Purchasing Manager

Description

Summary: 

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing all strategic and day-to-day purchasing and procurement activities to ensure material availability, cost efficiency, and supplier performance. This position develops and implements purchasing strategies, manages supplier relationships, negotiates contracts, and leads continuous improvement initiatives. The Purchasing Manager provides leadership to the purchasing team while collaborating with internal departments and global purchasing teams to support manufacturing operations, business objectives, and long-term organizational growth.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute purchasing strategies aligned with company objectives and operational requirements.
• Identify, evaluate, select, and develop suppliers based on quality, cost competitiveness, delivery performance, and reliability.
• Negotiate supplier pricing, contracts, terms, and agreements to achieve favorable business outcomes.
• Ensure timely availability of materials and components to support internal manufacturing, production at other company      locations, and resale operations.
• Identify and implement cost-reduction initiatives while maintaining quality and supplier performance standards.
• Establish, monitor, and continuously improve purchasing key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, including supplier disruptions, material shortages, and raw material price      fluctuations.
• Develop and manage purchasing budgets and provide regular performance reports to leadership.
• Lead purchasing digitization initiatives to improve efficiency, accuracy, and reporting capabilities.
• Develop, standardize, and continuously improve purchasing policies, procedures, and processes.

Global Collaboration:

• Collaborate with purchasing teams across U.S. and European locations to support organizational purchasing objectives.
• Represent the company's interests in global purchasing initiatives, committees, and projects.
• Support the alignment and standardization of purchasing practices across company locations.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Lead, coach, and develop purchasing personnel while remaining actively involved in daily purchasing operations.
• Promote effective utilization of ERP systems and identify opportunities for system and process improvements.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Production, Logistics, Quality, Sales, and other departments to support material requirements and operational priorities.
• Ensure purchasing activities comply with applicable laws, regulations, company policies, and sustainability standards.
• Promote accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement within the purchasing department.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education:  Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

Experience:  Several years of progressive experience in strategic and operational purchasing, preferably within machinery manufacturing, metalworking, or an industrial manufacturing environment. Previous leadership experience and demonstrated supplier negotiation capabilities required. Experience sourcing steel and aluminum materials, managing international suppliers, developing purchasing KPIs, and implementing cost-saving initiatives preferred.

Reading Ability: Must be able to read, write, and understand English.

Skills:

• Strong purchasing, procurement, and supplier management knowledge.
• Excellent negotiation, contract management, and vendor relationship skills.
• Knowledge of supply chain management, sourcing strategies, and risk mitigation.
• Understanding of steel and aluminum markets, including sheet, bar, and profile materials, preferred.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong financial analysis, budgeting, and cost-reduction skills.
• Ability to establish, monitor, and analyze purchasing performance metrics.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development abilities.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing business requirements.
• Experience with process improvement and purchasing digitization initiatives preferred.
• Ability to work effectively with international teams and suppliers.
• German language skills preferred.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to stand and walk for periods of time while visiting manufacturing and storage areas.
• Occasional walking through production facilities, warehouses, and supplier locations.
• Ability to inspect materials and shipments as needed.

Work Environment:

• Primarily an office environment with regular exposure to manufacturing and warehouse operations.
• Occasional visits to supplier facilities and other company locations.
• Exposure to manufacturing equipment, moving machinery, and industrial noise when working on the production floor.
• Required use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering designated manufacturing areas.
• Must follow all company safety policies and procedures.