Purchasing Clerk

Birk Manufacturing•East Lyme, CT

About The Position

The Purchasing Clerk supports Birk Manufacturing’s day-to-day purchasing activities for bill of material items used in final products, production and office supplies, and miscellaneous business needs. This entry-level position assists with placing purchase orders, communicating with suppliers, tracking orders, entering purchasing and receiving information into the ERP system, and ensuring materials are received accurately and on time. The role works with internal departments and outside suppliers and offers opportunities to develop purchasing, supply chain, and manufacturing knowledge. With experience, the clerk may take on additional responsibilities in supplier sourcing, cost analysis, and vendor management.

Requirements

Attention to detail when entering and reviewing purchase orders, receipts, quantities, part numbers, pricing, and delivery dates.
Organizational skills to keep purchase orders, supplier information, and purchasing records organized and current.
Follow-through in obtaining order acknowledgements and addressing open purchase orders, late deliveries, and outstanding issues.
Clear, professional communication with suppliers and internal departments.
Reliability and accountability for assigned purchasing activities and commitments.
ERP and data-entry skills to accurately enter and maintain purchasing and receiving information.
Time-management skills to prioritize purchasing needs and manage multiple orders and deadlines.
Problem-solving skills to identify discrepancies, delays, shortages, and other purchasing issues and help determine solutions.
Ability to develop professional working relationships with suppliers and maintain consistent communication.
Willingness to develop an understanding of Birk’s products, materials, processes, and how purchasing affects production.
Ability to work effectively with Supply Chain, Production, Receiving, Quality, Engineering, Accounting, and other departments.
Learning agility to quickly learn products, materials, suppliers, systems, and purchasing processes.
Cost awareness regarding the impact of purchasing decisions on material cost, inventory, lead time, and company profitability.
Resourcefulness and willingness to research alternative suppliers, materials, or purchasing options as responsibilities grow.
Professionalism when communicating with suppliers and coworkers.
A continuous-improvement mindset, including looking for ways to improve purchasing processes, reduce delays, improve communication, and increase efficiency.

Responsibilities

Prepare and submit purchase orders to approved suppliers based on material requirements and internal requisitions or requests.
Review purchase orders for accuracy, including quantities, pricing, part numbers, specifications, and requested delivery dates.
Follow up with suppliers to obtain and verify order acknowledgements.
Track open purchase orders and communicate changes or potential delays in the ERP system and to appropriate departments.
Accurately enter purchase orders, receipts, supplier information, and other purchasing data into the ERP system.
Review packing lists and incoming materials to ensure receipts are properly documented and information is correct in the ERP system.
Work with Receiving, Supply Chain, Production, Engineering, Quality, and Accounting to resolve purchasing or material issues.
Help resolve discrepancies between purchase orders, packing slips, receipts, and invoices.
Monitor outstanding purchase orders and proactively follow up on past-due or late materials.
Help maintain accurate supplier and purchasing information in the ERP system.
Support inventory and material requirements by helping ensure components and supplies are ordered on time.
Assist with obtaining supplier quotes and pricing as requested.
As experience is gained, help identify alternative suppliers, materials, or purchasing options to improve cost, quality, lead time, or availability.