Summary: The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading day-to-day purchasing activities to meet financial commitments established by site leadership while supporting material availability, production requirements, and customer commitments. This role provides leadership and direction to the Purchasing team, establishes purchasing priorities, manages supplier performance and escalations, and supports the timely procurement of materials required for manufacturing operations.
Working closely with Planning, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and other Supply Chain functions, the Purchasing Manager coordinates purchasing activities based on production demand, addresses material shortages and supplier constraints, supports supplier negotiations, and ensures purchasing information and commitments are accurately maintained within the ERP/MRP system.
Essential Functions:- Lead the Purchasing team by establishing priorities, providing direction and support, monitoring performance, and developing team capabilities.
- Manage purchasing activities to support material requirements, production schedules, and customer commitments.
- Review MRP requirements and planning inputs with the Purchasing team to ensure purchasing actions and supplier commitments align with production demand.
- Manage supplier delivery performance, lead times, material availability, and open purchase orders; direct actions to address issues that may impact production.
- Lead supplier negotiations related to pricing, delivery, lead times, minimum order quantities, and other commercial terms, while coaching and developing the Purchasing team in effective supplier negotiation practices.
- Engage with Planning, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and Supply Chain Analytics to address material shortages, changing priorities, supplier constraints, inventory concerns, and other supply-related issues.
- Provide direction on critical shortages and supplier escalations, including prioritization and recovery actions needed to support production.
- Utilize supply chain analysis, supplier performance data, market information, and inventory trends to establish purchasing priorities, address supply risks, and support procurement decisions.
- Support supplier selection, evaluation, and qualification activities in coordination with Quality, Engineering, and other applicable functions.
- Partner with Supply Chain Analytics to identify excess and obsolete inventory, material exposure, lead-time risks, and opportunities to improve inventory performance.
- Ensure purchase orders, supplier commitments, lead times, pricing, and all relevant MRP data is accurately maintained within the system.
- Ensure purchasing activities comply with company procedures, customer requirements, contractual requirements, and applicable quality and regulatory standards.
- Identify and implement improvements to purchasing processes, supplier performance, material availability, and procurement execution.
Leadership Responsibilities:- Lead by example through integrity, ethical decision-making, professionalism, and compliance with company policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.
- Effectively communicate organizational priorities, departmental goals, and performance expectations while promoting employee engagement and collaboration.
- Foster a culture of safety, quality, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement consistent with SMTC values and business objectives.
- Support employee development through coaching, training, feedback, performance management, and recognition initiatives.
- Establish departmental goals, performance metrics, and operational priorities aligned with organizational objectives.
- Lead employee development, succession planning, talent acquisition, and workforce capability initiatives.
- Manage departmental resources, budgets, staffing plans, and performance improvement activities.
- Partner with cross-functional leaders to drive business performance, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
Competencies:- Strategic Procurement: Ability to develop and execute procurement strategies that ensure material availability, supplier performance, cost competitiveness, and operational success.
- Supply Chain Management: Ability to manage procurement activities that support production, inventory optimization, supplier performance, and customer commitments.
- Strategic Sourcing: Ability to develop sourcing strategies, evaluate suppliers, and establish long-term supplier partnerships that support business objectives.
- Supplier Relationship Management: Ability to build and strengthen strategic supplier relationships that improve quality, delivery, responsiveness, and collaboration.
- Supplier Performance Management: Ability to evaluate supplier performance through KPIs, scorecards, business reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Commodity Management: Ability to manage commodity strategies, market conditions, and sourcing decisions that support supply continuity and cost optimization.
- Material Requirements Planning (MRP): Ability to support material planning activities that ensure supply continuity and production readiness.
- Contract Negotiation: Ability to negotiate pricing, contracts, lead times, and commercial agreements that maximize business value.
- Inventory Strategy: Ability to optimize inventory investment, reduce excess and obsolete inventory, and support working capital objectives.
- Supply Chain Risk Management: Ability to identify supply risks, evaluate operational impacts, and implement mitigation strategies that strengthen supply chain resilience.
- Financial Acumen: Ability to evaluate procurement costs, budgets, supplier performance, and total cost of ownership to support business objectives.
- Continuous Improvement: Ability to lead Lean and continuous improvement initiatives that improve procurement performance, supplier collaboration, and operational efficiency.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams to achieve procurement and organizational objectives.
- Talent Development: Ability to coach, mentor, and develop Purchasing personnel while building organizational capability.
- Change Leadership: Ability to lead organizational and procurement-related change initiatives that support strategic business objectives.
- Executive Communication: Ability to communicate procurement strategies, supplier performance, business risks, and organizational priorities effectively with leadership and key stakeholders.
Qualifications: - Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, or a related field preferred.
- Certifications:
- ASCM Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM), preferred
- ASCM Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), preferred
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, preferred
- Experience:
- Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive procurement, purchasing, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
- Minimum of three (3) years of leadership experience managing purchasing, procurement, or supply chain personnel.
- Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience developing procurement strategies, leading supplier negotiations, managing strategic supplier relationships, and driving cost reduction initiatives.
- Experience supporting Material Requirements Planning (MRP), ERP systems, inventory optimization, supplier performance management, and New Product Introduction (NPI).
- Strong understanding of electronic components, custom engineered materials, and manufacturing supply chain processes.
- Excellent analytical, negotiation, financial, leadership, and project management skills.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
Physical Requirements:- Ability to sit for extended periods while performing computer-based work, attending meetings, and reviewing reports.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods while conducting floor presence, observations, meetings, audits, and employee interactions.
- Ability to communicate effectively in person, virtually, and through written communication.
- Ability to use standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and related technology.
- Ability to move throughout office, production, warehouse, and customer environments as business needs require.
- Ability to occasionally bend, reach, and lift materials or equipment up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to travel as required by business needs.
- Ability to visually review documents, reports, presentations, production information, and computer displays with or without corrective lenses.
Mental Requirements:- The employee is required to exercise strategic thinking, sound judgment, and independent decision-making in support of departmental and organizational objectives.
- The role requires the ability to analyze complex information, evaluate risks, resolve conflicts, manage multiple priorities, and make timely decisions in a dynamic environment.
- Employees must effectively communicate, influence, coach, and collaborate with individuals at all levels of the organization while maintaining professionalism and confidentiality. The position requires strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the ability to balance short-term operational needs with long-term business objectives.
Work Environment: - Work is performed in a professional, climate-controlled office setting with exposure to standard office noise levels and lighting. The role routinely uses typical office equipment, including computers, phones, printers, and related peripherals. Duties may involve extended periods of sitting, sustained computer work, and regular interaction with internal staff. Employees may occasionally access production areas, which may expose them to elevated noise levels, temperature variations, or manufacturing activity. All employees are expected to comply with workplace policies, safety protocols, and organizational procedures.
Travel: 11-25% of the time based on business needs.Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
