Purchasing Assistant

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Purchasing Assistant & Logistics Coordinator to manage our daily procurement activities and coordinate inbound shipments originating from overseas, within Canada & USA. In this role, you will be responsible for creating purchase orders, tracking vendor deliveries, arranging freight transportation, and ensuring inventory accuracy. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, possesses strong negotiation skills, and excels at solving logistical challenges to minimize supply chain disruptions.

Core Responsibilities:

Procurement & Purchasing Support:

• Process Requisitions: Review internal purchase requests and verify material specifications and quantities.
• Generate Purchase Orders: Create, issue, and track POs within the SAP ERP software system.
• Vendor Management: Maintain daily communication with vendors to confirm order status, pricing, and ship dates.
• Invoice Reconciliation: Match supplier invoices against purchase orders and receiving logs before forwarding to accounts payable.
• Landed Cost Calculation: Calculate total landed costs for international and domestic shipments by factoring in FOB price, freight, customs duties, insurance, and local delivery fees.

Logistics & Freight Coordination:

• Arrange Shipments: Coordinate land, sea, and air freight transportation with third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and carriers.
• Logistics Coordination: Coordinate with freight forwarders and customs brokers to secure shipping quotes and ensure accurate tariff classifications (HS codes).
• Shipping Documentation: Ensure all shipments have required documentation such as bills of lading (BOL), commercial invoices, customs paperwork, and international shipping labels referencing PO #s.
• Track Inbound Deliveries: Monitor shipments from origin to destination and proactively resolve transport delays or routing issues.
• Freight Audit: Review carrier freight bills to verify correct freight classifications and rate agreements.

Inventory Control & Warehouse Liaison:

• Monitor Stock Levels: Track inventory counts and identify replenishment thresholds based on production timelines or sales data.
• Verify Receipts: Collaborate with warehouse staff to confirm that incoming goods match the purchase orders without shortages or damage.
• System Data Entry: Keep internal databases, master price lists, and inventory systems updated with real-time order data.
• Discrepancy Resolution: File claims with carriers or vendors regarding transit damage, incorrect items, or supply non-conformance.

Database Maintenance:

• Monitoring Quality & Policies: Maintenance of formulated company-wide rules for data collection, storage, sharing and disposition. Conduct routine audits to identify and fix errors, ensuring data remains reliable.
• Analysis: Analyze historical sales trends and seasonal patterns to assist the team in generating inventory demand forecasts.

Other:

• Office kitchen clean-up in the mornings and end of day.

Education, Skills, and Qualifications:

Required:

• Experience: Minimum 2 years of experience in a purchasing, inventory control, logistics coordination or a collaborative role supporting a demand planner.
• Education: High school diploma required.
• Technical Skills: Solid experience with Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables and formulas).
• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with excellent verbal and written skills to negotiate terms with vendors and handle customer issues professionally.
• Detail-Oriented: High level of accuracy in data entry and verification of extensive documentation, mass database management.
• Financial & Analytical Acumen: Strong ability to interpret historical sales data, recognize seasonal trends and translate data sets into actionable purchasing patterns.

Preferred:

• Professional certifications such as Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) or equivalent work experience.
• Associate's degree in Supply Chain and Logistics or equivalent work experience.
• Knowledge: Strong understanding of global logistics, Incoterms (e.g., FOB, EXW, DDP), good understanding of tariff classifications and HS codes and how these terms and currency fluctuations impact total product cost.
• Proficiency in SAP B1 ERP software and basic knowledge of SAP B1 SQL queries would be an asset.

About West Coast Gifts Inc:

West Coast Gifts is Canada’s largest designer, manufacturer and distributor of award winning glass pipes, vaporizers and smoking accessories for the cannabis connoisseur. We offer over 5,000 products at competitive prices with speedy shipping and superior customer service. Visit our company web site to read more about our story!