and verbal communication skills with the confidence to negotiate lead-time improvements, hold vendors to delivery dates, and resolve discrepancies.
Exceptional organizational skills, accurate data entry, and thorough follow-through on open orders and unresolved invoice inquiries.

Responsibilities

Create, review, issue, and maintain purchase orders for aftermarket replacement parts, commercial components, and inventory replenishment.
Proactively manage supplier order books, track unacknowledged orders, resolve delivery date slippages, and execute order defers, expedites, and cancellations based on customer demand shifts.
Interface daily with commercial suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors via phone, email, and supplier portals to accelerate high-priority orders and emergency customer service requests.
Review purchase price variances (PPV), investigate PO-to-invoice price discrepancies alongside Accounts Payable, and verify supplier catalog pricing and discount terms.
Run and analyze weekly open purchase order reports, supplier on-time delivery (OTD) scorecards, past-due order trackers, and inventory replenishment metrics.
Issue Requests for Quotation (RFQs) for commercial off-the-shelf components, standard hardware, and replacement parts; summarize vendor quotes, lead times, and terms to support purchasing decisions.
Partner closely with Aftermarket Customer Service, Parts Sales, Warehouse & Logistics, and Accounting to communicate delivery ETAs, address backorders, and resolve receiving discrepancies.
Participate in supply chain optimization projects, supplier performance reviews, process standardization, and system enhancement initiatives.