Purchasing Agent

About the role

Meritage Homes is looking for a highly motivated Purchasing Agent to join our Salt Lake City Division. This role offers an excellent opportunity for an ambitious professional to take ownership of meaningful purchasing initiatives, drive measurable business results, and develop into broader purchasing and leadership responsibilities within a growing homebuilding organization. In this role, you will partner closely with Construction, Sales, Finance, Design, and Land Development teams to influence key business decisions, improve operational performance, and help optimize the company's trade partner network, costs, and purchasing processes.

Responsibilities

• Own vendor and trade partner issues through resolution, identifying root causes and implementing solutions to prevent recurring pricing, invoicing, and contract discrepancies.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing trade partners while identifying and cultivating new trade sources to strengthen capacity, improve performance, and increase competition.
• Lead assigned bid events, evaluate proposals based on total value, negotiate terms, and present recommendations to leadership.
• Analyze costs, specifications, and purchasing opportunities to identify and drive measurable savings through strategic sourcing, negotiation, and value engineering initiatives.
• Review house budgets, identify cost anomalies and margin risks, and recommend corrective actions to improve financial performance.
• Collaborate across Construction, Sales, Finance, Design, and Land Development teams to ensure successful project execution and achievement of business objectives.
• Communicate product, specification, and pricing changes to internal stakeholders and trade partners.
• Identify purchasing and trade partner issues that may impact starts, cycle times, quality, production flow, or customer experience and recommend solutions.
• Assist with month-end cost analysis and accrual processes to support accurate financial reporting.
• Utilize data and reporting tools to evaluate purchasing performance, support decision-making, and uncover process improvement opportunities.
• Lead special projects and present recommendations to division leadership, providing opportunities for future growth and advancement within Purchasing.

Qualifications

• High school equivalency required; Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
• 0-3 years of relevant experience. Internship experience, construction industry exposure, supply chain projects, leadership experience, or demonstrated business accomplishments are highly valued.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate data, identify trends, and make recommendations.
• Advanced Excel skills preferred and a willingness to learn JD Edwards, BuildPro, and other business reporting systems.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints and construction documents is a plus.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ownership, accountability, and follow-through.
• Intellectual curiosity and a bias for action, with the ability to learn quickly and operate effectively with limited direction.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and collaborate across multiple functions.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Benefits

• A work environment that encourages creativity and innovative ideas from every level
• An organization that lives by its core values everyday
• Team atmosphere where every individual is considered a vital asset
• State of the art technology to provide an optimal working environment
• A competitive pay structure
• Strong benefits
• Flexibility in work-life integration
• Team-oriented environment where all individuals play an integral role in the company
• Opportunity to further your career in a growing national organization
• Maintain a competitive drive to be the best