Purchasing Manager

Founded in 1986, St. Charles Community College (SCC) has a reputation as one of the best two-year colleges in the state of Missouri. SCC's service area includes a six-county region with a population exceeding 540,000. SCC's main campus, located in Cottleville, has won architectural awards for its innovative, contemporary design. The college's Dardenne Creek Campus features the Center for Healthy Living and the Field to Table Institute. Opening Fall 2025, the Innovation West Campus located in Wentzville features the Regional Workforce Innovation Center. With a focus on innovation, St. Charles Community College is a leader in delivering high quality education in a state-of-the-art learning environment. The success of SCC is rooted in the mission of serving the community by "focusing on academic excellence, student success, workforce advancement, and life-long learning within a global society."

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Purchasing Manager to oversee the procurement of goods and services for our organization. The Purchasing Manager will be responsible for developing purchasing strategies, managing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, controlling costs, and ensuring timely delivery of materials and supplies. This role plays a critical part in maintaining operational efficiency, product quality, and budget performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Develop, implement, and manage purchasing policies, procedures, and strategies.
• Source, evaluate, and negotiate with suppliers and vendors to secure the best pricing, quality, and service.
• Manage the procurement of raw materials, products, equipment, and services in accordance with company needs.
• Monitor inventory levels and coordinate purchasing activities to avoid shortages or overstock.
• Review purchase requisitions and approve purchase orders in line with budget and operational requirements.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to support long-term business objectives.
• Evaluate vendor performance, including pricing, quality, delivery, and compliance.
• Collaborate with operations, finance, warehouse, and production teams to forecast purchasing needs.
• Analyze market trends, pricing, and supply chain risks to make informed buying decisions.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, legal regulations, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and process improvements across the procurement function.
• Resolve supplier issues related to quality, delivery, invoicing, or service discrepancies.
• Prepare and present purchasing reports, cost analyses, and procurement metrics to management.

Lead and mentor purchasing staff or buyers, if applicable.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics , or a related field.
• 3-7+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience.
• Previous experience in a supervisory or management role preferred.
• Strong negotiation, vendor management, and contract administration skills.
• Proficiency in ERP systems , purchasing software, and Microsoft Excel .
• Solid understanding of inventory control, supply chain processes, and cost analysis.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification such as:
• CPM (Certified Purchasing Manager)
• CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management)
• CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
• Experience in manufacturing, retail, distribution, construction, healthcare, or food service (depending on industry).
• Knowledge of supplier compliance, risk management, and strategic sourcing.