Purchasing & Procurement Specialist

About the role

We are seeking a highly organized, analytical, and detail‑oriented Purchasing & Procurement Specialist to manage the day‑to‑day purchasing and procurement activities for Salzman Group. The role includes vendor relationship management, purchase order administration, inventory planning, inbound logistics, and overall procurement operations. It serves as a key liaison between vendors and internal teams, handling vendor programs, pricing updates, product changes, promotional opportunities, product and SKU data management, import logistics, reporting and analysis, and providing backup support to the Accounting Department.

Purchasing & Procurement Responsibilities

• Manage day‑to‑day purchasing and procurement activities to maintain appropriate inventory levels and support operational continuity.
• Review inventory levels, sales trends, open purchase orders, lead times, and anticipated demand to identify purchasing needs and help prevent stockouts.
• Prepare, submit, and manage purchase orders within the ERP system.
• Monitor purchase orders throughout the procurement lifecycle, ensuring quantities, costs, statuses, expected ship dates, production timelines, ETAs, and delivery dates remain accurate.
• Proactively follow up with manufacturers and vendors regarding production schedules, availability, backorders, delays, and order status.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with domestic and international manufacturers, vendors, distributors, and supply partners.
• Assist with vendor negotiations involving pricing, payment terms, freight terms, lead times, minimum order quantities (MOQs), purchasing agreements, and cost‑saving opportunities.
• Analyze purchasing trends, supplier performance, inventory levels, lead times, and procurement metrics to improve purchasing efficiency and support inventory planning.
• Support strategic sourcing, inventory forecasting, purchasing initiatives, and cost analysis through reporting and data analysis.
• Communicate backorders, delays, discontinued products, and inventory concerns to appropriate internal teams and help identify solutions or alternative sourcing.
• Identify slow‑moving, aging, discontinued, or replacement products and communicate inventory strategy and product transitions.
• Support new product introductions by coordinating initial purchasing requirements, vendor information, costs, lead times, and inventory availability.
• Maintain accurate and organized purchasing documentation, vendor records, contracts, pricing, purchase orders, receipts, and related procurement records.
• Participate in recurring vendor and manufacturer meetings to review purchasing needs, forecasts, product updates, performance, upcoming initiatives, and improvement opportunities.

Vendor Promotions & Marketing Coordination

• Review vendor and manufacturer promotional programs, sales incentives, rebates, MAP promotions, special pricing, bundles, and other promotional opportunities.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor promotional communications and ensure opportunities are reviewed and communicated internally in a timely manner.
• Coordinate vendor promotions with the Marketing team, including promotion dates, eligible products and SKUs, pricing, discounts, rebates, bundles, funding, and vendor requirements.
• Maintain a calendar or tracking system for upcoming vendor promotions, deadlines, promotional periods, and required deliverables.
• Provide Marketing with complete and accurate promotional information far enough in advance to allow proper planning and execution.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Sales, Accounting, and other applicable teams to ensure promotional pricing and program details are accurately implemented.
• Confirm inventory availability for upcoming promotions and adjust or recommend purchasing plans to support anticipated promotional demand.
• Monitor vendor communications for promotional changes, extensions, cancellations, or updated terms and promptly communicate changes to internal teams.
• Maintain supporting documentation for vendor‑funded promotions, rebates, credits, co‑op/MDF programs, and other manufacturer reimbursements.
• Coordinate with Accounting to ensure applicable vendor credits, rebates, and promotional reimbursements are properly documented, received, and reconciled.
• Follow up with vendors and internal teams on outstanding promotional items and ensure programs are carried through completion.

Import Logistics & PO Shipment Coordination

• Coordinate domestic and international inbound shipments associated with company purchase orders.
• Work with manufacturers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and transportation providers to move purchased inventory from origin to final delivery.
• Request and compare freight quotes to evaluate cost, transit time, routing, and service levels.
• Monitor inbound shipments and proactively communicate delays, exceptions, changes in ETAs, and other issues that may impact inventory availability.
• Coordinate customs clearance activities by working with customs brokers and providing required documentation.
• Review and maintain import documentation, including commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, customs documentation, and CBP Form 7501s.
• Review and reconcile freight invoices, customs duties, brokerage charges, tariffs, and shipment documentation for accuracy.
• Track freight costs, duties, tariffs, and landed costs to support accurate inventory costing and financial reporting.
• Coordinate warehouse delivery appointments and receiving schedules for inbound inventory.
• Ensure applicable PO and ERP records are updated with accurate shipment dates, ETAs, freight information, and receiving status.
• Maintain organized shipment and import documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve inbound freight costs, routing, shipment planning, and transportation service levels.

Product Data & SKU Management

• Create and maintain SKU and product records within the ERP system.
• Set up new products, including vendor information, costs, pricing, UPCs, dimensions, purchasing information, inventory settings, and product attributes.
• Maintain and audit product master data to ensure accuracy across ERP, e‑commerce, and related systems.
• Maintain accurate vendor costs, lead times, MOQs, purchasing information, and inventory settings.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Warehouse, Sales, Accounting, and other teams to maintain accurate product information.
• Support new product launches, discontinued products, replacement SKUs, vendor changes, product transitions, and ongoing product audits.
• Collaborate with Marketing to ensure product launches, pricing changes, vendor promotions, discontinued products, and replacement SKUs are communicated and implemented accurately across applicable systems.
• Research and resolve product, vendor, pricing, and purchasing‑data discrepancies.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare recurring purchasing, inventory, vendor, freight, and operational reports.
• Analyze purchasing, inventory, inbound freight, vendor, and financial data to identify trends, discrepancies, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Monitor key procurement metrics, including open purchase orders, inventory availability, lead times, supplier performance, backorders, inbound freight costs, and purchasing trends.
• Assist with inventory forecasting, purchasing forecasts, and procurement planning.
• Provide leadership with reporting and insights that support purchasing, inventory, vendor, and operational decisions.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes, controls, reporting, and vendor management.
• Assist with reporting requests, special projects, business analysis, and cross‑functional initiatives.

Cross‑Training & Accounting Department Support

• Provide backup coverage for Accounts Payable processing and vendor invoice reconciliation.
• Assist with Accounts Receivable functions, customer refunds, and payment‑related research.
• Support Amazon and other marketplace order and accounting processes.
• Perform vendor statement reconciliation and support schedules, reconciliations, and audit documentation.
• Contribute to financial reporting and account research.
• Handle other accounting and operational responsibilities as assigned.

Process Improvement & Cross‑Functional Support

• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing, procurement, vendor management, inbound logistics, inventory, and related operational processes.
• Develop and maintain departmental procedures, documentation, checklists, and standardized workflows.
• Help strengthen internal controls, documentation, and data accuracy.
• Proactively identify issues and work with internal and external partners to drive resolution.
• Participate in special projects and cross‑functional initiatives as needed.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Accounting, Finance, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant professional experience considered.
• 3+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, inventory management, or a related operational role preferred.
• 2+ years of hands‑on experience with international purchasing and/or import logistics strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing purchase orders from creation through receipt, including vendor follow‑up, production timelines, expected ship dates, ETAs, backorders, and discrepancies.
• Experience working directly with manufacturers, vendors, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and transportation providers preferred.
• Working knowledge of international shipping and import documentation (commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, customs entries/CBP Form 7501s, duties, tariffs, landed costs) strongly preferred.
• Experience working within an ERP and inventory management environment required.
• Experience with ocean, air, LTL, and other inbound freight methods preferred.
• Experience with e‑commerce, distribution, or an inventory‑