Director of Fuel Supply & Purchasing

Job Description

Job Description

Director of Fuel Supply & Purchasing

Liquid Fuels & Propane

Buell Fuel | Center State Propane

Deansboro NY

Position Summary

The Director of Fuel Supply & Purchasing is responsible for the end-to-end procurement of liquid fuel products, including fuel oil, diesel, gasoline, and propane. This is a hands-on leadership role with direct responsibility for daily purchasing decisions, supplier coordination, inventory planning, and cost control.

The Director ensures reliable supply at competitive cost while maintaining tight alignment with operations, dispatch, and finance. This role owns fuel purchasing execution, not just strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Fuel Purchasing & Supply Execution

• Direct and execute daily fuel purchases across all products and locations
• Monitor market pricing, rack postings, basis movements, and supply conditions
• Make real-time purchasing decisions to balance cost, availability, and operational demand
• Oversee spot purchases, scheduled loads, and contract volumes

Inventory & Demand Planning

• Monitor tank levels, throughput, and storage capacity across all facilities
• Plan seasonal builds and drawdowns based on weather, demand patterns, and delivery schedules
• Prevent run-outs, emergency purchases, and excess inventory
• Adjust purchasing strategies during peak demand, weather events, and supply disruptions

Vendor, Terminal & Transport Oversight

• Manage relationships with suppliers, terminals, and transport providers
• Negotiate pricing, supply terms, and volume commitments
• Evaluate supplier performance for reliability, pricing accuracy, and service
• Resolve supply issues, delays, shortages, and pricing discrepancies

Cost Control, Pricing Support & Risk Awareness

• Track delivered cost by product and location
• Provide accurate cost data to finance and pricing teams
• Support fixed-price programs, margin management, and exposure awareness
• Identify opportunities to reduce delivered cost and improve supply efficiency

Leadership & Accountability

• Set purchasing standards, controls, and approval thresholds
• Oversee and mentor fuel buyers or supply coordinators, if applicable
• Serve as the primary point of accountability for fuel supply performance
• Collaborate with executive leadership on supply planning and risk considerations

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and internal control requirements
• Maintain accurate documentation for purchases, contracts, and audits
• Support accounting reconciliations related to fuel inventory and cost

Qualifications

• Significant experience in fuel purchasing and supply management
• Deep understanding of fuel oil, diesel, gasoline, and propane markets
• Strong knowledge of rack pricing, basis differentials, and fuel logistics
• Proven ability to make time-sensitive purchasing decisions
• Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills
• Bachelors Degree

Preferred Experience

• Fuel distributor or propane company environment
• Experience managing seasonal demand cycles
• Familiarity with tank monitoring, dispatch, and fuel inventory systems

Core Competencies

• Supply reliability
• Cost and margin awareness
• Decisive, hands-on leadership
• Vendor negotiation
• Operational coordination