Junior Buyer

About the role

UTEX Industries is a leading manufacturer of engineered sealing solutions serving the oil and gas, industrial, and petrochemical markets. We take pride in our people, our products, and our purpose. As a Junior Buyer, you will be primarily responsible for administrative purchasing, purchase order planning, price negotiation, and delivery of goods and services.

Responsibilities

• Place purchase orders for MRO materials, services, finished, and raw materials.
• Research, select, and purchase quality products and materials.
• Review and manage workbench; make product recommendations for the entire product line based on technical knowledge of parts and applications.
• Make decisions for substitutions to competitors' products.
• Build relationships with suppliers and negotiate for the best pricing.
• Manage purchase orders, process requisitions, and update management on order status.
• Monitor all open purchase orders, including move outs, push ins, and cancellations.
• Ensure cost, lead time, and safety stock levels are updated.
• Develop and enforce system purchases and scheduling techniques.
• Maintain customer focus (internal and external) and meet deadlines.
• Work with the plant team to ensure deliveries are received according to assigned purchase orders and report discrepancies.
• Maintain proper inventories for finished goods, raw materials, and buyout materials.
• Perform system maintenance in preparation for inventory.
• Demonstrate problem-solving, decision-making, and ability to cope with pressure.
• Exhibit strong interpersonal skills, particularly in negotiating.
• Collaborate and work effectively as part of a team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience as a Junior Buyer, Purchasing Associate, or similar role within a manufacturing environment.
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Regularly required to talk and hear.
• Significant lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling.
• Significant fine finger dexterity.
• Standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing throughout the day.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Schedule

This is a full-time position. Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the employee must be available during core work hours as defined by the company. Evening and weekend hours may be required as job duties demand.

Benefits

• Competitive pay.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid time off and holiday pay.
• Career development and training opportunities.
• A company culture rooted in respect, innovation, and collaboration.