Senior Purchasing Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Purchasing Lead (Hands-On)
Burbank, California**

What We Do at WET

WET designs and builds the most ambitious water features in the world—from the Fountains of Bellagio to one-of-a-kind installations that merge engineering, art, and performance.

Our work lives at the intersection of robotics, hydraulics, software, materials science, and show design. Every project is custom. Every solution is invented. And every detail matters.

We are a team of 200+ engineers, fabricators, designers, and creators who solve problems that don’t have playbooks.

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Purchasing Lead who is not just strategic, but deeply hands-on —someone who rolls up their sleeves, owns the details, and directly drives purchasing execution across complex, custom-built projects.

You will personally manage critical закуп decisions, lead negotiations, build supplier partnerships, and ensure materials hit the floor on time and on cost. This is not a passive leadership role—this is a player-coach position embedded in the day-to-day flow of engineering and production.

You will oversee approximately $30M in annual spend , spanning metals, machined components, electronics, pumps, and specialized equipment.

What You’ll Actually Do

• Own purchasing execution end-to-end: sourcing, quoting, negotiating, issuing POs, and tracking delivery on critical path items

• Personally negotiate high-impact buys, cost reductions, and long-term agreements with key suppliers

• Work side-by-side with engineering and fabrication teams to understand specs, tolerances, and build requirements before sourcing

• Drive supplier performance—quality, lead time, responsiveness—and intervene directly when issues arise

• Build and maintain a high-performing, reliable supplier network (domestic and international)

• Analyze should-cost models and challenge pricing with data, not assumptions

• Identify risk early (long lead items, single-source suppliers, volatile materials) and proactively mitigate

• Improve purchasing processes, systems, and visibility—no black boxes, no surprises

• Lead and mentor a small team of buyers while staying directly involved in the work

What Success Looks Like

• Materials arrive on time, every time—no production delays due to purchasing gaps

• Measurable cost improvements without sacrificing quality or reliability

• Strong, accountable supplier relationships—not transactional, but performance-driven

• Clear visibility into spend, risks, and timelines across all projects

• A purchasing function that is trusted, responsive, and deeply integrated with engineering and production

What You Bring

• 10+ years in purchasing/supply chain, with strong experience in manufacturing or engineered products

• Proven track record of personally negotiating and closing complex закуп deals

• Deep familiarity with metals, machining, electronics, and mechanical systems

• Ability to read drawings, understand specs, and engage technically with engineers

• Strong cost analysis skills—comfortable breaking down pricing and challenging assumptions

• Experience operating in fast-moving, custom, project-based environments (not just high-volume production)

• Leadership experience, with a willingness to stay hands-on in day-to-day execution

• Proficiency with ERP/procurement systems (QuickBooks or similar)

Why This Role Matters

At WET, purchasing is not a back-office function—it is a core driver of whether our ideas become reality .

The right person in this role will directly impact our ability to build faster, smarter, and more creatively—while maintaining the quality and precision our projects demand.

If you want to own decisions, move fast, and be close to the work , this is that role.

Why WET

You’ll be part of a team that builds things most companies would never attempt. The problems are real, the stakes are high, and the output is seen by millions of people around the world.

WET is an Equal Opportunity Employer and hires based on merit, competence, and qualifications.

 

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