Senior Purchasing Agent

Electronic Power Design•Houston, TX

About The Position

The mission of Electronic Power Design, Inc. is to craft quality electrical equipment for our clients and uphold a standard of excellence in the engineering, design, and manufacturing process. We strive to improve the quality of life of our employees by creating a work environment conducive to personal development, success, and fulfillment. We are driven by our vision of being the preferred manufacturer, electrical systems integrator, and worldwide service company by providing our clients with value-added solutions that power their lives. At Electronic Power Design, Inc. (EPD), we don't just build electrical equipment—we power industries and change lives. Our mission is to deliver top-quality electrical solutions while fostering an environment where employees thrive. We believe in innovation, collaboration, and empowering our people to reach their full potential. We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Senior Purchasing Agent to support EPD's Purchasing team by executing advanced procurement activities, strengthening supplier relationships, and ensuring materials are available to support production and customer commitments. This senior-level role is responsible for managing complex purchasing assignments, maintaining accurate ERP purchasing data, expediting critical materials, mentoring Purchasing Agents, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives throughout the procurement process. Working closely with Supply Chain, Warehouse, Engineering, Production, Quality, Accounting, Project Management, and Operations, the Senior Purchasing Agent plays a key role in maintaining supplier performance, improving purchasing accuracy, reducing material risk, and ensuring reliable material availability across EPD's manufacturing operations.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required
Minimum 5 years of purchasing, procurement, sourcing, buyer, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
Experience using ERP systems such as Global Shop Solutions (GSS), SAP, Epicor, Oracle, Infor, or similar platforms.
Strong understanding of purchase order management, supplier communication, expediting, inventory support, and procurement processes.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including reporting, pivot tables, lookups, and procurement analysis.
Excellent communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Experience mentoring, training, or supporting Purchasing Agents or junior procurement personnel.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Operations, Procurement, or related field preferred.
Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP), Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), or APICS CPIM certification.
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt or Green Belt certification.
Experience in electrical equipment, switchgear, industrial manufacturing, or engineer-to-order (ETO) environments.
Experience supporting supplier performance improvement, procurement analytics, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Execute purchasing activities for assigned commodities, suppliers, projects, inventory items, and critical production materials.
Prepare, release, maintain, and update purchase orders within Global Shop Solutions (GSS).
Coordinate supplier acknowledgments, delivery confirmations, expediting activities, and purchase order follow-up.
Monitor supplier performance and support alternate sourcing, quote comparisons, and procurement risk mitigation.
Serve as a senior resource for Purchasing Agents by providing guidance on purchasing processes, supplier communication, and ERP best practices.
Support onboarding and training of Purchasing Agents while reinforcing purchasing standards and department procedures.
Assist with supplier escalations, purchase order corrections, invoice discrepancies, and receiving issues.
Promote collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across the Purchasing team.
Partner with Supply Chain, Warehouse, Production, Engineering, Project Management, Quality, Accounting, and Operations to support material availability.
Coordinate supplier non-conformance activities and corrective actions with Quality and suppliers.
Support Purchasing Supervisor initiatives related to Kanban replenishment, material shortages, and procurement priorities.
Communicate supplier risks, delivery concerns, and recommended recovery plans to leadership.
Monitor open purchase orders, overdue deliveries, supplier commitments, and procurement metrics.
Support purchase price variance (PPV) reviews and supplier cost analysis.
Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier documentation, and ERP data integrity.
Recommend process improvements that strengthen supplier performance, purchasing efficiency, and operational visibility.