Purchasing Manager

About the Role The Purchasing Manager leads the local Purchasing department and collaborates across functions to deliver cost savings, working capital improvements, and secure supply that meet company objectives. This role owns the business-unit supply base and develops key suppliers through continuous improvement, building strong executive-level relationships. It will establish a clear roadmap of activities and projects to support a longer-term, best-in-class supply chain. What You'll Do

• Own total supplier performance, driving results that meet business objectives in cost reduction, working capital, delivery, quality, and technology collaboration.
• Establish goals and development plans for buyers that align with top-down objectives, providing regular written and verbal feedback to support goals and personal improvement.
• Drive material cost reduction activities (E-RFx, e-auction, digital sourcing, supplier kaizens, VAVE, etc.) to support gross margin targets.
• Establish KPIs and own supplier performance improvement as measured through those KPIs (on-time delivery, quality, cost inflation/deflation, stockouts, PO confirmation, lead-time reduction, technology, responsiveness).
• Represent purchasing in the business SIOP process, ensuring complete visibility of requirements and 12+ month forecasts to suppliers.
• Provide coaching/mentoring to buyers and challenge the norm in a constructive way for optimal results.
• Establish or improve rules, cadence, tools, and processes for exception message management and material availability, minimizing inventory while ensuring 100% build readiness.
• Drive continuous improvement of systems, processes, and tools that enable the team to meet objectives.
• Negotiate or assist in negotiating supplier contracts that deliver supply security and competitive value.
• Promote Lean Manufacturing/Six Sigma continuous improvement tools as part of the culture.
• Partner with leadership to execute initiatives and projects that support the strategic plan.
• Take a leadership role to ensure dual sources of supply and minimize overall risk.
• Effectively manage supplier and parts transitions to avoid business disruption.
• Work with corporate Commodity Managers to leverage spending.
• Hold self and team accountable for meeting and promoting safety and 5S standards. What We're Looking For
• Demonstrated ability to drive tangible results in supplier performance, savings, and team development.
• Familiar with the full spectrum of commodities, some cost estimating knowledge, and basic cost modeling.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate favorable contractual terms and conditions with suppliers.
• Demonstrated ability to lead fast-paced change and stabilize process implementation.
• Solid understanding of discrete manufacturing processes.
• Strong background working with MRP and ERP systems in a discrete manufacturing environment.
• Clear understanding of contractual and purchase order terms, and the use of blanket orders.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, MAPICS, or BAHN preferred.
• Experience managing multiple projects in parallel, delivering results on time.
• Solid understanding of should-cost modeling.
• Excellent computer literacy, including MS Office tools.
• Ability to lead people and drive results through others.
• Ability to lead effective change and process transformations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to read and understand engineering drawings, blueprints, schematics, and other instructions.
• Experience with QMS and supplier compliance.
• Ability to present information effectively in one-on-one and group settings. Nice to Have
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business Logistics, or related field preferred, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 5 years of management experience in a discrete manufacturing environment.