Job Summary
A Steel Buyer is responsible for effectively sourcing and procuring metal coils, steel tubing, sheet metal, and related products in conjunction with plant management, and the strategic sales team.
Works under general supervision; relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish tasks; a certain degree of creativity, commercial awareness, and latitude is required.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
- Identifies qualified steel mills, service centers, distributors, and processors whose capabilities align with the material, quality, volume, and delivery needs of the assigned facilities.
- Develops and maintains relationships with sales and management at key suppliers and translates those relationships into competitive pricing, reliable supply, favorable terms, and strategic purchasing programs.
- Procures metal coils, steel tubing, sheet metal, and related products that meet or exceed the quality, specification, service, lead-time, and price requirements of the assigned facilities.
- Procures mixed materials such as Foam, Hardware, HDPE, and any other miscellaneous items pertaining to projects.
- Provides current steel market intelligence and well-supported forecasts for pricing, availability, lead times, mill capacity, surcharges, and future market direction.
- Develops and maintains a clear understanding of the manufacturing processes, equipment capabilities, steel specifications, and products produced at the assigned facilities.
- Gains and maintains an understanding of each facility’s manufacturing capabilities, customers, products, strategic sales programs, competitors, inventory requirements, and service needs.
- Proactively recommends relevant steel products, grades, gauges, dimensions, sourcing options, and buying strategies to the strategic sales team and plant management.
- Helps grow sales and margin by partnering with the strategic sales team and plant management on material selection, cost estimates, supplier options, lead times, and quote feasibility.
- Operates purchasing and inventory software efficiently and accurately as follows:
- Creates, updates, and monitors purchase orders, including steel specifications, quantities, pricing, delivery dates, and supplier acknowledgments.
- Responds to and resolves claims involving quality, quantity, damage, pricing, or delivery according to Company policies.
- Navigates Cardex to monitor steel inventory, usage, open orders, aging stock, and replenishment needs across assigned facilities.
- Sets up and maintains buy lists and purchasing plans based on forecasts, inventory targets, production schedules, and strategic sales opportunities.
- Prepares market updates, purchasing analyses, inventory reports, supplier scorecards, and other reports as required.
- Performs other duties as required.
Qualifications
- Bachelor degree in business or related discipline or equivalent experience is required.
- Minimum 3 to 5 years of purchasing, supply chain, metals, manufacturing, or related industry experience.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel, Word and Outlook, and other business software.
- Working knowledge of steel weight calculations, yield, unit conversions, material utilization, freight, and business math.
- Working knowledge of steel commodity market conditions and dynamics, including mill lead times, capacity, pricing indexes, surcharges, and supply risks.
- Working knowledge of common steel grades and specifications, including coil, tube, and sheet products, with the ability to interpret gauges, dimensions, tolerances, finishes, and certifications.
The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
