Purchasing Manager

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading purchasing activities in support of production schedules, customer requirements, inventory goals, supplier performance, and overall business objectives. This role manages the purchasing function to ensure materials, components, equipment, and services are sourced at the best overall value while meeting quality, delivery, and cost expectations.

The Purchasing Manager works closely with Program Management, Planning, Production, Engineering, Quality, Sales, Finance, and suppliers to resolve material shortages, supplier issues, pricing concerns, account discrepancies, and delivery risks. This position requires strong leadership, sound business judgment, supplier management experience, and the ability to make effective decisions in a fast‑paced contract manufacturing environment.

• Lead and manage purchasing activities to support production schedules, customer commitments, and inventory requirements.
• Oversee buyer performance, workload priorities, supplier follow‑up, purchase order execution, and material shortage resolution.
• Review and analyze material buy lists, MRP requirements, production schedules, supplier lead times, and inventory levels to ensure purchasing actions align with business needs.
• Ensure purchase orders, purchase requisitions, change orders, and requests for quote are processed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Manage supplier relationships and serve as an escalation point for delivery issues, pricing concerns, quality issues, nonconforming material, and account discrepancies.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, delivery terms, supplier agreements, and other purchasing conditions to achieve the best overall value.
• Coordinate purchasing activities with Program Management, Planning, Production, Engineering, Quality, Sales, and Finance.
• Monitor supplier performance related to cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, and overall reliability.
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships, evaluate supplier competitiveness, and identify new or alternate supply sources when needed.
• Support material availability through effective purchasing practices, including just‑in‑time purchasing, economic order quantity planning, inventory control, and shortage management.
• Expedite, reschedule, or expedite materials as needed to meet production and customer requirements.
• Ensure material standards are met and that substitutions, variances, or nonconformances are properly reviewed and approved.
• Lead cost analysis, volume planning, sourcing reviews, and cost reduction initiatives for assigned commodities, components, equipment, and services.
• Identify and recommend cost‑saving opportunities, alternate sourcing options, and make‑versus‑buy recommendations.
• Maintain and improve purchasing data accuracy, including supplier records, quote tables, part parameters, supplier codes, and purchasing reports.
• Review purchasing error reports, supplier performance data, shortage reports, and other key metrics to drive improvement.
• Monitor assigned subcontractors and suppliers to ensure performance meets cost, schedule, quality, and scope requirements.
• Support Sales, Program Management, and leadership with pricing, sourcing strategy, customer quoting, and contract negotiations as needed.
• Develop purchasing procedures, best practices, and process improvements to improve department efficiency and supplier performance.
• Provide accurate, prompt, professional, and courteous support to internal and external customers.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

• Minimum of 7 years of purchasing, supply chain, or procurement experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 2 years of purchasing leadership, supervisory, or team lead experience preferred.
• Experience in contract manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, PCBA, or a similar production environment strongly preferred.
• Experience purchasing electronic components, mechanical parts, assemblies, equipment, services, or production‑related materials preferred.
• Previous experience working with ERP/MRP systems required.
• Experience managing supplier performance, production shortages, cost reduction…