Purchasing Assistant Jobs in Cambridge, ON (NOW HIRING)

Purchasing Coordinator

About the Role

BW Retail Solutions is looking for a Purchasing Coordinator to serve as the operational link between our vendors and our internal purchasing, logistics, admin, and product development teams. This is a hands-on execution role: you will own the day-to-day vendor communication, data accuracy, and follow-through that keeps purchase orders moving from RFQ to final delivery.

Our Purchasing Manager sets the strategy and makes the key decisions — your job is to make sure they have complete, accurate, reconciled information to make those decisions, and that their plans get executed on time. You'll be the person chasing down answers, closing gaps, and keeping the operational wheel turning.

What You'll Do

Order Placement amp; PO Management

• Create RFQs based on purchasing plans set by the Purchasing Manager, share them with vendors, and negotiate terms
• Prepare PO approval reports for management sign-off
• Convert approved RFQs into official POs and issue them to vendors
• Coordinate deposit invoices with the admin team to ensure timely payment

Outstanding Goods amp; Delivery Tracking

• Run forward-looking follow-ups with vendors as expected delivery dates approach to confirm orders are on track
• Prepare and maintain the outstanding goods report covering replenishments and projects
• Chase vendors for firm, complete answers on any date changes — no vague updates
• When shipments are split, reconcile the original PO against deposits paid and shipped vs. unshipped quantities
• Communicate project date changes to the Product Development team
• Coordinate with the admin team to update delivery dates in Odoo and publish the incoming goods report
• Update out-of-stock dates on SKUs on order based on confirmed vendor timelines
• Escalate vendor or internal issues that may impact delivery schedules, inventory availability, or project timelines before they become critical

Ready Goods Lists (RGLs)

• Review incoming RGLs from vendors for completeness and accuracy
• Reconcile RGLs against outstanding POs and go back to vendors on any discrepancies (missing items, quantity mismatches) — with answers, not just questions
• Hand off clean, reconciled RGLs to the Logistics Manager for allocation decisions, and relay shipping instructions back to each vendor
• Maintain and update all shipment data trackers for the Logistics team's review

Payments Coordination

• Coordinate balance payments with the admin team ahead of final delivery so shipments are never held up on payment

Resourcing amp; Samples

• Compile sample lists and coordinate with warehouse managers
• Arrange sample shipments with vendors and track them through delivery
• Collect vendor quotes, check them for completeness, and deliver them to the Purchasing Manager
• Coordinate pickup of existing stock samples for the purchasing team's analysis

Data amp; Tracker Maintenance

• Manage change-label updates in Odoo (in coordination with the admin team) after official POs are released
• Keep the PD scrap tracker current for the accounting team when products are scrapped between Product Development and the warehouse
• Track and maintain tooling refund trackers for any refunds agreed upon with vendors
• Maintain accurate purchasing master data within the ERP system (Odoo), including supplier information, item attributes, pricing, lead times, MOQs, and other procurement-related records
• Ensure purchasing data and ERP records remain accurate, complete, and up to date to support operational decision-making

What Success Looks Like

• Managers receive complete, reconciled data — never half-finished vendor responses
• POs move from RFQ to delivery without stalls caused by missed follow-ups or payment delays
• Discrepancies between POs, deposits, and deliveries are identified and explained before they reach a manager's desk
• Every tracker, report, and Odoo record is accurate and up to date
• Potential issues are identified, investigated, and communicated proactively, allowing managers to make timely decisions

What We're Looking For

Must-haves:

• Relentless follow-up habits — you close loops with vendors and internal teams without being reminded
• Exceptional attention to detail, especially reconciling quantities, dates, and payments across documents
• Strong deadline management across many concurrent orders and vendors
• Excellent written communication and email tracking discipline
• Proficiency in Excel (lookups, pivot tables, maintaining structured trackers)
• Experience with Odoo (or a comparable ERP) for purchasing and inventory workflows
• Proven ability to coordinate across multiple teams (purchasing, logistics, admin/accounting, warehouse, product development)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate discrepancies, determine root causes, and drive issues to resolution

Nice-to-haves:

• Experience working with overseas manufacturing vendors
• Familiarity with import logistics, split shipments, and deposit/balance payment structures
• Background in purchasing administration, supply chain coordination, or logistics support

Who You'll Work With

• Purchasing Manager — you execute their purchasing plans and get POs into production
• Logistics Manager — you deliver clean, reconciled RGLs and shipment trackers so they can focus on allocation decisions
• Admin/Accounting team — deposits, balance payments, Odoo updates, and reporting
• Product Development team — project date changes and scrap tracking
• Warehouse managers — samples and stock coordination
• Vendors — you are the primary day-to-day point of contact

About Us

BW Retail Solutions has quickly grown to become an industry leader in end-to-end eCommerce retail brand management and operational logistics. Founded in 2017, BW Retail Solutions is a joint venture between two long-standing, multi-generational, family-owned, Michigan companies. We are proud to have the stability and feel of a 75+-year-old Mom amp; Pop small business, combined with a large startup's modern scale, size, and culture. With a growing staff of over 100 awesome people responsible for managing over 1 million consumer transactions annually, we feel that the sky is the limit for our dedicated workforce to grow personally and professionally as part of a career with our organization. We believe that to be successful, we all must grow and learn together every day.

Visit our website to find out more at http://www.bwretail.com/

We are committed to fostering an accessible and inclusive work environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Upon individual request, we will make every effort to remove barriers in the recruitment and selection process and provide accommodations for persons with disabilities. We believe that diversity and accessibility are fundamental to building a strong and innovative team.