Purchasing Specialist Jobs in Irvine, CA

Company Overview

American Best Life Inc. (ABL) is an NSF-certified, cGMP-compliant dietary supplement manufacturer and brand owner based in Irvine, California. Operating a state-of-the-art facility at 11 Morgan, we specialize in advanced product technologies including mixing, tablet compression, encapsulation, and dry formulations, alongside complete primary and secondary packaging operations. Guided by our mission to build a first-class international brand, ABL develops high-turnover health and nutritional products using quality-focused manufacturing standards to support extended quality of life for families globally. As we aggressively expand our production capacities and marketplace footprint, we are seeking a dedicated procurement professional to manage our packaging and indirect purchasing operations.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and cost-conscious Buyer / Procurement Specialist to manage the sourcing, purchasing, tracking, and administration of all non-ingredient materials and operational supplies. In this role, you will own the day-to-day execution of indirect procurement—covering packaging components, production consumables, maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) supplies, equipment parts, and facility services. The ideal candidate will possess hands-on procurement experience within a regulated manufacturing environment, demonstrating the ability to execute daily purchase orders while simultaneously building structured vendor databases, request for quote (RFQ) trackers, and reorder systems from the ground up to support our scaling manufacturing facility.

• Job Type: Full-time, On-site
• Compensation: $22.00 - $34.00 per hour (commensurate with experience)
• Location: Irvine, CA (11 Morgan)

Key Responsibilities

Packaging & Components Procurement

• Supplier Sourcing & Evaluation: Source, evaluate, and compare competitive vendor quotes for packaging components including bottles, caps, labels, cartons, desiccants, scoops, shrink bands, and shipping materials.
• Commercial Negotiation: Negotiate commercial terms with packaging suppliers, focusing on unit pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities (MOQs), payment terms, and delivery parameters.
• Quality & Compliance Liaison: Coordinate with Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) teams to ensure all purchased packaging materials meet established specifications and arrive with required Certificates of Analysis (COAs) or compliance documentation.

Production Consumables & MRO Purchasing

• Manufacturing Supply Continuity: Maintain optimal inventory levels of production consumables including personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves, masks, hairnets, cleaning agents, and sanitation supplies to eliminate production downtime.
• Equipment & Facility Support: Support engineering and maintenance teams by sourcing specialized equipment spare parts, tools, maintenance supplies, repair services, and managing third-party facility vendors.
• Corporate Administration: Manage purchasing workflows for corporate office supplies, information technology (IT) hardware, and general administrative requirements.

Logistics, Finance & Process Optimization

• Transaction Execution: Review internal purchase requisitions, obtain necessary management approvals, and issue formal purchase orders (POs) to validated vendors.
• Supply Chain Tracking: Proactively track production schedules, container shipment statuses, and warehouse delivery dates to optimize receiving operations and mitigate material shortages.
• Three-Way Match Verification: Partner with the finance department to provide accurate POs, vendor invoices, packing lists, and documentation required for seamless accounts payable processing.
• Systemization: Build and maintain centralized tracking sheets, price histories, and authorized supplier databases to move the facility from reactive purchasing to structured, proactive inventory planning.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: 3+ years of dedicated experience in purchasing, procurement, or manufacturing supply chain operations.
• Industry Expertise: Experience purchasing manufacturing packaging components, warehouse operational supplies, or MRO materials.
• Financial Literacy: Comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end procurement cycle, including RFQ management, PO creation, invoice reconciliation, lead-time factors, and shipping logistics.
• Software Proficiency: Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for data tracking, along with general experience utilizing ERP or inventory management systems.
• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to follow up aggressively with vendors and collaborate cross-functionally across internal departments.

Preferred / Plus Qualifications

• Regulated Industry Experience: Direct procurement experience within a cGMP, FDA-regulated, food, dietary supplement, nutraceutical, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
• Bilingual Capability: Professional verbal and written proficiency in Mandarin Chinese is highly preferred but not required.
• Process Improvement: Proven track record of developing standard operating procedures for purchasing, inventory tracking, or vendor scorecarding.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• This position is strictly on-site at our Irvine, California facility.
• The role operates primarily in a professional office environment but requires daily proximity to and routine walking through active manufacturing and warehouse environments.
• Must be able to communicate effectively face-to-face, via telephone, and through digital communication channels with internal teams and external global vendors daily.

Benefits

• Competitive hourly compensation commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.
• Paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.
• Opportunities for professional growth in a rapidly expanding business.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

American Best Life Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodation

American Best Life Inc. provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources department.

At-Will Employment

Employment with American Best Life Inc. is at-will, meaning that either the employee or the company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice.

Pay: $22.00 - $34.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person