Purchasing Agent

JOB SUMMARY:

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for executing purchasing activities with a focus on accuracy, timeliness, and vendor coordination. This role manages routine and job-specific orders, participates in quoting and sourcing activities, and supports broader procurement goals. Agents are expected to demonstrate sound purchasing judgment, a strong understanding of systems and vendors, and an increasing familiarity with the fire and life safety industry.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Perform daily purchasing responsibilities, including issuing POs for job and inventory needs in Oracle Fusion.
• Manage standard RFQs and coordinate sourcing efforts for assigned categories or branch needs.
• Communicate with vendors to confirm pricing, availability, delivery timelines, and freight terms.
• Monitor order acknowledgments and lead times; proactively follow up to ensure on-time delivery.
• Support inventory purchasing based on usage patterns and stocking plans.
• Identify and suggest alternate products or vendors when needed due to cost, availability, or urgency.
• Collaborate with Accounts Payable, Warehouse, and Field Operations to resolve order or invoice discrepancies.
• Use Salesforce Lightning to support quoting visibility and maintain communication with internal stakeholders.
• Ensure purchasing records, part details, and system fields are accurate and compliant with policy.
• Assist in the training of new Specialists through informal peer support.
• Escalate complex issues to the Purchasing Lead or Supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

The qualifications listed below are representative of the elements required to perform the job successfully, however in some cases, an equivalent combination of Education, Training, Certifications and Experience may meet the job qualifications.

Education, Training, Certifications:

• Associate's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field preferred. Equivalent work experience may be accepted in lieu of formal education.

Experience, Knowledge, Skill Requirements:

• 3+ years of purchasing or procurement experience, strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting job-based purchasing and/or inventory replenishment.
• Industry experience in construction, fire protection, or technical service environments, preferred.
• Familiarity with vendor programs, sourcing logic, and purchasing standards.

Communication Skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with vendors, internal teams, and operations leaders.
• Clear and professional documentation practices.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, required.
• Experience with Oracle Fusion, highly preferred.
• Experience with Salesforce Lightning, preferred.

Systems and Software Skills:

Other Qualifications:

• Valid driver's license with acceptable driving record required.
• Must be able to comply with Summit's Drug and Alcohol Policy and Background screening requirements, which may also include customer specific requirements based on contractual agreements.

PHYSICAL & WORK ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform Essential Job Duties.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for long periods. Employee will occasionally be required to drive, bend, kneel, balance, lift <20lb, walk, stand, ascend/descend stairs, reach above and below shoulders, stoop, and twist.

Work Environment:

Employee will consistently be required to work indoors in an office or remote setting, sit or stand for extended periods of time, and work alone and with others. The employee will be occasionally required to travel.

We are fully committed to equal opportunities for employment to all individuals regardless of race, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, familial status, and any other classification protected under the law. We are an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer.

While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position, management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary.

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