Purchasing Systems Operator

The Purchasing Systems Operator manages and improves the systems that power purchasing operations, vendor communication, and product flow across the business. This is an operational role combining hands-on purchasing work with ownership of the workflows, templates, and AI- assisted processes that execute that work at scale.

In this role you will identify patterns in purchasing and vendor interactions and translate them into structured workflows. You will oversee AI agents performing repeatable communication and operational tasks. You will continuously improve how the system operates with less manual intervention. And you will standardize vendor communication and make purchasing workflows system-driven., Purchasing Operations & Vendor Coordination:

• Execute day to day purchasing through the vendor portal and internal systems.
• Capture outcomes from vendor interactions and translate them into repeatable workflows.
• Coordinate with vendors and internal teams on orders, timelines and issues resolution.
• Participate in vendor calls, support negotiation workflows, and maintain vendor relationships.

Communication & Customer Service Workflows:

• Handle vendor and internal customer service inquiries across email and operational systems.
• Write clear, consistent responses for orders, pricing, product issues and expectations.
• Identify recurring communication patterns and convert them into templates and automated responses.
• Ensure agent-driven response maintain quality, accuracy, and appropriate escalation behavior.

Portal & Workflow Improvement:

• Identify friction, bugs, and inefficiencies through daily use of the vendor portal.
• Document issues clearly with screenshots, examples, and expected behavior.
• Propose and drive improvements to portal workflows, forms, and data visibility.
• Ensure improvements reduce future manual work and confusion.

Automation & AI-Assisted Operations

• Identify repeatable purchasing and communication tasks suitable for automation.
• Translate tasks into structured workflows, templates and automated processes.
• Monitor automated outputs and refine logic to improve reliability.
• Reduce manual intervention in recurring purchasing workflows.

Data-Driven Purchasing Decisions:

• Use reporting and system date to guide assortment, pricing, and purchasing decisions.
• Identify trends in vendor performance and produce movement.
• Encode decisions into systems workflows rather than handling them as one-off actions.

Cross-Functional Coordination:

• Work closely with Inventory, Finance, Operations and Technology teams.
• Ensure purchasing workflows aligns with inventory constraints and financial requirements.
• Communicate systems changes, issues, and improvements clearly across teams.

Agent Operations & Governance:

• Own day-to-day performance of AI agents supporting purchasing, communication and reporting workflows.
• Review agent outputs for accuracy, consistency, and compliance with business rules.
• Improve prompts, workflows, handoff logic, and escalation paths based on real-world performance.
• Determine which tasks should remain human-reviewed vs. fully automated.
• Maintain documentation, audit trails, and operation procedures for agent-driven workflows.
• Track performance metrics: accuracy, exception rates, throughput, and time saved.

• Experience in purchasing, vendor operations, or retail operations.
• Strong written communication skills - clear and sctructured.
• Ability to identify pattern and translate them into processes.
• High attention to detail and strong operational skills.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving operational environments.
• Ability to document workflows, templates, and standard operating procedures clearly.
• Experience with automation, AI-assisted tools, or workflow systems.
• Familiarity with vendor portals or internal operational tools.
• Experience with reporting or data analysis.
• Experience improving workflows or automating repetitive tasks.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIORNMENT:

The physical requirements listed are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This role is onsite at the San Diego (Mission Valley) Headquarters - a standard indoor office environment.
• Exposure to typical office conditions including moderate noise levels.
• Frequent interaction with executives and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to remain seated at a workstation for extended periods of time, typically 6-8 hours per day.
• Ability to perform sustained computer-based work, including prolonged use of keyboard, mouse and monitor.
• Close visual acuity sufficient to read and produce written correspondence, reports, spreadsheets, and digital content on a computer screen.
• Ability to communicate clearly in writing, in person, by phone, and via video conferencing.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment including computers, keyboards, printers, scanners, and phones.
• Ability to move throughout the office to access files, equipment, and workspaces.