SUMMARY: The Purchasing Assistant supports day-to-day procurement and inventory operations by sourcing materials, maintaining supplier relationships, and ensuring the timely and cost-effective acquisition of office, cleaning, dry goods, warehouse, and other supplies.  This position plays a key role in maintaining accurate inventory levels, resolving purchasing and delivery issues, and ensuring data integrity across systems.  Strongly collaborates with operations, receiving, accounting and vendors to reconcile orders, support new item launches, and maintain continuity of supply to support continuous operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Obtain quotes, prices, delivery, and other information to assist buyers
• Purchase office, cleaning, dry goods, and warehouse supplies as per processes and guidelines
• Build positive and productive supplier relationships
• Monitor, communicate, and resolve purchase and delivery exceptions
• Take physical counts of inventory to verify systems data and adjust as needed
• Maintain target inventory levels and manage aged or discontinued inventory
• Work with vendors on material returnsAssist receiving and accounting to reconcile purchase orders and invoicing
• Employ system tools to analyze items and category performance to avoid disruptions
• Manage/maintain data, specification, and other records.  Produce reports
• Ensure cost accuracy on purchases and resolve invoice discrepancies
• Work cross functionally within the organization to successfully launch new items
• Actively engage in team and project meetings
• Distribute supplies to internal team members
• Special projects as assigned
• Various other administrative tasks and projects

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize work effectively under pressure while focused on meeting all applicable deadlines
• Ability to work independently with minimal direct supervision
• Proficiency with Microsoft D365 including excel, word, Teams, PP
• Prior ERP experience a plus (or ability to learn Microsoft AX)
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily
• Must have the ability to reason and solve problems, be self-motivated
• Attention to detail

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

Associate’s degree plus or combination of education and experience plus one to three years of related experience.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Work is performed in both an office setting with standard equipment such as computers, and phones where the noise level is generally quiet to moderately loud and in storage areas and the manufacturing plant and is exposed to refrigerated (35-40 degrees) and wet conditions.   The noise level in the plant is usually loud.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

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 use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is required to sit, stand, walk, sit climb or balance, and smell.

The employee must occasionally lift and/ or move up to 25 pounds.

Company Overview 

Kayem Foods is a family owned and operated craft meat business that has been making New England’s favorite franks, sausages, and prepared meats in Chelsea, Mass. since its founding by Kaz Monkiewicz back in 1909. Well over 100 years later, we are the largest meat processor in New England and still pushing our craft to the next level – tweaking recipes to have the perfect flavors and extending our expertise into delicious new areas and collaborations – such as Kayem’s Night Shift Brewing Small Batch Beer Brats. One thing will never change, it’s our “Old World” food philosophy: to only make food we would share with our own friends and family. We offer the opportunity for professional growth and to make a difference in a flexible and collaborative environment.

Kayem offers competitive wages and benefits to full time employees. Kayem benefits include:

• Healthcare Insurance, and Dental (pre-tax and effective first day of employment)
• Vision (pre-tax and effective the 1st day of the month after start of employment)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Plan (Health Care Reimbursement and Dependent Care (effective 1st day of employment)
  Reimbursement)
• Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (effective 1st day of employment and no cost to employee)
• Safe Harbor 401(K) Retirement Plan (with employer matching contributions of up to 3% plus 50% of your contributions up to 5%)
• Vacation Pay, Paid Time Off (PTO) and Holidays
• Education Reimbursement (eligible after 6 months of continuous employment and up to $3,000 for career development)
• Opt-Out Medical Rebate, Doctor on Demand, and Wellness Initiatives for those who are eligible!

Pay Range

The base pay range for this role is $20.00 - 28.00 USD/Hourly 

The listed salary range represents Kayem Foods’ good faith estimate for this position and represents the minimum and maximum for new hire pay ranges.

Ranges are reviewed on a regular basis. An employee’s rate of pay within the range is determined by their qualifications, relevant experience, and demonstrated performance over time. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical to allow for future and continued wage growth. This position is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package and is eligible for an annual wage review.  Kayem Foods complies with all federal, state, and local minimum wage laws.