Purchasing Manager

Purchasing ManagerIchor Systems is a leading manufacturer of critical subsystems for the semiconductor capital equipment industry, supplying the OEMs that build the tools behind today's most advanced chips. We are seeking a Purchasing Manager to lead a team of buyers in a high-mix, low-volume environment where new product introduction cycles are compressed and customer demand shifts rapidly. This role supports both New Product Development programs and ongoing OEM production builds, owning the procurement path from prototype through sustaining volume manufacturing, and deploying advanced ERP tools and procurement processes to optimize material cost, lead time, and inventory. This is an on-site position responsible for directly managing a team of Buyers. The selected candidate will report directly to the Director of Supply Chain.Roles & ResponsibilitiesWithin project teams, foster a culture of accountability and commitment to stated goals. Ensure an organizational culture of transparent communication, early visibility and escalation of issues, and urgency for corrective action, emphasizing root cause understanding and continuous improvement.Serve as the procurement lead on New Product Development and NPI teams, partnering with engineering, program management, and quality from concept through first article, qualification, and volume releaseOwn material availability for ongoing OEM production builds, aligning supplier commitments to the master production schedule and protecting customer on-time delivery against demand swings, pull-ins, and upside requestsSource prototype and pilot builds against evolving designs; secure long-lead and single-source material early to protect customer build datesBalance competing NPD and production priorities across a shared supply base, allocating constrained capacity and material to the highest-impact customer commitmentsManage engineering change orders and revision control through the supply base, ensuring clean cut-in, minimal excess and obsolescence exposure, and accurate quote and item master updates at every revisionFacilitate new product releases to purchasing, including item and quote master setup, MRP parameter definition, and supplier onboarding for new commoditiesDrive supplier capacity planning, forecast sharing, and inventory programs — safety stock, consignment, kanban — to support sustained production demandParticipate in defining and implementing team objectives aligned to corporate procurement strategy; ensure compliance with objectives and policies and continuously improve organizational and individual performance metricsEnsure department metrics are implemented and understood by direct reports and stakeholders; influence peers, cross-functional processes, and stakeholders to drive measurable resultsExpedite materials, manage supplier escalations, and manage an extensive network of outsourced service suppliers — machining, sheet metal, weldments, surface finishing, and specialty fabrication — coordinating with internal stakeholders and driving issues to closurePerform opportunity analysis to identify and execute projects delivering efficiency gains, cost savings, and inventory reductionPrepare management status reports on metrics, projects, and programsOwn purchase-order data integrity and item master maintenance within the ERP system, ensuring supplier, pricing, lead-time, revision, sourcing, and MRP attributes are accurate, current, and aligned with approved business requirementsDeliver annual training to the purchasing team on standard operating procedures and work instructions to maintain compliance with company policy and internal audit requirements.Other duties as assignedKey MetricsOn-time delivery to customerProduction material shortages and clear-to-build performanceNPD material readiness to build schedule; prototype and first article cycle timeSupplier OTD, lead time, cost, RTV, and capacityInventory turns and E&O exposure through engineering changeSkillsAbility to operate with incomplete information and changing requirements, characteristic of NPD programs, without losing schedule controlAbility to manage concurrent development and production demands, setting priorities that protect both new program milestones and running build schedulesAbility to concisely communicate escalations, requirements, and issues to suppliers, stakeholders, peers, upper management, and customers, and drive resolutionStrong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skillsStrong leader — self-motivated, proactive, detail oriented, hands-on, results drivenStrong knowledge of all aspects of purchasing, supplier selection, cost analysis, and negotiationAbility to read and interpret engineering drawings, bills of material, and specificationsWorks independently in a fast-paced environmentRequired QualificationsBachelor's degree in Business or Engineering7+ years of relevant experience, including 2+ years managing direct reportsDemonstrated experience supporting New Product Development or New Product Introduction in a manufacturing environment, including prototype sourcing, ECO/ECN management, and transition to productionExperience supporting sustaining or volume production procurement, including MRP-driven buying, shortage management, and supplier capacity planningStrong understanding of a contract manufacturing environment; semiconductor capital equipment, or a comparable high-mix, low-volume, build-to-print industryExperience across several operational disciplines with depth in at least two of: procurement, planning, production management, master scheduling, factory engineering, logistics, program managementFamiliarity with precision machining, sheet metal, weldments, and ultra-high-purity or cleanroom-grade componentsProven record of managing and driving continuous process improvement; strong analytical skills and ability to identify root cause for action and resolutionPreferred QualificationsDepth in at least two of: procurement, planning, production management, master scheduling, factory engineering, logistics, program managementExperience with tier-one ERP and PLM systems such as Oracle, SAP, or AgileMBA or master's degreeLean, Six Sigma, or APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP) or PMP