JOB POSTING
POSITION TITLE
Purchasing Agent
REPORTS TO
Corporate Purchasing Manager
POSITION SUMMARY
The purpose of this position is to execute Supply Chain strategies, and to continuously seek to improve
service outcomes through process improvement. The person in this position meets the purchasing
needs of the organization by efficiently and effectively requesting quotes, negotiating prices, and
sourcing and purchasing raw materials, other items and associated services.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Process Execution - General
 Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies, services and equipment.

Manage the PO approval process, PO revisions, supplier confirmation and storage of all purchase
orders on a secured and shared site.

Drive sourcing solutions for existing products as directed by senior managers.

Manage assigned products by maintaining or reducing costs of product ingredients, packaging and
finished goods.

Responsible for communication flow between suppliers and A/P to ensure timely and accurate
payments to suppliers.

Manage updates in the planning system to ensure accurate purchasing action messages.
Process Execution - Outsourcing

Manage orders for ingredients, print, labels and packaging to support outsourced manufacturing of
finished goods.

Manage the inventory of Cortec-supplied materials stored at outsourcing facilities or finished goods
at outsourced distribution centers; ensure they are maintained at 95% or higher perpetual accuracy.

Communicate with transportation to ensure timely pick up from suppliers and delivery to other
suppliers or distribution centers.
Vendor Management
 Manage supplier bidding process with creation of RFQs submission to suppliers and summarize
returned information as requested by the Corporate Purchasing Manager.

Monitor suppliers’ compliance with on-time delivery goals, terms, conditions, supply contracts and
product specifications.

Participate in the Product Specification creation/revision process and facilitate execution with
suppliers.

Negotiate net 30 or better payment terms with suppliers and manufacturers

Manage supplier quality issues including return material authorization, cause and corrective action
documentation and supplier credits.
Monitoring and Reporting

Monitor and report any significant market trends related to market pricing or supply constraints for
Cortec-supplied items, vendor-supplied items or manufacturing channels.

Maintain and review electronic or manual records of items purchases, costs, deliveries, product
performance and inventories.

Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and
to determine need for changes.
Planning and Analysis

Analyze purchasing trends for the White Bear Lake facility.
SECONDARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Other related duties as assigned.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Minimum Education
BA or BS required; could be offset with a combination of secondary education
directly related to purchasing and vie years or more experience in a
procurement role
Minimum Experience
Three years’ experience in a purchasing agent role; prior experience in an MRP
environment required. Procurement experience with chemicals and materials
(plastic resin and paper) strongly preferred. Experience with managing
suppliers and a solid track record of utilizing negotiation skills required. APICS,
ISM or NAPM trainings/certifications a plus.
Required Skills
Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word
Required Skills and Competencies
Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable
variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues
and problems.
Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured,
cooperative attitude.
Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
Interpersonal Skills – Job requires the ability to communicate clearly and proactively in both written and
oral settings.
Judgment and Decision-Making – Job requires the ability to prioritize projects and strategy based on
organizational goals and initiatives.
Negotiation – Job requires ability to reconcile differences with optimal outcomes for all parties
Organization – Job requires being able to maintain documentation and files in a manner that others can
readily follow and that contributes to departmental efficiency and effectiveness
Project Management – Job requires the ability to effectively manage concurrent projects
Stress Tolerance — Job requires the ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines while
maintaining a professional, positive demeanor.