The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading and managing the company’s purchasing activities to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and reliable supply of materials, components, and services required to support production and business operations. This position provides leadership to the purchasing team, establishes and maintains supplier relationships, monitors purchasing performance, and ensures purchasing processes and ERP data support accurate planning, inventory control, and financial objectives.

The Purchasing Manager works closely with Supply Chain, Production, Engineering, Quality, Accounting, and other departments to resolve supply issues, improve supplier performance, control costs, and continuously improve purchasing processes. 

• Lead, manage, and develop the purchasing team, including buyers and purchasing support personnel.

• Establish purchasing priorities and ensure materials are purchased and delivered in accordance with production requirements and established inventory objectives.

• Review and manage open purchase orders, past-due orders, due dates, confirmations, and supplier commitments.

• Monitor supplier performance, including on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness, pricing, and overall service.

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key suppliers and conduct supplier performance reviews as needed.

• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, minimum order quantities, freight terms, and other commercial conditions within established company guidelines.

• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, supplier consolidation, alternate sourcing, and improved purchasing terms.

• Ensure purchasing activities are accurately maintained within the company ERP system.

• Establish and maintain procedures for purchase order creation, supplier confirmations, expediting, changes, and closure.

• Monitor purchasing KPIs and provide regular reporting to Supply Chain management.

• Work with Supply Chain and Production to identify and expedite critical or shortage materials.

• Partner with Engineering and Quality to address supplier-related material, quality, specification, and sourcing issues.

• Coordinate with Accounting to resolve invoice, pricing, receiving, and purchase order discrepancies.

• Support inventory optimization by aligning purchasing decisions with demand, lead times, minimum/maximum levels, and company inventory objectives.

• Review aging purchase orders and demand signals to identify and resolve outdated or inaccurate requirements.

• Participate in supplier selection, qualification, and evaluation activities in coordination with Quality and Supply Chain.

• Assist with development and implementation of supplier scorecards and corrective action processes.

• Ensure purchasing activities comply with company policies, procedures, and applicable quality requirements.

• Support ISO 9001 requirements related to purchasing and externally provided processes, including maintaining appropriate supplier documentation and records.

• Identify process gaps and implement improvements that increase purchasing efficiency, accuracy, accountability, and visibility.

• Develop and maintain purchasing procedures, work instructions, and internal controls.

• Support annual budgeting, cost analysis, and forecasting activities as requested.

• Provide purchasing support during new product introductions, engineering changes, and major customer or production initiatives.

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned. 

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Purchasing, Operations, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

• 5+ years of progressive purchasing or procurement experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment.

• 2+ years of supervisory or management experience.

• Strong understanding of purchasing, procurement, inventory, supplier management, and manufacturing operations.

• Experience working with an ERP system; Epicor Kinetic experience preferred.

• Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

• Demonstrated ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

• Ability to establish effective working relationships with suppliers and internal departments.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with ISO 9001 quality systems and supplier controls.

• APICS/ASCM certification or other supply chain/procurement certification.

• Experience with supplier scorecards and performance management.

• Experience with cost reduction and strategic sourcing initiatives.

• Experience managing purchasing teams across multiple manufacturing locations.

• Experience with MRP, demand planning, inventory optimization, and production scheduling. 

• Primarily office-based with regular interaction with warehouse, production, and manufacturing operations.

• May require occasional travel to company facilities, suppliers, trade events, or other business locations.

• Work is performed in both office and manufacturing/warehouse environments.

• May occasionally require work outside normal business hours to address critical material shortages, supplier issues, or production requirements.

• Must comply with all company safety policies and procedures when working in manufacturing and warehouse areas.