Procurement Manager

Attention! Now Hiring …Looking forward to your next big opportunity?

Whelan Machine is growing, and we want YOU to join our team!

We’re proud to be part of the Department of Defense (DoD) and offer you a chance to work in an exciting, fast-paced industry.

Supporting the mission with world-class precision is at the heart of what we do.

Whelan Machineis a mission-critical supplier of high-precision machining for the U.S defense industrial base. We offer quarterly incentive pay and the opportunity to work in our new and improved 70,000-square foot facility!

Competitive pay Great benefits

Quarterly incentive paysA workplace that values YOUR skill and growth

Be part of the DoD and helping make a difference

Supporting the mission with world-class precision

Brand-new 70,000 sq. ft. facility

Our mission is to build a world-class team of skilled professionals, and we want YOU to be a part of it.

If you're in Louisville or nearby, don't miss this opportunity!

Apply today and become part of the Whelan family.

POSITION SUMMARY The Procurement Manager leads sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management activities to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of materials, components, and services required for production. This role is critical to maintaining supply continuity for a defense manufacturing operation subject to DFARS, ITAR, and CMMC requirements, and works closely with production planning, quality, engineering, and finance to support on-time delivery to customers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Sourcing & Supplier Management Identify, qualify, and manage suppliers for raw materials (steel, alloys, etc.), tooling, MRO, and outside processing (e.g., heat treat, plating, NDT)
Negotiate pricing, terms, and long-term agreements to control cost and mitigate supply risk Maintain and monitor an Approved Supplier List (ASL); manage supplier scorecards for quality, delivery, and cost performance

Evaluate and onboard new suppliers, including flow-down of applicable FAR/DFARS clauses and Nadcap/AS9100 or ITAR-related requirements where applicable

Purchasing Operations Manage the purchase order lifecycle from requisition through receipt, ensuring accurate ERP records

Monitor lead times, safety stock, and reorder points to prevent production disruptions

Resolve pricing discrepancies, delivery delays, and quality non-conformances with suppliers

Manage credit terms and work with finance on payment holds, credit limits, and vendor disputes

Compliance & Risk Management Ensure procurement practices comply with DFARS, ITAR/EAR (export control on materials and technical data), and CMMC-related handling requirements for supplier-shared CUIMaintain documentation supporting DCAA/DCMA audit readiness (purchase order files, competitive quotes, sole-source justifications)
Track certificates of conformance, material certs, and traceability documentation required for aerospace/defense end customers

Monitor for counterfeit parts risk and maintain segregation of authorized distributors per customer flow-downs

Cross-Functional Coordination Partner with production planning/scheduling to align purchasing with the master production schedule and sales forecast

Work with engineering on new part sourcing, make-vs-buy decisions, and alternate material qualification

Support cost estimating and quoting with current material and outside-process pricing

Report on key metrics: PPV (purchase price variance), on-time delivery, supplier lead times, and open PO aging

Team Leadership Supervise buyers/purchasing agents, if applicable; set priorities and review workload

Develop and maintain purchasing policies, procedures, and desk-level work instructions

Qualifications Required Bachelor 's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field,…