Description: Farmers and Builders Ace Hardware is looking for a dependable, organized, and analytical Purchasing Agent to help manage purchasing and inventory across our multi-location hardware and building-material operations. This is an important position within our company. The Purchasing Agent will help ensure our stores have the products they need while controlling inventory investment, reducing stock-outs and excess inventory, and maintaining strong vendor relationships. Responsibilities: - Review inventory levels, sales history, and product demand to determine purchasing needs. - Prepare and submit purchase orders accurately and on time. - Maintain appropriate inventory levels across multiple locations. - Monitor fast-moving, seasonal, promotional, and special-order merchandise. - Identify potential stock-outs, overstocks, slow-moving merchandise, and obsolete inventory. - Communicate with vendors regarding pricing, availability, lead times, shortages, substitutions, and deliveries. - Verify vendor pricing, discounts, rebates, freight terms, and purchasing programs. - Work with store managers, operations, sales, and management to coordinate purchasing needs. - Monitor cost changes and identify opportunities to improve margins and purchasing efficiency. - Assist with vendor credits, returns, discontinued items, and inventory-reduction efforts. - Use reports and purchasing data to make informed buying decisions. - Continually look for opportunities to improve product availability, inventory turns, and company profitability. Qualifications: - Previous experience in purchasing, inventory management, retail, wholesale distribution, hardware, lumber, or building materials is preferred. - Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. - Comfortable working with numbers, reports, and inventory data. - Strong computer skills; Microsoft Excel experience is preferred. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills. - Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. - Ability to work independently and take ownership of responsibilities. - Strong judgment, integrity, and follow-through. Preferred experience: Ace Hardware, hardware retail, lumber, building materials, multi-location retail, or wholesale distribution. What We Are Looking For: - Thinks like an owner when spending company money. - Notices problems before they become emergencies. - Understands the importance of both strong in-stock levels and responsible inventory investment. - Questions unusual costs, quantities, or inventory levels. - Follows problems through until they are completely resolved. - Communicates clearly with vendors, stores, and management. - Wants to continually improve purchasing and inventory performance.