Buyer

About the role

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. Dominating this space across the world takes a team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together.

Responsibilities

• Research and evaluate price, availability, quality, and warranties (as applicable).
• Place purchase orders for supplies, equipment, and services needed; keep blanket orders in place for long lead time items and new projects as they arise regarding inventory and new supply requirements.
• Meet with suppliers regularly to discuss delivery and quality issues.
• Verify that all items required for production, maintenance, and packaging arrive in sufficient timeliness to meet production schedules.
• Maintain minimum levels of inventoried items to accommodate insufficient warehouse space.
• Perform all duties within OSHA and company safety standards; wear PPE and maintain safety equipment (as applicable).
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work area; immediately report all accidents and deficiencies to management.
• Identify what is required to package product on the production schedule and verify inventory needs.
• Purchase all materials, equipment, supplies, and services for the plant in accordance with prescribed purchasing regulations and procedures.
• Ensure all requirements are accurately entered into SAP, producing purchase orders and/or stock transfers.
• Communicate with vendors to order or release supplies, ensuring weekly schedule demands are met on time.
• Work with logistics to arrange transportation (as needed).
• Check outside inventories each week as to what is warehoused at supplier facilities.
• Place orders for items that require longer lead times such as film and caddies.
• Negotiate component pricing, order, release blanket purchase orders, and schedule deliveries to ensure production schedules are achieved while maintaining acceptable inventory levels.
• Verify physical inventory, perform root cause analysis of inventory discrepancies, and implement corrective action.
• Review purchasing and receiving records; process invoices in a timely manner and ensure that discounts (if applicable) are applied.
• Work closely with Accounting (A/P) to ensure invoices are accurate; research and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Verify large swing items at period end.
• Contact suppliers on bad items and ensure that it is sent back, with the proper credit received.
• Meet with vendors on a regular basis to discuss issues (e.g., bad supplies, outdated materials, new projects, shipping problems).
• Keep in contact with suppliers that have longer lead times to ensure materials are produced on time.
• Receive inventory and supply requirements from appropriate supervisors on a weekly basis (as needed).
• Set up new vendors.
• Be flexible to work hours beyond and/or outside regular schedule to ensure proper coverage for the position when needed.
• Perform duties in an independent manner with minimal direction.
• Suggest improvements and continuously improve the quality of all support activities.
• Adhere to all company personnel policies.

Requirements

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to adapt in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to independently manage and organize individual projects and work as part of a team.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and/or maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, spelling, and grammar in English.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Must demonstrate the Link Snacks Values: Be Real, Relationship Driven, Stewardship, Speed Matters, Self Discipline, Show Awesome Character.
• Must be able to pass a drug screen.
• Regular attendance is essential.

Skills

• Knowledge of SAP preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency of computers, office equipment, and Microsoft Office suite.

Pay

The hiring range for this position is $60,000–$80,000 annually. Actual wages will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Link Snacks’ Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Life and disability insurance
• 401(k) participation
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off

Schedule

Flexible to work hours beyond and/or outside regular schedule to ensure proper coverage for the position when needed.

Physical demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Work environment

The work environment is a plant/office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. Travel may be required.