Job Description

Norwood Sawmills has been designing and manufacturing portable sawmills since 1993, earning a reputation for durability, adaptability, and innovation. With tens of thousands of units operating in over 100 countries, Norwood's modular equipment platform supports a wide range of milling needs, from entry-level to commercial-scale. Norwood's focus on long-term customer value and product evolution has helped build a loyal, global user base.

We're seeking a strategic

Buyer

who excels at sourcing quality products, negotiating competitive pricing, and managing supplier relationships to drive business value. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, data-driven, and skilled at supply planning and cost optimization.

A typical day for a Buyer:

Create, issue and manage purchase orders (POs) accurately and on schedule.

Prepare and issue requests for quotation (RFQs) to suppliers and carriers to obtain competitive pricing for materials and freight services.

Generate detailed cost comparisons and quotation analyses to support sourcing decisions.

Evaluate quotations based on price, quality, lead time, MOQs, consumption rates, logistics costs, and commercial terms.

Negotiate pricing, terms and supply agreements to secure best-value procurement.

Identify, evaluate, and recommend suppliers and carriers that offer optimal pricing and performance; proactively seek alternative sourcing to achieve cost savings.

Verify that purchasing order confirmations reflect accurate vendor pricing and align with system data.

Conduct daily follow-ups with suppliers to confirm purchase orders, shipping details, updated ETAs, and expediting deliveries as needed.

Communicate with carriers, suppliers and logistics teams to confirm pickup schedules, transit timelines, and delivery times.

Coordinate freight activities, track inbound shipments, resolve transit delays, and take proactive action to maintain delivery commitments.

Process vendor return material authorizations (VRMAs) and coordinate replacements, credits, corrective actions, and logistics arrangements in collaboration with the operations team.

Escalate supply or transportation constraints and recommend mitigation actions.

Monitor and evaluate supplier and carrier performance, addressing issues related to delivery, quality, compliance, or service levels.

Build and maintain strong professional relationships with key suppliers and logistics providers.

Ensure on-time delivery of materials to support production schedules, projects or sales requirements.

Help maintain optimal inventory levels - minimizing stock while ensuring adequate availability to prevent backorders.

Monitor and report excess inventory and obsolescence, collaborating with internal stakeholders to identify and execute clearance opportunities.

Work closely with operations teams to address delivery discrepancies, damages, and quality issues.

Maintain accurate procurement, logistics, and compliance records in NetSuite, including shipping terms, production lead times, MOQs, vendor pricing, PO status and discontinued items.

Review and reconcile supplier and carrier invoices, supporting Finance and resolving discrepancies as needed.

Maintain and update a list of alternate suppliers, including their qualifications, delivery timelines, and potential for future development.

Partner with the compliance team to ensure procurement activities adhere to company policies, safety regulations and trade compliance requirements.

Notify the compliance team of country-of-origin changes whenever an item is assigned to a new supplier.

Support compliance efforts by securing required supplier responses and documentation related to USMCA certificates.

Manage non-compliance issues with suppliers, request and monitor corrective action when necessary.

Contribute to the continuous improvement of initiatives for sourcing, purchasing, and shipment workflows and systems.

Other related duties, as required.

Skills & Qualifications

5+ years' experience in a Buyer role

Certificate in Supply Management is considered an asset.

Knowledge of metal fabrication processes & equipment

Ability to read and interpret drawings.

Comprehensive understanding of MS Excel and Word

Superior organizational skills

Strong Communication and time management skills

Experience working in an ERP system.

Work independently as well as contribute to a team environment.

Norwood is committed to fostering a positive, open-minded, and equal opportunity workforce. We are aligned with the Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, if you require accommodations throughout the recruitment process please advise the Human Resources Department.

Job Type: Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Barrie, ON L4N 0M4