Purchasing Agent (Bridgeport - CT)

JOIN US AND "CREATE YOUR VISION"

ABOUT US

S&S Activewear is a leading North American, tech-enabled specialty distributor of imprintable apparel, including t-shirts, fleece, athletic wear, headwear, workwear, scrubs and accessories. We pride ourselves on being the “critical link” that enables our 100+ brand partners such as Adidas, Columbia and Gildan to reach our hyper-fragmented base of customers, comprised of apparel decorators, eRetailers and promotional products distributors that embellish apparel items for diverse end consumer use cases (e.g., everyday wear, concerts, fitness attire, life events, team sports, etc.). At S&S, we differentiate in the market through a customer service focus, strategic product portfolio, world-class distribution infrastructure, a collaborative growth culture and a relentless focus on technology and innovation.

Our success has compounded since the Company’s humble beginnings in 1988 as a regional t-shirt distributor to a leading, multi-billion-dollar value-added distribution platform that drives market penetration for our suppliers while enabling the growth, operations and fulfillment for a diverse range of customers across channels and business sizes. We strive to be the apparel distributor of choice while inspiring and fostering growth for customers, employees and suppliers through our core values of service, deep relationships, innovation, continuous improvement and accountability.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for supporting the day-to-day relationship with various internal departments as well as suppliers within their assigned commodities as well as quality, delivery, and cost processes. Assist in Purchasing transition between new product introduction and replenishment.

This position is part of our PRIME division, operating under the S&S Activewear parent company. PRIME plays a key role in delivering specialized solutions while aligning with the broader mission and values of S&S Activewear.

Monday - Friday, Full-Time, Exempt

Onsite - Bridgeport - CT (Hybrid Available)

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Ensure the day-to-day tasks of the purchasing department are being executed in a timely fashion, including, but not limited to, parts issues, quality concerns, supplier issues, process changes, etc.
• Work closely with Senior Purchasing Manager on cost reduction, inventory reduction and quality improvement initiatives involving both external and internal customers/suppliers.
• Assist in Engineering Change Orders (ECO) process, purchasing involvement from initiation to production line through completion.
• Coordination with Engineering to correct system and Bill of Materials (BOM) issues.
• Identification of problem areas, initiate corrective actions and establish problem resolution dates.
• Issue purchase orders and ensure that material is delivered in optimal quantities and at the right time while maintaining high quality standards as designed to this specific role.
• Work with supplier to mitigate delivery issues that could cause a disruption to the production line. Communicate delivery issues to other departments as necessary in a timely manner as relevant to assigned projects or tasks.
• Resolve and justify all purchase price variances (PPV)
• Work with Quality department to resolve any First Article (FA) and Project related supplier issues.
• Support other buyers with difficult requests and quotes
• Assist in recommending planning parameters based on LT, EOQ and MOQ
• Directly supports Customer Service and Production teams
• Complete other duties as assigned

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of real-life working experience as a buyer required.
• 7 years’ experience in purchasing and acquisition or other related to this position
• 3 years’ Manufacturing experience required
• 3 years’ experience in New Product Introduction experience required
• Experience with various commodity sourcing
• Familiarity with understanding technical data sheets, material data sheets and part drawings
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, team building skills, and analytical skills
• Demonstrated negotiation skills creating positive relationships with suppliers
• Ability to problem solve complex issues and make effective decisions
• Ability to manage multiple priorities concurrently and efficiently
• Proficient computer skills including MS Office applications, mainframe applications and purchasing/accounting processes

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen.

Working Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

S&S Activewear welcomes people of all backgrounds and experiences and are committed to creating a diverse culture and supporting human growth. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. We conduct business without regard to sex, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, military status, status as a veteran, or any other protected characteristic. Our policy is to recruit, hire, train, promote, assign, transfer, and terminate employees based on their own ability, achievement, experience and conduct and other legitimate business reasons. S&S participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. This job offer is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.