Buyer Estimator

SUMMARY

The Buyer Estimator position is responsible for supporting the Estimating team by coordinating supplier pricing, lead times, and sourcing information required to build accurate and competitive quotes. This role focuses on obtaining raw material and outside processing quotes, validating supplier capabilities, and entering cost data into the Epicor system to support RFQs for existing and new business. The Buyer Estimator plays a key role in ensuring quote accuracy, responsiveness, and alignment with market conditions.

JOB DUTIES

• Purchases materials or coordinates activities involved with procuring quote-level pricing for raw materials, parts, supplies, and outside services in support of customer RFQs
• Supports the Estimating team by sourcing supplier quotes required to build cost models for new and repeat business
• Receives and reviews requisitions, RFQs, or estimating requests for goods and services
• Interviews and confers with suppliers to obtain pricing, availability, lead times, minimum order quantities, and quote validity 
• Works with approved suppliers and supports maintenance of the Approved Supplier List (ASL)
• Assures that suppliers engaged during the quoting process can meet quality and specification requirements
• Prepares and issues request-for-quote (RFQ) packages to suppliers for raw materials and outside processing
• Reviews supplier quotes for accuracy, scope alignment, and competitiveness
• Estimates values according to knowledge of market price and historical data
• Enters and maintains supplier quote data, pricing, and lead times in the Epicor ERP system to support estimating activities
• Communicates pricing risks, long lead items, or sourcing concerns to the Estimating team
• Expedites supplier quote responses as needed to meet customer RFQ deadlines
• Maintains procurement and estimating support records, including quoted items, costs, supplier responses, and pricing history
• May work with suppliers to support quoting of custom-designed or non-standard items based on engineering or customer specifications
• Works cross-functionally with Estimating, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure sourcing assumptions align with production capabilities
• Supports continuous improvement of the estimating and quoting process through improved supplier response time and data accuracy
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Must be a team player as measured by his/her peers

REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent combination of industry buying, procurement, or estimating support experience
• Minimum of 3 – 10 years of progressive work experience in buying, sourcing, or supply chain support
• Proficient user of Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Excel, Word)
• Experience working with ERP systems; Epicor experience preferred
• Proficient in reading blueprints
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in written form

DESIRED

• Strong initiative with the ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Detail oriented with strong organizational and time management skills
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment
• Experience supporting estimating, costing, or quoting activities