Maintenance Buyer

Company Description

At Link Snacks , we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands— Jack Link’s® ,  Lorissa’s Kitchen® ,  Golden Island® ,  BiFi® , and  Peperami®  and  KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.

Job Description

The Maintenance, Repair, and Operation (MRO) Buyer supports the maintenance function, 
Capital Expenditures, and plant operations. This position is responsible for working with internal 
teams to ensure that parts and supplies are in stock at levels needed to support day to day 
business functions. The MRO Buyer establishes and maintains business relationships with 
internal teams, vendors, and suppliers. The MRO Buyer works with maintenance to complete 
OEM conversions, initiate and complete warranty processing, and establishes pricing agreements 
to reduce costs. Safe, Food Safe, and reliable production operation will be key indicators of the 
successful performance of the MRO Buyer. The MRO Buyer reports to the Maintenance 
Manager.
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of this position shall consist of, but not be limited to, the 
following:
· Model and demonstrate Jack Link’s Values and encourage others to do the same.
· Knowledgeable and experienced utilization of ERP’s (SAP) and CMMS (Proteus).
• Demonstrate organized and timely purchasing processes to include obtaining quotes, 
issuing purchase orders, obtaining acknowledgements, and processing invoices.
• Develop and maintain an order tracking system and communicate delivery status. To the 
maintenance planner and manager.
• Reconcile all parts transactions with the maintenance manager, planner, and parts crib 
attendant.
• Work to obtain the lowest prices for the same items. Convert OEM parts to local 
preferred suppliers
• Develop and maintain strong vendor relationships, communicating changes within the 
maintenance team.
• Track in-transit material as required identifying and addressing any potential delivery 
problems.
• Review and execute RMA requests and track rebuild process or replacement materials.
• Address invoice resolution activities in a timely manner.
• Communicate vendor and supplier compliance and performance issues to the 
Maintenance Manager and Planner
• Responsible for inventory management and performance reporting on a 
monthly/quarterly basis.
• Work closely with maintenance and operational leadership in conjunction with the parts 
crib attendant to maintain adequate inventory levels and customer satisfaction.
• Understands re-order reports, inventory min-max levels.
• Record spending, and report spend against authorized budgets weekly to the Maintenance 
Manager
• Provide spending reconciliation of committed spend to invoiced amounts.
• Have knowledge of open commitments, spend allocation, accrued amounts, partial 
receipts.
• Develop parts room inventory process, with goal of .5% of total inventory allowed OOS.
• Drive improvement processes in procurement in order to gain cost savings.
• Ensure adherence and compliance to procurement processes, policies, and values of Jack 
Link’s

Qualifications

Qualifications
Education:
· High School Diploma or required
· Degree in Supply Chain, Business (preferred)
Required Skills:
· 3 to 5 years of experience in a support role with a maintenance organization within a 
manufacturing environment
· Understand basics of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning - SAP)
· Experience in utilization of a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management 
System - Proteus)
· Proficient in Excel, Word, Power Point
· Demonstrated problem solving skills
· Demonstrated negotiation skills
· Demonstrates high integrity and Jack Link’s Values
Preferred Skills
• Experience in a purchasing or MRO buyer role.
• Experience with inventory management systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of standard concepts and practices in purchasing.
• Ability to read and interpret documents, such material masters, bills of material, bills of 
lading, invoices, purchasing agreements.
• Experience working with vendors.
• Ability to write routine correspondence with vendors.
• Ability to coordinate with corporate legal in developing purchasing and service 
agreements.
• Ability to speak effectively with customers, vendors and internal partners.
Safety and Food Safety
• Maintains a safe and healthy working environment in accordance with all safety, USDA 
and OSHA regulations.
• Maintains a clean work area and follows all safety procedures.
• Reports violations of safety and food safety practices
• Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Leadership
• Provide leadership in purchasing and inventory practices and procedures
• Demonstrates Personnel Safety and Food Safety practices
• Encourage team member initiative and encourages inputs to obtain better sourcing and 
alternative suppliers.
• Leads inventory management processes for the maintenance team
Communication
• Communicate with peers, subordinates, and leaders in an effective, timely manner.
• Confer with management and suppliers to resolve maintenance problems.
• Recommend measures to improve operations and conditions of machines and equipment.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as necessary.
• Solid verbal and written communication skills; must work effectively with all levels of 
management and employees
• Continually strives to influence a positive company culture and leads by example
Additional information
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an 
employee to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable 
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential 
functions

Additional Information

The hiring range for this $60k-$80k annually  Actual wages will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Link Snacks Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Link Snacks provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS :
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to sit, and reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT :
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant / office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet / slippery floors. Travel may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Link Snacks provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Link Snacks  is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:   http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees