Buyer II

Where you will work

Our Cypress Bend team is a close-knit group of 300+ skilled employees who take pride in what we do. Together, we make paperboard used in products across the United States, including food packaging, plates, cups and more.

Located in the historic Mississippi River Delta, this facility offers a slower pace with plenty of outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, and biking. Many employees commute from nearby towns such as McGehee, Monticello, Dumas, Dermott and Lake Village, which are known for affordable living, strong local pride and family-friendly schools.

The Cypress Bend team also supports local cultural and the arts, with past contributions to the WWII Japanese Internment Museum and SEArk Concert Association.

What you will do

The Buyer II position at the Cypress Bend Mill is responsible for delivering efficient and compliant purchasing services to support mill operations, safety initiatives, and overall stakeholder satisfaction. This role ensures timely availability of materials, chemicals, and services, manages supplier relationships, and drives value through cost, quality, and delivery performance. Collaborates closely with other buyers in the department as well as with maintenance and operations to ensure keep fills and critical parts are on hand. This requires effective cross functional communication for planning and problem resolution. The Buyer II will incorporate safety & reliability into the decision-making and will steward the mill's investments accordingly.

Sourcing

• Cultivate strong collaboration with EH&S, Engineering, Finance, Maintenance, Operations, Process Control, and Reliability
• Manage requisitions and purchase orders to ensure accuracy and timely delivery
• Develop specifications, solicit bids, evaluate responses, and negotiate contracts in alignment with corporate supply agreements
• Effectively represent cross functional concerns and objectives in Sourcing Events
• Participate in weekend duty rotation
• Special Projects as assigned

Vendor Relations

• Perform pre-bid qualifications on all new contractors and vendors prior to inviting them into the RFP process, including ISNetworld, Financial, Legal, Risk Management
• Develop an effective supplier base by cultivating supplier relationships through reviews of operations and mutually beneficial programs with key stakeholders
• Monitor vendor KPI's, assist in the development of corrective actions and ensure completion
• Collaborate with operations on vendor performance for product trials, chemical qualifications, and administrative processes

Process Administration

• Utilize Master Data Management System to create new vendor and new item requests
• Create, monitor, and update purchase orders to ensure accuracy and timely delivery of chemicals, equipment, and materials
• Manage targeted inventories of chemicals and raw materials, monitoring pipeline supply, procuring additional volume as needed
• Manages PO/invoice exception process: Ensure invoicing is correct, resolve issues and vendor concerns
• Manage Receipts Not Vouchered (RNV) process to ensure timely receipt of vendor invoices
• Comply with freight routing guidelines
• Supporting Month end closing & inventory accuracy
• Comply with all relevant Policies & Procedures

Success Measurements

• Accountable for safety performance and related improvements consistent with a culture of EH&S excellence
• Annually, the Buyer II will work with the leadership team to deliver relevant productivity values across categories including P&L savings, cost avoidance, negotiated savings, working capital, and additional levers
• Continuously build skills for future responsibilities and provide occasional backfill coverage as needed

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Consistently delivers accurate, high-quality work with precision
• Skilled at navigating conflict constructively and thrives in diverse team environments
• Adept at uncovering multiple perspectives and aligning stakeholders toward shared goals
• Confidence in dealing with ambiguity; bringing different perspectives to light and rallying others to aligned goals and objectives
• Maintains an optimistic outlook and actively seeks opportunities to improve processes and drive innovation
• Communicates clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, across all organizational levels
• Identifies barriers to effective execution of operational and corporate goals, shares insights, and recommends solutions
• Leverages understanding of customer needs and organizational practices to prioritize actions that prevent issues and deliver exceptional experiences
• Develops practical, innovative options to address challenges and achieve desired results
• Evaluates opportunities systematically, focusing on those with the greatest potential for positive impact
• Capable to effectively prioritize competing cross functional tasks and responsibilities

What you will need

• Bachelor's degree in business, Logistics, Supply Chain, Finance or related field or the equivalent combination of training and experience, strongly preferred
• 3+ years of experience under general supervision in purchasing, inventory control, raw material planning and maintaining on-going vendor relations strongly preferred
• Pulp and Paper Mill experience preferred
• Industrial/manufacturing experience strongly preferred
• Strong computer skills required including experience using Excel spreadsheets
• Experience using JD Edwards software preferred or demonstrated experience/proficiency with SAP-based systems
• Ability to work on non-routine purchases that require analysis to arrive at best decision
• Must have strong professional communication, planning, and organizational skills
• General knowledge of manufacturing operations strongly preferred
• Demonstrated work experience in continuous improvement efforts and methodologies strongly preferred
• Must be self-motivated, able to set priorities and maintain confidentiality
• Self-directed and high initiative with ability to handle variety of tasks as well as provide support in a 24/7 manufacturing environment
• Must be able to work with a diverse group of people in a professional manner and be able to handle several work tasks concurrently
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  Experience working in an office and manufacturing environment which includes reading, keyboarding and effective communication

  
  
• Must wear required Personal Protective Equipment in the manufacturing environment
• Exposure to dirt, noise, odor, and temperature extremes, including navigation of uneven surfaces
• Able to lift up to 20 pounds

Total Rewards Details

We prioritize an exceptional workplace experience, offering a comprehensive total reward package. This position is eligible for our Incentive Plan. Compensation ranges are estimates based on market data. Actual offers account for internal equity and candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, education, experience, and geographic location. Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and more, generally begin after 30 days. Our paid time off will include vacation days, personal days, and company holidays. For more on our compensation philosophy, please reach out to our Talent Acquisition Team at Talent.Acquisition@clearwaterpaper.com.

Clearwater Paper will not offer sponsorship for employment-based visa status (including, but not limited to, H-1B visa status and other employment-based nonimmigrant visas) for this position. Accordingly, all applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require Clearwater Paper's sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States.

#ClearwaterPaper #Cypress Bend

This role will be open for a minimum of 2 weeks or at the point a successful candidate is selected.