Robert Half is partnering with a manufacturing company in Washougal to identify a Purchasing Specialist for a contract-to-permanent opportunity. This role is responsible for managing the procurement lifecycle for assigned product lines, from machining components through full assembly, while supporting high-volume purchasing operations and supplier relationships.
Key Responsibilities:
Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective vendors, conducting ongoing negotiations to secure the best pricing, lead times, quality, service, reliability, and overall supplier performance. Manage purchasing activities for complex manufacturing and aerospace/defense-related projects, overseeing procurement for product lines containing up to 700 components from project initiation through completion. Analyze supplier quotations, freight costs, logistics requirements, and expedited shipping needs to determine the most cost-effective sourcing strategies. Develop and manage blanket purchase agreements and long-term supplier partnerships to support production requirements and cost-saving initiatives. Prepare and issue RFQs, evaluate supplier responses, and accurately create and maintain purchase orders within the SAP ERP system. Monitor and report on supplier quality, delivery performance, certifications, and key purchasing metrics to support continuous improvement efforts. Collaborate with the Purchasing Manager to achieve departmental KPIs, including quality, on-time delivery, procurement accuracy, cost savings, and supplier performance objectives. Review local and national market trends, purchasing data, and industry conditions to identify sourcing opportunities and mitigate supply chain risks. Coordinate shipping and receiving activities, including creation of shipping documentation, package preparation, inventory receipt processing, and entry of inventory transactions into SAP. Ensure compliance with aerospace and defense industry requirements by obtaining and maintaining vendor certifications, certificates of conformance, and supporting documentation. Partner with the finance team to reconcile purchase orders, invoices, and inventory records, resolving discrepancies directly with suppliers. Operate with a high degree of autonomy while supporting and mentoring less experienced purchasing team members as needed. 3+ years experience in Procurement SAP experience