DescriptionChicago, IL | On-Site 4 Days/Week | 50% TravelWe're looking for a Purchasing Manager who understands that great purchasing is about more than placing orders. It's about knowing the market, understanding what customers want, developing strong brand relationships, leading a strong purchasing team, and using data to make smart decisions about what belongs in our stores.
This is a highly visible, hands-on role responsible for leading our purchasing function and team across our retail locations. You'll work closely with our stores, meet with brands and vendors throughout the market, analyze product and inventory performance, and ensure we have the right products, in the right locations, at the right time.
This position reports to the CEO or COO, is based in our Chicago office four days per week, and requires at least 50% travel to our retail locations and other business meetings.
What You'll Do
- Lead and provide day-to-day direction to the purchasing team, establishing clear priorities, expectations, and accountability.
- Oversee purchasing, ordering, and product assortment across assigned retail locations.
- Analyze sales, inventory, aging, turns, customer demand, and market trends to make informed purchasing decisions.
- Forecast product needs and proactively manage inventory to minimize stockouts, overstock, and aging product.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with brands, vendors, cultivators, and other market partners.
- Meet with existing and prospective brands to evaluate products, pricing, availability, market relevance, and opportunities.
- Negotiate pricing, terms, promotional opportunities, and vendor arrangements within Company guidelines.
- Serve as a responsive and collaborative partner to our retail locations, regularly visiting stores and understanding their product and inventory needs.
- Ensure the purchasing team maintains accurate orders, vendor information, pricing, documentation, and appropriate follow-through.
- Monitor vendor performance and resolve purchasing, pricing, product availability, and ordering issues.
- Partner with Retail and Marketing on new products, promotions, aging inventory, and product opportunities.
- Prepare and present purchasing, inventory, product performance, and market information in a clear and professional manner.
- Coach and develop team members while remaining actively involved in the day-to-day purchasing function.
- Stay connected to emerging cannabis brands, products, pricing, consumer preferences, and market trends.
What We're Looking For
- 5+ years of experience in purchasing, buying, category management, inventory management, retail purchasing, or a related field.
- Previous experience leading or managing a team.
- Experience overseeing purchasing decisions across multiple locations strongly preferred.
- Strong vendor relationship management and negotiation experience.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to turn sales and inventory data into purchasing decisions.
- Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to represent the Company professionally with brands and vendors.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to set expectations, coach employees, delegate effectively, and hold a team accountable.
- A strong sense of urgency and the ability to remain responsive and available to our retail partners.
- Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with purchasing, inventory, and reporting systems.
- Cannabis, regulated retail, CPG, or other fast-paced retail experience strongly preferred.
- Ability and willingness to travel at least 50%.
- Ability to work from our Chicago office a minimum of four days per week.
Current employees must have been in their current position for at least six months to be eligible to apply and must meet the minimum qualifications for the role. 
