{"id":2653778,"url":"https://alion.io/job/cherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant","title":"Purchasing Assistant","company":{"id":4422754,"name":"Cherokee Brick","domain":"cherokeebrick.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/cherokeebrick","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"BambooHR","truth_index":null},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":null,"employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Macon, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Microsoft Office","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-15T22:30:05Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-15","last_verified_at":"2026-10-20T07:05:19Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":4,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":4},"description":"Job Summary\nThe Purchasing Agent is responsible for purchasing maintenance parts, production supplies, raw materials, tools, equipment, and other materials needed to support plant operations. This position manages storeroom inventory, receiving, purchase orders, invoice processing, and inventory accuracy to help prevent material shortages and minimize unnecessary spending.\nThe Purchasing Agent works closely with Maintenance, Production, plant leadership, and the Corporate Purchasing and Accounting teams at Cherokee Brick & Tile Company's corporate location in Macon, Georgia. Although the position includes administrative duties, the office is located within the plant storeroom, and the role requires regular movement throughout inventory storage areas and the plant.\nThe successful candidate must develop a working knowledge of plant equipment, machinery, manufacturing processes, and maintenance operations to make informed purchasing decisions, identify appropriate replacement parts, and maintain accurate inventory records. Inventory accuracy must be maintained throughout the year through regular cycle counts, audits, and reconciliation in preparation for the annual physical inventory each September.\nEssential Job Functions\nPurchase maintenance parts, production supplies, raw materials, tools, equipment, and other materials required for plant operations.\nObtain and compare vendor pricing, quotes, availability, quality, and delivery schedules.\nEstablish and maintain positive relationships with vendors and suppliers.\nCreate and process purchase orders using the AS400 system.\nReceive, inspect, verify, and document incoming shipments.\nOrganize, label, secure, and maintain inventory in the storeroom and other designated storage locations.\nIssue inventory to employees and accurately record transactions, including the appropriate department, equipment, project, or general ledger account.\nMonitor inventory levels and reorder materials before shortages affect production or maintenance.\nConduct weekly raw material inventory counts, track usage, and communicate inventory levels and delivery needs to plant management.\nPerform routine cycle counts, inventory audits, and reconciliations throughout the year.\nInvestigate and resolve inventory discrepancies and maintain accurate records in preparation for the annual physical inventory each September.\nDevelop a working knowledge of plant equipment, machinery, manufacturing processes, and maintenance operations.\nResearch replacement parts, verify compatibility, identify acceptable alternatives, and coordinate with Maintenance regarding critical spare parts and future needs.\nReview vendor invoices against purchase orders and receiving documentation for accuracy.\nCode invoices, assign purchases to the appropriate general ledger accounts and cost centers, and enter invoices into AS400 accurately and timely.\nWork with Corporate Accounting to resolve invoice discrepancies, pricing issues, receiving concerns, vendor questions, and coding issues.\nMaintain accurate purchasing, receiving, inventory, and accounting documentation.\nMonitor inventory costs and identify opportunities to improve inventory control, reduce waste, and control expenses.\nCommunicate purchasing delays, inventory shortages, and critical material concerns to supervisors and plant management.\nCoordinate with the Corporate Purchasing and Accounting teams to maintain consistent purchasing, inventory, receiving, and accounting practices.\nServe as the primary purchasing and inventory contact for the Jackson plant.\nTravel to the corporate location in Macon, Georgia, as needed for training, collaboration, inventory support, system updates, and special projects.\nPerform other duties as assigned to support plant operations.\nPhysical Requirements\nAbility to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the storeroom, office, and plant inventory storage areas.\nFrequent reaching, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, squatting, twisting, and climbing stairs.\nAbility to lift and carry materials weighing up to 50 pounds frequently and up to 100 pounds occasionally with assistance when necessary.\nFrequent pushing, pulling, and handling of inventory, parts, tools, equipment, and supplies.\nAbility to use hands and fingers to handle inventory and operate computers, barcode scanners, and office equipment.\nAbility to visually inspect inventory, equipment, labels, and materials for accuracy.\nAbility to operate forklifts and other material-handling equipment after completing required training and certification.\nAbility to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) in designated work areas.\nWork Environment\nCombination office, storeroom, inventory storage, and industrial manufacturing environment.\nOffice located within the plant storeroom, requiring regular movement between office and operational areas.\nRegular interaction with Maintenance, Production, plant leadership, vendors, delivery personnel, and the Corporate Purchasing and Accounting teams in Macon, Georgia.\nExposure to dust, noise, forklifts, moving equipment, and manufacturing operations.\nRequired use of PPE in designated operational and inventory storage areas.\nKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities\nExperience with purchasing, inventory control, receiving, and storeroom operations.\nWorking knowledge of purchasing, inventory management, receiving, and basic accounting principles.\nAbility to accurately code invoices and assign purchases to the appropriate general ledger accounts and cost centers.\nAbility to reconcile purchase orders, receiving documentation, invoices, and inventory records.\nExperience with AS400 or similar inventory and accounting software preferred.\nProficiency with Microsoft Office.\nStrong mathematical, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.\nAbility to learn plant equipment, machinery, manufacturing processes, and maintenance operations.\nAbility to research unfamiliar parts, verify compatibility, identify alternatives, and anticipate purchasing needs.\nStrong attention to detail and commitment to inventory accuracy.\nEffective communication and interpersonal skills when working with vendors, plant employees, supervisors, and corporate teams.\nAbility to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and resolve issues promptly.\nDemonstrated integrity, accountability, professionalism, cost-consciousness, and commitment to continuous improvement.\nProfessional Expectations\nThe Purchasing Agent is expected to:\nDemonstrate honesty, integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment in all purchasing, inventory, and financial transactions.\nTake ownership of assigned responsibilities and follow tasks through to completion.\nMaintain accurate inventory records through regular counts, audits, and reconciliation.\nExercise attention to detail when processing purchase orders, inventory transactions, invoices, and general ledger assignments.\nDevelop the knowledge necessary to make informed purchasing decisions and identify appropriate parts and materials.\nCommunicate promptly regarding shortages, delays, discrepancies, and issues affecting plant operations.\nMaintain positive working relationships with plant personnel, vendors, and corporate teams.\nIdentify opportunities to improve purchasing practices, inventory accuracy, cost control, and operational efficiency.\nEducation and Experience\nHigh school diploma or GED required.\nTwo (2) to five (5) years of purchasing and inventory control experience required.\nManufacturing or industrial experience strongly preferred.\nExperience with AS400 or similar software preferred.\nForklift experience preferred.\nAn equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered.\nSchedule\nDay Shift:Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM-4:00 PM.\nWeekend, holiday, and overtime work may be required based on operational needs.\nAdditional hours may be necessary during annual inventory, plant shutdowns, or special projects.\nOccasional travel to the corporate location in Macon, Georgia, may be required.\nWork schedules may vary based on business needs.\nSafety Requirements\nFollow all company safety policies and procedures.\nComplete required safety training.\nWear required PPE while performing job duties.\nImmediately report unsafe conditions, incidents, or injuries.\nParticipate in safety meetings.\nEssential Functions and Reasonable Accommodation\nCherokee Brick & Tile Company is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. Employees who require accommodation should contact Human Resources.\nEqual Opportunity Employer Statement\nCherokee Brick & Tile Company is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.\nDisclaimer\nThis job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Specific duties, equipment, processes, schedules, and operational requirements may vary by location. Duties and responsibilities may be modified, added, or reassigned at any time to meet business needs.\n***Drug and Alcohol Testing Requirement: Cherokee Brick & Tile Company & Affiliates is a drug-free workplace. The selected applicant for this position must successfully complete a post-offer drug and/or alcohol test as a condition of employment. Refusal to test or failure to comply with the testing process may result in withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment.***","description_format":"text","description_chars":9821,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"high_school","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Manufacturing","Natural Resources","Building Materials"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-15T22:30:05Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":85,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.848,"p_room":1,"age_days":4,"expected_fill_days":23,"reasons":["conf:2","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/cherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/cherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-20T08:19:57Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":8949,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":4422754},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=4422754"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/cherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcherokee-brick-purchasing-assistant"}]}