Purchasing Manager

The Purchasing Manager leads and manages procurement activities in support of manufacturing operations, aftermarket services, and equipment-based projects. This role ensures the timely, cost-effective, compliant, and high-quality acquisition of materials, components, equipment, and services to meet production schedules and customer commitments. The Purchasing Manager provides strategic sourcing leadership while remaining engaged in day-to-day execution. This position supervises Buyers or Purchasing Specialists and plays a key role in supplier performance management, cost control, inventory alignment, and supply chain risk mitigation. Key Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Leadership Develop and implement purchasing strategies aligned with production goals, financial objectives, and long-term business plans Lead end-to-end sourcing for direct and indirect materials, MRO supplies, capital equipment, and services Negotiate pricing, contracts, terms, and long-term agreements to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) Drive cost-reduction initiatives through competitive bidding, value engineering, supplier consolidation, and market analysis Monitor commodity trends and market conditions to proactively manage cost and supply risk Serve as escalation point for critical supplier shortages, pricing disputes, or contractual issues Source, evaluate, qualify, and onboard suppliers based on quality, pricing, delivery, financial stability, and capacity Establish strategic supplier partnerships to improve reliability, innovation, and responsiveness Implement supplier performance scorecards measuring KPIs Conduct regular supplier business reviews and address performance gaps Develop dual-sourcing and contingency strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions Inventory & Cost Control Collaborate with operations, planning, and distribution teams to ensure appropriate inventory levels and material availability Support demand forecasting and material planning processes Partner with finance to manage purchasing budgets and track cost savings initiatives Identify opportunities to reduce excess, obsolete, and slow‑moving inventory Analyze spend data to identify consolidation and cost optimization opportunities Cross-Functional Collaboration Serve as the primary procurement liaison for Engineering, Production, Quality, Distribution, and Project Management teams Support new product introductions by sourcing components and ensuring supplier readiness Provide input on lead times, material constraints, and cost impacts during project planning Coordinate with planning and logistics to align purchasing decisions with transportation and delivery requirements Provide day-to-day leadership, mentoring, and workload coordination for Buyers and Purchasing Specialists Review purchase orders, contracts, and sourcing decisions for accuracy and compliance Support hiring, onboarding, and training of procurement team members Establish performance goals and provide ongoing feedback and development planning Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement Ensure accurate and timely data entry and maintenance in ERP and procurement systems Develop and analyze purchasing metrics, including spend analysis, supplier performance, cost savings, and purchase price variance Implement process improvements to increase efficiency, compliance, and visibility across procurement activities Lead or support digital transformation initiatives related to procurement systems and reporting tools Standardize procurement policies and procedures to enhance governance and internal controls Required Skills and Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field preferred 7+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, strategic sourcing, or supply chain management Demonstrated experience negotiating supplier agreements and managing vendor performance Working knowledge of inventory management and production support processes Experience with ERP systems (preferably Infor or comparable platforms) Strong analytical, negotiation, and problem‑solving skills Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders Preferred Experience Professional certification such as CPSM, CPM, or APICS (CPIM/CSCP) Experience managing international suppliers Background in cost modeling, value engineering, and supplier development Experience leading procurement transformation or system implementation initiatives #J-18808-Ljbffr