Purchasing and Administrative Operations Manager

Job Description

Purchasing is the core of this position. The Purchasing & Office Operations Manager owns the day-to-day procurement process for finished goods sourced from overseas factories, raw materials used in our screen-printing operation, equipment, services, and office supplies. This person is responsible for purchasing the right products in the right quantities, at the right time and cost, while maintaining accurate inventory and purchase-order data.

\n

The position also keeps essential office and people processes running smoothly by coordinating administrative operations and routine HR activities such as recruiting support, onboarding and offboarding, employee records, timekeeping and benefits administration, policy documentation, and employee support.

\n

This is a hands-on role for someone who is analytical, highly organized, comfortable navigating ambiguity, and able to move between detailed purchasing work and day-to-day business needs.

\n

What Success Looks Like

\n

\n
• Finished goods and production materials are available when needed, with avoidable stockouts and excess inventory minimized.
\n
• Purchase orders, costs, lead times, expected receipts, and inventory records are complete, current, and reliable.
\n
• Supplier, freight, and delivery issues are identified early, communicated clearly, and resolved with urgency.
\n
• Routine office and HR processes are completed accurately, consistently, confidentially, and on time.
\n

\n

Key Responsibilities: Purchasing, Inventory, and Vendor Management

\n

\n
• Create, issue, maintain, and close purchase orders for overseas finished goods, screen-printing raw materials, industrial equipment, services, and general business supplies.
\n
• Review sales history, forecasts, open orders, inventory on hand and on order, supplier lead times, minimum order quantities, seasonality, safety stock, and upcoming promotions to determine what to purchase and when.
\n
• Maintain accurate item and vendor data in the company’s ERP and inventory systems, including costs, lead times, reorder points, minimum order quantities, order confirmations, and expected receipt dates.
\n
• Use ABC analysis and other inventory-planning methods to prioritize purchasing attention, cycle counts, and inventory investment based on value, sales velocity, and operational importance.
\n
• Request and compare quotes; evaluate suppliers based on total cost, quality, reliability, capacity, service, payment terms, and delivery performance; and negotiate pricing, minimums, lead times, freight terms, and other commercial terms.
\n
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships, monitor supplier performance, document recurring issues, and lead corrective follow-up when quality, quantity, cost, or delivery expectations are not met.
\n
• Calculate and maintain accurate landed costs, including product cost, freight, duties, tariffs, customs and brokerage charges, and other import-related expenses.
\n
• Maintain working knowledge of international shipping, tariff, and import requirements that affect product availability and landed cost.
\n
• Coordinate with overseas factories, freight forwarders, customs brokers, carriers, and internal teams to select practical shipping methods, track shipments, and resolve delays or documentation issues.
\n
• Review supplier confirmations, commercial invoices, packing lists, shipping documents, and delivery schedules for accuracy before goods arrive.
\n
• Partner with warehouse and receiving staff to confirm incoming quantities and condition, resolve purchase-order or receiving discrepancies, and pursue supplier or freight claims when appropriate.
\n
• Conduct or coordinate cycle counts, research inventory variances, reconcile physical and system quantities, and support improvements to inventory accuracy.
\n
• Identify risks involving stockouts, excess or obsolete inventory, long lead times, supplier concentration, or changing demand and present timely recommendations to leadership.
\n
• Coordinate with accounting to support three-way matching among purchase orders, receipts, and supplier invoices and to resolve pricing, quantity, freight, or payment discrepancies.
\n
• Track and report meaningful purchasing and inventory measures, such as supplier on-time delivery, lead-time accuracy, stock availability, purchase-price variance, inventory turns, and excess inventory.
\n
• Support new-product development and launches by coordinating samples, quotes, initial orders, production schedules, and inbound delivery timing.
\n
• Develop and improve purchasing procedures, approval workflows, documentation standards, and internal controls that support accuracy, visibility, and accountability.
\n

\n

Office and Administrative Operations

\n

\n
• Oversee the day-to-day administrative needs of the office and serve as a reliable point of contact for routine operational questions.
\n
• Maintain appropriate levels of office, breakroom, shipping, and general-use supplies while applying the same cost and inventory discipline used in purchasing.
\n
• Coordinate service providers for office equipment, phones, internet, cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and other facility needs.
\n
• Maintain service agreements, contracts, and vendor records related to office and facility operations.
\n
• Maintain organized electronic and physical records, shared forms, recurring administrative schedules, and document-retention practices.
\n
• Coordinate mail, packages, meetings, company events, and other administrative logistics as needed.
\n
• Support management in maintaining required workplace notices, safety-related administrative records, emergency contacts, and other routine compliance documentation.
\n
• Identify administrative bottlenecks and implement practical, documented processes that improve consistency and reduce avoidable work.
\n

\n

Human Resources Administration and Employee Support

\n

\n
• Serve as the first point of contact for routine employee questions and coordinate with leadership, payroll and benefits providers, and outside HR or legal advisors when specialized guidance is needed.
\n
• Coordinate recruiting activities, including preparing and posting job openings, reviewing applications, scheduling interviews, communicating with candidates, checking references, and supporting offer and pre-employment processes.
\n
• Manage new-hire onboarding by collecting required documentation, coordinating orientation and training schedules, arranging system and facility access, communicating policies, and ensuring signed acknowledgments are retained.
\n
• Maintain complete, accurate, and confidential personnel files and employment records for hires, status changes, compensation changes, leave, performance documentation, disciplinary actions, and separations.
\n
• Support timekeeping and payroll administration by reviewing time records, paid-time-off entries, employee changes, and other payroll inputs and coordinating corrections before payroll deadlines.
\n
• Support employee benefits administration, including enrollment and eligibility changes, distribution of plan information, employee questions, and coordination with benefits providers or brokers.
\n
• Track paid time off, attendance, leaves, workplace injury documentation, and return-to-work information.
\n
• Promptly elevate accommodation, protected-leave, workers’ compensation, or other sensitive employment matters to leadership and the appropriate external advisor.
\n
• Maintain and periodically update job descriptions, organizational information, employee handbook materials, policies, forms, training records, compliance calendars, and required acknowledgments.
\n
• Coordinate performance-review schedules and support managers with consistent forms, documentation, follow-up, and employee development records.
\n
• Coordinate employee offboarding, including separation documentation, final payroll and benefits information, return of company property, access changes, and records retention.
\n
• Receive routine employee concerns respectfully, document the relevant facts, protect confidentiality, and promptly escalate employee-relations, disciplinary, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, investigation, wage-and-hour, or legal matters to leadership or qualified outside counsel.
\n
• Handle employee information with discretion and support consistent application of company policies and applicable employment requirements.
\n

\n

Qualifications Required

\n

\n
• At least three years of experience in purchasing, procurement, buying, inventory planning, supply chain, or a closely related role.
\n
• Hands-on experience creating and managing purchase orders, monitoring inventory, planning replenishment, tracking deliveries, and resolving supplier or receiving discrepancies.
\n
• Working proficiency with ERP or inventory-management software and relational databases.
\n
• Strong spreadsheet skills in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
\n
• General understanding of domestic and international logistics and the ability to learn and apply freight, duty, tariff, customs, and landed-cost concepts.
\n
• Ability to analyze sales and inventory data, recognize patterns and risks, and turn findings into timely purchasing decisions.
\n
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential employee and business information with sound judgment and discretion.
\n
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills necessary to coordinate with suppliers, employees, service providers, and leadership and to maintain accurate business records.
\n
• Strong organization, follow-through, negotiation, problem-solving, and attention to detail.
\n
• Self-directed work style, comfort with changing priorities, and confidence making progress when information is incomplete or ambiguous.
\n
• Ability to build productive working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
\n

\n

Job Type: Full-time

\n

Benefits:

\n

\n
• 401(k) matching
\n
• Employee discount
\n
• Health insurance
\n
• Paid time off
\n

\n

Schedule:

\n

\n
• Monday to Friday
\n

\n

Ability to commute/relocate:

\n

\n
• Milwaukee, WI 53218: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
\n

\n

Work Location: In person

\n

Job Type: Full-time

\n

Pay: $65,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

\n

Experience:

\n

\n
• Negotiation: 3 years (Preferred)
\n
• Purchasing: 3 years (Preferred)
\n

\n

Work Location: In person