Supply Chain & Purchasing Specialist – SIGN-ON BONUS UP TO $4K
Full Time | Middleton, MA On-Site | $32 – $38 /hr Estimated pay
Sign-On Bonus up to $4K
Position Overview:
The Supply Chain & Purchasing Specialist is responsible for end-to-end procurement, supplier management, material planning, and inventory oversight within our precision sheet metal manufacturing environment. This role ensures that materials, components, and outside services are sourced competitively, delivered on time, and aligned with production and customer requirements. This is a full-time on-site role with external supplier focus, and customer priority, reporting to the Chief Operations Officer and leadership team.
Key Responsibilities:
Purchasing & Procurement
- Source, negotiate, and procure all direct raw materials (sheet metal, hardware, fasteners), fabricated components, and outside processing services (e.g., plating, anodizing, painting) from approved suppliers.
- Issue purchase orders, manage order acknowledgments, and follow up proactively to resolve delays, pricing discrepancies, or delivery issues.
- Purchase MRO items including cutting tools, abrasives, lubricants, shop supplies, safety/PPE, janitorial supplies, office supplies, and general facility items. Ensure all products sourced have Safety Data Sheets on file and are permissible to purchase.
- Obtain quotes, negotiate pricing, and place purchase orders for indirect materials, including spare parts or tooling for equipment.
- Maintain current pricing, vendor terms, and lead-time data within the ERP system.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities through competitive bidding, supplier consolidation, or alternative sourcing.
Supply Chain & Materials Planning
- Review production schedules, job travelers, and BOM requirements as needed to ensure material availability ahead of job release.
- Monitor and adjust inventory levels to balance production needs, cash flow targets, and storage constraints.
- Work closely with production, engineering, and quality teams to ensure smooth material flow across all operations.
- Track and report on supplier performance KPIs, including on-time delivery, PPV, and supplier quality metrics.
Supplier & Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing suppliers while identifying and qualifying new vendors as needed.
- Conduct periodic supplier evaluations and contribute to supplier scorecards, partnering with the SMI Quality team.
- Collaborate with suppliers to resolve quality issues, expedite orders, discuss capacity constraints, and improve service.
- Develop and implement strategic sourcing initiatives to improve product flow, such as supplier-managed inventory systems, kanbans, and LEAN systems as needed to meet business requirements and streamline work functions.
ERP, Systems, & Documentation
- Enter and maintain accurate ERP data for parts, materials, lead times, MOQ, safety stocks, and supplier information.
- Support annual and cycle inventory counts; reconcile discrepancies and drive root-cause analysis.
- Review engineering change notices (ECNs) to ensure procurement implications (pricing, materials, suppliers) are updated properly.
- Prepare purchasing and inventory-related reports for management review.
Cross functional teamwork
- Partner with Engineering on new product introductions to forecast material requirements and develop sourcing strategies.
- Assist Production with job material shortages, expediting requests, and alternative sourcing as needed.
- Work closely with Finance to resolve invoice issues and support budgeting, forecasting, and cost-reduction initiatives.
- Stay up to date with industry regulations, standards, and best practices in sheet metal manufacturing.
Qualifications & Skills
- 5+ years of purchasing or supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment; precision sheet metal or job-shop experience preferred.
- Strong negotiation skills and understanding of supplier contracts, quotes, and pricing structures.
- Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems such as JobBOSS, Global Shop, or similar. Experience with Epicor is preferred.
- Solid understanding of fabrication processes, raw materials (especially metals), and external finishing services.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-mix, low-to-medium-volume production environment.
- Intermediate proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, lookups, basic analytics).
Preferred skills:
- Experience implementing or improving purchasing workflows, inventory controls, and supplier management processes.
- APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP) or comparable training.
- Exposure to lean manufacturing concepts and continuous improvement tools.
Why Work at Salem Metal?
- Our customers and our team members are the core of our business. We’re focused on the well-being of our team members, who utilize their skills every day to meet the needs of our customers.
- We serve many markets – Medical Equipment, Measurement & Test, Industrial, Electronics, Security, Manufacturing and more – with products that improve the human condition and quality of life.
- We accomplish our work with a people-first atmosphere, with a benefits and services package provided by our PEO (Professional Employer Organization), yet we operate with the agility and drive of a small company.
- Our company leadership is on site daily. SMI has been a proud supporter of our local community for more than 55 years.
- Our new custom-built 100,000 sf state-of-the art facility in Middleton, MA is a great working environment to be in, with ample room for growth. 5S and housekeeping are part of our culture of high-performance.
- SMI’s core values are Safety, Quality, Integrity, Accountability, Collaboration, and Continuous Improvement.
- We have top-quality equipment, machinery, and tools to work with. Build your skills, learn from our in-house experts and our partners, and advance your career.
- Company celebrations, recognition events, and an annual bonus are all part of the mix at Salem Metal, Inc. People make the difference on our team.
** Salem Metal is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.
