Buyer Associate

Job Title: Buyer Associate - Brighton Center for Specialty Care Operating Rooms

About the Role

Provide purchasing, inventory management, and supply chain support for the Brighton Center for Specialty Care Operating Room and Medical Procedures Unit, with additional coverage responsibilities across Michigan Medicine ambulatory care locations as assigned.

Key Responsibilities

• Inventory Management and Replenishment
• Independently manage daily inventory and replenishment activities for assigned clinical areas to ensure supplies are available in the appropriate quantities, locations, and timeframes to support patient care.
• Monitor inventory levels, utilization patterns, and procedural requirements to identify purchasing and replenishment needs.
• Establish, evaluate, and adjust inventory par levels and stocking practices in collaboration with clinical stakeholders and in accordance with established departmental procedures.
• Perform routine cycle counts, reconcile physical inventory with system records, investigate discrepancies, and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Receive, verify, stock, and organize supplies while maintaining accurate inventory records and appropriate product rotation.
• Monitor product expiration dates, excess inventory, and obsolete supplies to minimize waste and support responsible resource utilization.
• Purchasing and Supply Continuity
• Independently coordinate routine purchasing activities, including identifying supply needs, placing orders through approved procurement channels, and monitoring order fulfillment.
• Evaluate product availability, cost, delivery timelines, and clinical requirements when determining appropriate purchasing and replenishment actions.
• Identify and coordinate clinically appropriate product substitutions during backorders, shortages, and other supply disruptions in collaboration with applicable clinical and Supply Chain stakeholders.
• Track outstanding orders, backorders, and delivery delays; proactively communicate potential supply disruptions and facilitate timely resolution.
• Investigate and resolve purchasing, receiving, and inventory discrepancies with suppliers and internal support teams.
• Support product conversions, new product introductions, and changes in clinical supply requirements.
• Clinical and Operational Collaboration
• Serve as a primary supply chain resource for assigned clinical areas, maintaining effective working relationships with nursing leadership, clinical staff, and operational partners.
• Independently prioritize daily supply requests, troubleshoot inventory-related concerns, and escalate issues that may affect patient care or procedural readiness.
• Communicate product availability, supply changes, and anticipated shortages to clinical and operational stakeholders.
• Coordinate specialty-specific inventory needs and operational changes across assigned procedural areas.
• Data Integrity and Process Improvement
• Maintain accurate purchasing, product, and inventory information within applicable supply chain systems.
• Utilize purchasing and inventory reports to monitor utilization, identify discrepancies, and support replenishment decisions.
• Monitor assigned supply chain performance indicators, including inventory accuracy, product availability, and replenishment effectiveness.
• Identify and recommend opportunities to improve inventory processes, reduce waste, control supply expenditures, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Participate in departmental initiatives, inventory optimization activities, and process improvement projects as assigned.
• Ambulatory Coverage and Team Support
• Provide supply chain coverage and operational support to other ambulatory care units and procedural locations across Michigan Medicine, as assigned, to maintain continuity of supply operations during staffing vacancies, absences, and changing operational needs.
• Adapt to varying clinical workflows, inventory systems, and supply requirements when supporting additional locations.
• Collaborate with other Buyer Associates and supply chain personnel to facilitate consistent inventory management practices across assigned locations.
• Maintain safe, organized, and efficient supply storage areas in accordance with institutional policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Shift

• Monday – Fridays 5:30 am – 2:00 pm.
• Work schedules and assigned locations may vary based on departmental coverage requirements and operational needs.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Education: High school diploma or GED required.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Ability to independently organize, prioritize, and complete assigned responsibilities while following established policies and procedures.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and demonstrated ability to maintain accurate records.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate with clinical, administrative, and operational stakeholders.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to investigate and resolve routine purchasing and inventory discrepancies.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, or demonstrated ability to learn and effectively utilize comparable software.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond appropriately to time-sensitive operational needs.
• Demonstrated reliability, accountability, adaptability, and commitment to teamwork.
• Willingness and ability to provide assigned coverage at other Michigan Medicine ambulatory care locations.

Qualifications

• Required:
• High school diploma or GED.
• Relevant experience in purchasing, inventory management, supply chain operations, materials management, or related field is beneficial but not required. Combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Desired:
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Logistics, or a related field.
• Experience in healthcare supply chain operations, preferably within a hospital, ambulatory surgery center, or procedural care environment.
• Experience with purchasing, inventory management, receiving, and replenishment processes.
• Familiarity with automated inventory management systems, enterprise resource planning systems, or healthcare purchasing platforms.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis, filtering, formulas, and reporting.
• Experience analyzing inventory utilization, adjusting par levels, or identifying opportunities to reduce excess inventory and supply waste.
• Familiarity with medical and surgical supplies, clinical product substitutions, and supply shortage management.
• Knowledge of Lean principles, continuous improvement methodologies, or process standardization.
• Experience supporting operations across multiple departments or clinical locations.