DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING

Summary

The Director of Purchasing is responsible for strategizing to find cost‑effective dealers and suppliers to manage the company’s supply of products and services.

Responsibilities

• Devise and use productive sourcing strategies
• Discover profitable suppliers and initiate business and organization partnerships
• Collaborate with key persons to ensure clarity of the specifications and expectations of the company
• Control spend and build a culture of long‑term saving on procurement costs
• Establish department practices and procedures
• Analyze market; recommend major purchases of materials and supplies based on anticipated changes in prices or on unusual availability of situations

Duties

• Negotiate with external vendors to secure advantageous terms
• Approve the ordering of necessary goods and services
• Finalize purchase details of orders and deliveries
• Examine and test existing contracts
• Track and report key functional metrics to reduce expenses and improve effectiveness
• Foresee alterations in the comparative negotiating ability of suppliers and clients
• Expect unfavorable events through analysis of data and prepare control strategies
• Perform risk management for supply contracts and agreements
• Maintain records associated with the purchasing function, supplying relevant information to the accounting, sales and production functions as required
• Follow and comply with all safety and work rules and regulations
• Other duties as assigned

Education, Skills, and Experience

• 7‑10 years experience in purchasing
• Proven working experience as a procurement manager, procurement officer, or head of procurement
• Knowledge of sourcing and procurement techniques and a dexterity in “reading” the market
• Talent in negotiations and networking
• Good knowledge of supplier or third‑party management software
• Aptitude in decision‑making and working with numbers
• Experience in collecting and analyzing data
• Strong leadership capabilities
• BS degree in supply chain management, logistics, or business administration

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Ability to work in an office environment with 8–12‑hour work days, extended hours as needed, frequent sitting, walking, and standing. Must be able to lift 25 pounds at times.

Accountabilities

• Customer Focus: Actively looking for ways to identify customer needs and efficiently addressing those needs.
• Communication – Visual and Verbal: Listening, speaking, and signaling so others can understand; communicate in spoken English clearly.
• Teamwork: Working cooperatively in a professional demeanor to complete work assignments.
• Health, Safety, and Security: Recognize and mitigate safety hazards, including hazardous materials, environmental hazards, and accident conditions; follow appropriate security procedures.
• Scheduling and Coordinating: Making arrangements that fulfill all requirements as efficiently and economically as possible.
• Problem Solving/Decision‑making: Being open to change and variety; understanding the importance of learning new information for future problem solving and decision making.
• Adaptability and Lifelong Learning: Embracing change and continual learning to improve future problem solving and decision making.