Aperture Pet & Life is a leading online retailer, manufacturer and distributor of products and solutions for saltwater aquarists as well as freshwater, reptile and amphibian ecosystems and habitats. With one of the pet industry’s largest YouTube platforms, and through its banner brands including Bulk Reef Supply, Neptune Systems, EcoTech Marine, Aquaillumination, Leap Habitats and others, the company offers its customers the products and resources they need to create thriving ecosystems.

We are looking for doers, thinkers and creators. Our culture thrives by putting the customer first. At Aperture, it’s about each person bringing their own unique skills and passion to a thriving and constantly evolving environment.

What we are looking for:

Do you enjoy purchasing and analyzing inventory? Do you excel at building relationships and want to share in a company’s strong core values and live by them daily? Not to mention coming in everyday to a fun and inclusive work environment?! Then we have a great opportunity to share! We are looking for a fantastic team member to join us in our Golden Valley office as a Purchasing Associate. The ideal candidate is a team player, self-motivated, detail oriented, organized and has strong analytical and decision-making skills.

What you’ll do:

Vendor Relations

• Negotiate and implement vendor cost changes
• Maintain strong vendor relations and monitor vendor business health
• Foster an open and honest relationship with vendors
• Establish payment terms and special pricing
• Work with vendors to correct shipment issues and non-PO related opportunities

Purchase Order Lifecycle

• Take an active role in onboarding, offboarding and SKU catalog maintenance
• Review inventory forecasts and PO creation to achieve healthy inventories
• Monitor open POs to ensure on-time delivery
• Remedy supply disruptions maintaining open communication with stakeholders
• Update ERP with tracking numbers and changes to PO arrival dates

Inventory Management

• Review actions taken for SKUs in order surplus
• Weekly review and action plan for items Out of Stock
• Weekly purchasing scorecard review
• Negotiate and coordinate vendor returns for aging, expired and excess inventory

General Responsibilities

• Committed to Aperture core values
• Participate in team development of quarterly and annual project-based goals
• Complete individual and team goals
• Participate in team meetings
• Other duties, projects and reports as needed

What we require in education, experience and skills:

• 1-3 years of purchasing experience
• Bachelor’s degree in related field, or an equivalent combination of skills, training and experience
• Retail experience and domestic and international experience preferred
• Demonstrated working knowledge of ERP and forecasting software
• Organized, detail-oriented and able to concentrate on detail with interruptions
• Self-directed, able to manage projects and meet deadlines
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• A passionate and positive “can do” attitude, willingness to learn and teach and to be a change agent

Physical requirements and work environment:

• Majority of time spent in office environment with prolonged sitting and using a computer
• Some time spent in warehouse environment
• Occasional pushing, pulling and lifting objects up to 20 lbs.
• Hybrid schedule option

Aperture is a growth company that looks for team members to grow with it. Aperture offers competitive benefits including health insurance and 401k match, a hybrid working environment, parental leave and a diverse and inclusive culture with boundless opportunities for personal and professional development. No matter from which of our 3 locations or if a team member works from home, every Aperture employee shares one galvanizing mission: To enrich lives through thriving ecosystems.