Purchasing/Materials Expediter (Temporary)

Build a career powered by innovations that matter!  At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible.  We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission-critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing.

Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.  Looking for a great place to work?  You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment.  Come explore Novanta.

Summary

The Materials Expediter is responsible for ensuring the timely delivery of materials, components, and services required to support production and operational schedules. This role bridges suppliers, purchasing, planning, and operations to proactively identify delays, remove obstacles, and maintain accurate visibility into order status. The Expediter plays a key part in maintaining supply continuity, minimizing production downtime, and supporting overall sourcing performance.

Primary Responsibilities

·       Expedite and Manage Open Purchase Orders: Monitor open orders daily, identify at‑risk or late materials, and take proactive action with suppliers to meet Precision Medicine production schedules.

·       Supplier Follow-Up & Issue Resolution: Engage with suppliers to confirm commitments, obtain updated delivery information, and resolve issues related to delays, shortages, documentation, or logistics.

·       Maintain Accurate ERP Data: Update delivery dates, tracking details, acknowledgements, and status changes to ensure Planning and Operations have reliable, real‑time information.

·       Support Production and Planning Priorities: Collaborate closely with Planning, Operations, Quality, and Engineering to align material availability with build plans, escalations, and critical projects.

·       Communicate Material Risks and Recovery Plans: Provide timely updates to internal stakeholders, highlighting material risks, root causes, and mitigation steps to support daily/weekly operational reviews.

·       Coordinate Resolution of Supply Interruptions: Partner with cross-functional teams to address quality holds, documentation delays, and other issues that block materials from moving to production.

·       Participate in Continuous Improvement Efforts: Recommend improvements to expediting workflows, supplier communication processes, and ERP data accuracy to enhance supply chain reliability.

General Tasks

·       Maintain strict compliance with the quality, environmental and occupational health and safety regulations and implementation of the instructions of the quality, environmental management and/or occupational health and safety officer.

Required Experience, Education, Skills, Training and Competencies

·       Proven experience in supply chain, purchasing, expediting, production control, or related function.

·       Experience in a manufacturing or high‑precision environment preferred.

·       Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.).

·       Strong communication, follow‑up, and relationship‑building skills.

·       Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.

·       Solid problem‑solving and analytical capabilities.

Travel Requirements   

·       None
 

Physical Requirements

·     Regularly required to sit or stand for extended periods, use a computer and other office equipment, communicate effectively in person and electronically, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

·     May involve occasional walking, reaching, and lifting of items up to approximately 20 pounds.

·     Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

The hourly rate for this temporary role will range from $27 to $43. Pay rates are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to location, relevant skills, training, experience, education, etc.

Novanta is proud to be an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, military and veteran status, disability, genetics, or any other category protected by federal law or Novanta policy.

Please call +1 781-266-5700 if you need a disability accommodation for any part of the employment process.