Position OverviewThe Purchasing and Inventory Manager ensures the availability of materials needed to support production while improving profitability, inventory performance, and supplier reliability. This position oversees purchasing and inventory planning for raw materials, components, and packaging. The successful candidate will identify cost-saving opportunities, improve inventory turns, reduce working capital tied up in inventory, and support the company's financial and operational goals.
Key ResponsibilitiesPurchasing and Supplier Management- Lead the procurement of plastic resins, recycled materials, components, packaging, and other materials required for production.
- Negotiate pricing, contracts, payment terms, lead times, and supply agreements to improve margins and cash flow.
- Monitor supplier performance related to cost, quality, delivery, and responsiveness.
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while identifying opportunities for alternative sourcing and improved terms.
- Research market conditions, pricing trends, supply risks, and other economic developments that may affect material availability or cost.
- Identify and implement cost-reduction and sourcing improvement initiatives.
- Address supplier performance concerns and coordinate corrective actions when necessary.
Inventory Management and Planning- Optimize inventory levels, safety stock, reorder points, and purchasing quantities to improve inventory turns while maintaining appropriate service levels.
- Monitor material requirements, inventory balances, production schedules, forecasts, and open purchase orders.
- Reduce excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory.
- Identify inventory discrepancies, determine root causes, and coordinate corrective action.
- Maintain accurate purchasing and inventory information within the company's ERP/MRP system.
- Review purchasing and inventory reports to identify shortages, excess inventory, cost variances, and improvement opportunities.
- Support inventory audits, cycle counts, and reconciliation activities as needed.
Operational and Financial Support- Partner with Operations, Materials, Quality, Finance, Sales, Logistics, and other departments to ensure material availability and prevent production disruptions.
- Improve planning, forecasting, and supplier collaboration to reduce working capital requirements.
- Track procurement and inventory performance against established goals and key performance indicators.
- Provide regular updates regarding material availability, supplier performance, cost-saving initiatives, and inventory risks.
- Support budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis related to purchasing and inventory.
- Perform general clerical and administrative responsibilities, including data entry, maintaining purchasing and supplier records, preparing routine reports, processing documentation, and organizing procurement files.
- Perform other duties and support special projects as assigned.
QualificationsRequired- Five or more years of purchasing, inventory management, procurement, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated experience managing suppliers, negotiating terms, and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
- Experience with inventory planning, demand forecasting, safety stock, and reorder-point management.
- Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and purchasing processes.
- Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to evaluate data, identify trends, and make sound business decisions.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Preferred- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Finance, or a related field.
- Experience purchasing plastic resins, recycled materials, packaging, or other materials used in plastics manufacturing.
- Experience supporting multiple manufacturing locations or business units.
- Professional certification in purchasing, supply chain, or inventory management.
Success in This RoleSuccess will be measured through improvements in:
- Inventory turns
- Working capital reduction
- Material cost savings
- Supplier on-time delivery
- Material availability
- Excess and obsolete inventory reduction
- Purchasing and inventory accuracy
- EBITDA improvement generated through procurement initiatives
Why Join Schaefer Plastics?Schaefer Plastics is a family-owned company with a history dating back to 1937. As a global leader in injection-molded plastic products, we manufacture waste and recycling carts, reusable packaging solutions, and other products that serve customers across a wide range of industries.
This newly created position offers the opportunity to directly influence purchasing strategy, inventory performance, supplier relationships, profitability, and operational success. You will work closely with leaders across the organization and play an important role in ensuring the right materials are available at the right time, at the best total cost, and with the least amount of capital invested.
