Manufacturing Buyer

Description

Manufacturing Buyer

Subcontracting and Outside Services

Marne, MI | Full time | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Reports to: Materials Manager

Why DeWys

At DeWys Metal Solutions, we invest in the people, learning, and teamwork that help our business grow. We are looking for a Manufacturing Buyer who enjoys understanding how parts are made, working with suppliers, and helping our manufacturing teams keep work moving.

Position Summary

The Manufacturing Buyer works alongside the Materials Manager to manage subcontracting, outside services, and assigned purchasing activities. Subcontracting is the primary focus, with ownership from the initial request and RFQ through supplier coordination, delivery, and closeout.

This is a practical role for someone with manufacturing, estimating, or production experience who can read engineering drawings, manage several priorities, and follow through with vendors. Purchasing experience is helpful, and we are open to training someone who brings strong manufacturing knowledge, sound judgment, and a willingness to learn.

What You Will Do

Own subcontract projects. Coordinate scope, drawing packages, quotations, approvals, purchase orders, supplier progress, shipments, completed-part delivery, and order closeout. Work with Engineering, Scheduling, Quality, Shipping, and Receiving to meet production and customer requirements. DSS and ReFab subcontract work remains with the Buyer II.

Review technical requirements. Read drawings, BOMs, and routings to confirm revisions, quantities, tolerances, material specifications, finishes, and applicable customer requirements. Resolve missing or conflicting information with Engineering or Quality before releasing work.

Coordinate suppliers and quotations. Work within approved vendor lists and purchasing guidelines. Compare pricing, lead times, capacity, process capability, quality, tooling, and freight. Coordinate sourcing and make-versus-buy recommendations with the Materials Manager and obtain required approvals.

Manage outside services. Coordinate plating, powder coating services, e-coat, heat treating, deburring, and other assigned processes. Confirm specifications, certifications, schedules, transportation needs, and completion dates. Powder material purchasing remains with the Buyer II.

Purchase MRO and miscellaneous items. Clarify requestor needs, obtain quotes, place approved orders, confirm delivery, and resolve discrepancies for assigned maintenance, repair, and operations supplies and miscellaneous purchases.

Support supplier quality resolution. Coordinate NCMRs, corrective-action requests, supplier responses, returns, replacements, rework, and credits for assigned subcontract, outside service, and MRO suppliers. Track actions through completion with Quality, which retains technical disposition and corrective-action approval.

Investigate material holds and inventory discrepancies. Review assigned quality holds, shortages, physical quantities, and ERP transactions. Coordinate counts and recovery actions, make inventory adjustments within documented guidelines, and escalate exceptions. Obtain authorized Quality disposition before releasing quality-held material.

Source new parts for Estimating. Obtain quotes for purchased parts and services listed on potential customer BOMs. Communicate pricing, lead times, minimum quantities, tooling costs, and sourcing risks to support accurate customer proposals. Recommend new sources and coordinate approved onboarding when needed.

Maintain accurate purchasing information. Keep quotations, purchase orders, acknowledgments, revisions, pricing, due dates, and status current in Global Shop Solutions. Resolve order, receiving, and invoice discrepancies with suppliers and internal teams.

Communicate risks and improve processes. Identify delays and quality concerns early, recommend recovery actions, and keep the Materials Manager and affected teams informed. Support practical process improvements and other assigned projects.

What You Will Bring

Ability to read engineering drawings and understand tolerances, material specifications, finishes, bills of material, and manufacturing routings. You should be comfortable asking technical questions and recognizing when Engineering or Quality input is needed.

Strong organization, attention to detail, and follow-through across multiple vendors and deadlines. Clear communication with suppliers and team members in both office and manufacturing settings, along with the ability to investigate problems and work within established guidelines.

Experience using an ERP or MRP system and Microsoft Excel. Global Shop Solutions experience is helpful; experience with other ERP systems is welcome.

Qualifications

Experience

2-5 years of manufacturing, estimating, production coordination, or related technical experience is required. Metal fabrication, subcontract coordination, purchasing, outside processing, supplier quality follow-up, and inventory transaction experience are preferred. Purchasing training is available for candidates with a strong manufacturing background.

Education

Relevant technical training or coursework in manufacturing, supply chain, or business is helpful. Practical manufacturing experience will be considered in place of formal supply chain education.

Teamwork and Cultural Fit

We are looking for someone who builds trust, takes ownership, and stays willing to learn. You should be comfortable asking questions, working through details, accepting feedback, and partnering with others to solve problems. A respectful approach to suppliers and teammates, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement are important to this role.

Physical Requirements

The role involves daily computer use, communication with office and shop-floor teams, and periods of sitting, standing, and walking throughout the facility. Work takes place in office and manufacturing settings. Appropriate PPE is required in designated areas.

Benefits

DeWys offers health, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) with matching contributions; paid time off and holidays; and opportunities for training and professional development, subject to applicable plan eligibility.

If you enjoy manufacturing, solving problems, and working with people to get the job done, we would like to meet you. Bring your technical experience and willingness to learn, and help our Materials team support the work ahead.