City : Waterloo, ON

Category : Temporary

Industry : Education

Employer : University of Waterloo

Term: 18 months

The Purchasing Assistant provides operational and administrative support to the Business Development, Marketing and Purchasing & Merchandising teams, including product and vendor research, creation and tracking of purchase orders, note-taking, project management and timeline tracking, quality control and data input (e.g., SKU creation, inventory analysis, etc.).

Purchasing Support

• Assists with management of SKUs in P+RS systems including SKU creation for new product lines, inventory tracking (in collaboration with the Inventory Coordinator), and sales analysis for re-orders
• Under the direction of Category Specialists and business development staff, prepares purchase orders and tracks shipments, monitors arrival times and product quality upon arrival, and reconciles packing lists and invoices
• Sorting and preparation of custom orders for shipping to customers
• Assists with the coordination of custom academic kit bundling
• Assists with new product research and development
• Prepares markdowns, chargebacks and write-offs for Category Specialists to review
• When assigned, communicates and interacts with P+RS vendors to help research products, prices and availability

Merchandising Support

• Assists in the development and execution of merchandising plans for all P+RS locations where general merchandise is sold
• Assists the Inventory Coordinator with monitoring stock levels and keeping stock areas organized, ensuring that merchandising standards are upheld and supporting the regular rotation of products and displays

Customer Service

• When directed, contacts customers to, for example, update them on the status of their order, discuss substitutions if a product is backordered, etc.
• Provides customer service support to, and shares product knowledge with, customers and on- and off-campus partners when present in the W Store or when interacting with customers by email and telephone
• As needed, supports the Assistant Manager, Retail Operations & Customer Service and the Purchasing & Merchandising team with management of backordered items
• Commits to positive interactions with all customers and ensures that all customer inquiries are handled in a professional, timely manner; and in cases when customers should be redirected to other staff, the incumbent will ensure
• that the redirection is complete and that the customer is not left without service
• Models the values of the P+RS department in interactions with internal and external partners

Collaboration

• Proactively establishes and maintains strong partnerships and relationships within P+RS and its customers
• Makes diligent use of shared tools to ensure that others are aware of the work being completed, so they are able to provide input and suggestions as needed and/or can provide back-up coverage in the event of the incumbent’s absence
• Works with P+RS Shipping/Receiving, IT, Marketing and Operations teams on coordinating kit building, order sorting/packing and in-store distribution
• Assists as needed in other areas of the day-to-day operations, including year-end inventory preparations and counts, supporting the development of purchasing and merchandising strategies, convocation services, events and sales, and general customer service support
• Keeps the Assistant Manager, Business Development and the Manager, Marketing & Merchandising Strategy aware of workload and priority projects underway and completed
• Participates in the Business Development Working Group, and others as needed

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (or equivalent) required
• College or university education is an asset, particularly in the areas of business, retail, merchandising, supply chain management, operations and/or customer service
• Minimum one year of experience working in a retail setting, with demonstrated purchasing and/or merchandising and/or customer service experience
• Experience working in the post-secondary sector is an asset
• Business acumen, critical thinking and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills, oral and written communication, and customer service abilities are essential requirements of this position
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to learn and use new database, scheduling, collaboration, project management and content management software (e.g., Visual Ratex, Point of Sale, Magento, Microsoft Teams) to ensure
• smooth workflows and shared access to departmental data
• Familiarity with purchasing, product analysis, inventory management, custom orders and business development
• Ability to work quickly and accurately, while remaining organized and paying close attention to detail, in a fast-paced environment
• Strong computer skills with experience in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel); experience with an inventory database is an asset
• Proven ability to work independently without supervision on a regular basis
• Excellent organizational and time management skills; proven ability to multi-task and prioritize are essential.

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within our Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.