Elevate Design + Build - Director of Purchasing

Job Overview

Company: Elevate Design + Build
Salary/Pay Rate: $105,000 - $135,000+ per year
Location: Lee's Summit, MO
Job/Employment Type: Full Time
Project Scope: Residential Home Building

About the Role

The Opportunity
Elevate Design + Build is seeking a true Director-level Purchasing leader with deep experience in single-family residential new construction. This role is responsible for leading the full purchasing, estimating, vendor/trade coordination, scheduling support, and cost-control function across the complete homebuilding life cycle - from preconstruction through final home completion.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the purchasing department, including delegation, team direction, process improvement, and accountability.
• Manage purchasing, estimating, vendor/trade coordination, cost control, and systems across the full residential construction life cycle.
• Partner closely with field operations, construction managers, estimators, and trade partners to ensure homes are built on schedule, on budget, and to quality standards.
• Maintain strong working knowledge across all residential construction trades and cost codes, including foundation, framing, electrical, HVAC, drywall, painting, landscaping, sod, cleaning, and all other scopes tied to building a single-family home.
• Negotiate and manage vendor and trade partner relationships to support cost savings, production timelines, and long-term partnerships.
• Review budgets, estimates, job costs, EPOs, scopes of work, trade performance, and material sequencing to identify risk and protect profitability.
• Resolve real-time trade, vendor, field, scheduling, and cost-related issues that could impact home completion.
• Support value engineering efforts while maintaining build quality, customer experience, and construction timelines.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5+ years of purchasing, estimating, or construction operations leadership experience within single-family residential new construction, with direct ownership of full-cycle homebuilding purchasing, vendor/trade coordination, cost codes, estimating, and field operations support.
• Director-level purchasing leadership experience, or equivalent department ownership in a smaller residential homebuilding company.
• Experience overseeing a purchasing function, delegating work, and leading others- not just operating as an individual contributor.
• Single-family residential new construction experience is required.
• Experience with custom homes and/or production homebuilding is acceptable.
• Full life-cycle homebuilding experience from preconstruction through completion.
• Strong knowledge of residential construction methods, trade scopes, field sequencing, material flow, vendor management, estimating, scheduling, and cost codes.
• Hands-on field operations knowledge, with the ability to understand how purchasing and estimating decisions affect construction execution.
• Experience coordinating vendors, trades, estimators, purchasing teams, and field operations.
• Strong communication, organization, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• Proven work experience as a Director of Purchasing in the construction industry.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management or Business Management.
• Advanced knowledge of value engineering, organizational effectiveness, and financial principles.
• Demonstrated experience in mentorship or training junior team members in a fast-paced environment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Bi-weekly pay cycle and IRA retirement savings program with employer matching (up to 3%).
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
• Life and disability insurance coverage selections.
• Roaded paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Flexible paid parental leave for maternity and paternity needs.
• Corporate technology package providing a smartphone or tablet.
• Invitation to annual company trips, outings, and team events.

About Us

Elevate Design + Build is a trusted residential home builder creating vibrant communities and delivering unforgettable customer experiences. We foster a flexible, entrepreneurial, and collaborative culture where long-term careers are built through dedication and continuous improvement.