Purchasing Agent Company: Ulm Automotive Department: Purchasing

Reports to : GM / Operations / Finance

Location: Bogart, GA (on-site)

Employment type: Full-time, hourly, non-exempt; paid weekly

Direct reports: None (coordinates daily receiving priorities with the Inventory Specialist) 

Position Summary

The Purchasing Agent runs the day-to-day buy. Ulm upfits new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans into luxury passenger vehicles and sells them wholesale to dealerships. Every vehicle is built from a released bill of material covering seating and climate systems, electrical components, trim and finishes, hardware, and outsourced services such as paint. Production is ramping now, and material has to arrive ahead of it.

This role turns approved requisitions and the release plan into accurate purchase orders, confirms every order with the supplier, chases every open line until it is received, and clears receiving and invoice differences with Accounting. The Purchasing Manager owns supplier strategy, negotiations, and the buy plan; the Purchasing Agent makes that plan happen on the floor every day and covers for the Manager when the Manager is out. It suits a detail - driven buyer who wants to grow into purchasing leadership and who knows that a box price is not a piece price.

Key Responsibilities 

Purchase Orders

• Prepare purchase orders in QuickBooks Online from approved requisitions and the current Block Release F part number, quantity, unit of measure, price, revision level, and required date. The QuickBooks PO number is the only PO number.
• Route every purchase order and every change that raises cost or changes terms to the CEO for approval, and release nothing to a supplier until it is approved. No PO, no purchase, including card and Amazon buys.
• Check every price against the quote or agreement before release F a box, roll, or pack price is never entered as a unit price, and order quantities match the supplier's pack.
• Buy production material only against the released bill of material; no part is added or substituted without an approved Engineering Change Order.
• Get a written order acknowledgment with ship date for every PO within two business days, and log it in the PO register.
• Flag any purchase made without a PO as RETRO in the register and report it to the Purchasing Manager the same day.

Expediting and Material Status

• Work the open order list every day against the production schedule and the MRPF follow up on every line due within two weeks and escalate any date that threatens a build.
• Publish the morning open orders, expected receipts, and shortages report for Production and the Purchasing Manager.
• Arrange freight, track inbound shipments, and request expedited shipping only with the Purchasing Manager's agreement.
• Keep shop supplies and consumables (adhesives, abrasives, tape, cutting tools, and PPE) at par levels so the floor never waits.

Receiving, Matching, and Returns

• Coordinate with the Inventory Specialist so every delivery is checked against its PO and booked into inventory the same day.
• Clear three-way match exceptions (PO, receipt, and invoice) with Accounting; differences above the lower of 2% or $50 go to the Purchasing Manager before payment.
• Handle returns, shortages, and damaged shipments. obtain return authorizations, track credits to closure, and route nonconforming material to quarantine under the nonconforming product procedure.

Quotes, Suppliers, and Records

• Obtain and compare quotes on the company's quote comparison form, and bring recommendations to the Purchasing Manager.
• Request supplier setup documents (W-9 , certificate of insurance, and compliance documentation for safety - related components) and file them in the vendor's folder; credit applications stay with the Controller.
• Give suppliers the company's resale certificate only for materials that go into the vehicle, as the CFO has signed it; shop supplies, tools, and equipment are taxable.
• Keep item data accurate in Katana and QuickBooks. part numbers, suppliers, units of measure, prices, lead times, and reorder points.
• Track supplier on-time delivery and receiving issues for the quarterly scorecard. 

• 2+ years as a buyer, purchasing agent, or purchasing coordinator in manufacturing or distribution.
• Hands-on experience issuing purchase orders in an ERP, MRP, or accounting system.
• Working knowledge of bills of material, lead times, and units of measure.
• Solid Excel skills (lookups, filters, and pivot tables).
• Precision with part numbers, pack sizes, and prices. catches a box price entered as a piece price before the order goes out.
• Organized, persistent follow-up, and clear, professional communication with suppliers and the shop floor. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Automotive, specialty vehicle, or upfit purchasing experience.
• Experience with Katana or a similar cloud MRP system, and with QuickBooks Online.
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in supply chain management or business.
• Progress toward ASCM CPIM or ISM CPSM certification.
• Bilingual English/Spanish. 

Competencies

• Accuracy: part number, unit of measure, and price are right the first time.
• Follow-through: no open line goes quiet; every late order has a new date and a plan.
• Ownership: treats a shortage as a personal problem to solve, not a status to report.
• Teamwork: keeps Production, Accounting, and the Purchasing Manager informed before they have to ask.
• Integrity: deals with suppliers at arm's length, discloses any conflict, and accepts nothing that could look like influence.

Success in the First 12 Months

• 90 days: Owns daily PO preparation and expediting. Every open PO has a confirmed ship date, the morning shortage report goes out every day, and retro purchases are at zero.
• 6 months: Match exceptions clear withing a week, item data in Katana is accurate for every part of the released bill of material, and the Agent covers the Purchasing Manager's desk without gaps.
• 12 months: No build has stopped for lack of a purchased part the Agent was tracking, and the Agent is ready to take on supplier negotiations or a commodity of their own.

Physical & Work Environment

Office-based at the Bogart facility, with daily time on the production floor, at the receiving dock, and in the stockroom (PPE required in designated areas) Lifting up to 25 pounds.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly range: $26.00 to $34.00 per hour, commensurate with experience; overtime paid per FLSA
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off and holidays; professional certification support (ASCM, ISM)

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ulm Automotive, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.