Purchasing Manager

iFAB Corp is seeking an experienced Purchasing Manager to lead and optimize the company's procurement operations in a fast-paced metal fabrication manufacturing environment. The Purchasing Manager will be responsible for sourcing raw materials, fabricated components, production supplies, and subcontracted services while ensuring cost competitiveness, quality, and on-time delivery. This role plays a critical part in maintaining uninterrupted production by developing strategic supplier partnerships, negotiating favorable agreements, and implementing best procurement practices.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in metal manufacturing or metal fabrication, excellent negotiation skills, and experience managing procurement teams in a manufacturing setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute purchasing strategies aligned with production schedules and company objectives.
• Source and procure raw materials including structural steel, stainless steel, aluminum, sheet metal, tubing, plate, hardware, and fabrication consumables.
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with domestic and international suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, contracts, rebates, and long-term supply agreements.
• Monitor steel market trends, commodity pricing, tariffs, and supply chain risks to support purchasing decisions.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Production, Planning, Inventory Control, and Quality departments to ensure material availability.
• Manage supplier performance through KPIs including quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness.
• Lead supplier qualification, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Review material requirements generated through the ERP/MRP system and ensure timely purchase order placement.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels while minimizing carrying costs.
• Resolve supplier quality issues, delivery delays, shortages, and invoice discrepancies.
• Analyze purchasing metrics including PPV (Purchase Price Variance), inventory turnover, supplier performance, and cost savings.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, supplier consolidation, and process improvement.
• Develop annual purchasing budgets and support financial forecasting.
• Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies and applicable regulations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop purchasing and procurement staff.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of purchasing experience in metal fabrication, structural steel manufacturing, precision metal manufacturing, or related industrial manufacturing.
• At least 3 years of leadership or management experience supervising purchasing or procurement teams.
• Strong experience purchasing:
• Carbon steel
• Stainless steel
• Aluminum
• Sheet metal
• Structural steel
• Tubing and pipe
• Hardware and industrial components
• Welding and fabrication consumables
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes including laser cutting, machining, welding, forming, powder coating, and fabrication.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., Sage 500, Epicor, Net Suite, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar).
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills for purchasing analysis and reporting.
• Strong contract negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Knowledge of inventory planning and demand forecasting.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPIM, CPSM, CSCP, or CPM certification.
• Experience purchasing metals in a custom fabrication or job-shop manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of steel commodity pricing and market fluctuations.
• Experience with supplier development and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience is a plus.