Purchasing Operations Coordinator

Local Eclectic•Chicago, IL

20d

About The Position

The Purchasing Operations Coordinator manages the administrative execution and tracking of purchase orders from placement through final receipt. The role ensures purchase orders are accurately created and maintained in GoodDay, delivery timelines are current, and communication flows smoothly among vendors, Buying, Demand Planning, Warehouse Operations, and Accounts Payable. As the primary point of contact for PO-related vendor communication, the coordinator monitors incoming shipments, coordinates receiving and discrepancy resolution with the warehouse, and ensures purchase orders are reconciled and closed in the system. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple orders and follow-ups at once. Success in this role means purchase orders are accurately entered, confirmed, tracked, and maintained in GoodDay; expected shipping and arrival dates are current and delays are communicated proactively; Warehouse Operations has clear visibility into incoming shipments; discrepancies are resolved or documented promptly; purchase orders are closed accurately and on time; Accounts Payable has the information needed to process invoices and payments; and vendor contacts and delivery performance records are consistently maintained.

Requirements

1–2 years of experience in purchasing coordination, buying operations, merchandising, inventory administration, logistics, or a related field preferred.
Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail.
Comfort working across multiple systems, spreadsheets, and administrative processes.
Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills.
Proactive follow-through and ability to manage multiple deadlines and outstanding requests.
Comfort communicating with vendors and collaborating across internal teams.
Ability to identify discrepancies, ask questions, and escalate issues when needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience with inventory, purchasing, or ERP systems.
Experience with GoodDay.

Responsibilities

Create and issue purchase orders in GoodDay after Buying approval, ensuring order details are accurate and complete.
Send purchase orders to vendors for confirmation and resolve administrative questions or discrepancies.
Maintain GoodDay as the central source of truth for PO details, vendor contacts, order statuses, and expected ship and arrival dates.
Keep PO statuses and delivery timelines current, proactively flagging delays, changes, and exceptions to appropriate teams.
Coordinate order updates, split shipments, and delivery timing changes with Buying and Demand Planning.
Serve as the primary vendor contact for purchase orders, confirmations, shipping timelines, tracking, receiving discrepancies, and operational questions.
Maintain accurate vendor contact information, communication records, and relevant documentation, including approved terms and agreements.
Follow up with vendors to confirm ship dates, obtain tracking information, resolve delivery questions, and keep orders moving.
Maintain vendor delivery report cards to track on-time performance, late shipments, and recurring fulfillment issues.
Build positive, professional vendor relationships through timely communication, consistent follow-up, and clear expectations.
Monitor incoming purchase orders and maintain visibility into expected deliveries and shipment tracking.
Communicate incoming shipments and arrival-time changes to Warehouse Operations to help prioritize receipts.
Partner with Demand Planning and vendors to coordinate and stagger incoming shipments, smoothing receipt timing and avoiding large, concentrated deliveries whenever possible.
Act as the primary communication link between vendors and the warehouse for delivery, receiving, or order questions.
Confirm with Warehouse Operations that purchase orders have been received and quantities align with the original order.
Investigate missing, incorrect, damaged, or otherwise discrepant quantities with the warehouse and vendors, escalating unresolved issues as needed.
Close purchase orders in GoodDay after receipt is confirmed and discrepancies are resolved or appropriately documented.
Partner with Accounts Payable on PO-related questions, receiving discrepancies, and outstanding vendor payment inquiries.
Ensure purchase orders reflect confirmed orders and final receipts so Accounts Payable has the information needed to process invoices and payments.
Coordinate with vendors and Accounts Payable on outstanding payment questions, identifying missing information or documentation and routing issues to the appropriate owner.
Communicate recurring delivery issues, outstanding discrepancies, and other exceptions to Buying, Demand Planning, and relevant stakeholders.
Maintain organized records and follow established processes supporting accurate purchasing, inventory receiving, and financial administration.