Manager, Purchasing

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases is a leading provider of cryogenic pumps, heat exchangers, process systems, services, and solutions for the LNG and industrial gases industry. A subsidiary of Nikkiso Company Ltd., we operate globally with over 8,000 employees and $1.5 billion in annual revenue.

About the role

The Purchasing Manager leads the day-to-day purchasing function to support production, quality, inventory, cost, and operational objectives. This role provides leadership to the purchasing team, ensuring materials, services, MRO, supplies, and outside processing are procured at required quality, cost, and delivery standards. The position serves as a key liaison between Purchasing, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Finance, Materials, and Supply Chain leadership to identify supply risks and support business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Purchasing Leadership
  • Lead, coach, develop, and provide daily direction to the purchasing team.
  • Establish priorities and balance buyer workloads based on production requirements, material shortages, supplier risks, and business needs.
  • Set clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards for the purchasing team.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point for purchasing, supplier, delivery, pricing, and internal procurement issues.
  • Support employee development, cross-training, succession planning, and continuous improvement within the purchasing organization.
• Procurement Execution
  • Ensure purchase orders are placed accurately and timely in accordance with production requirements, demand, and company procedures.
  • Monitor open purchase orders, supplier commitments, past-due orders, shortages, and delivery risks.
  • Ensure buyers proactively communicate supplier delays and material constraints before they impact production.
  • Oversee procurement of production materials, MRO, supplies, services, and outside processing.
  • Align purchasing activities with inventory objectives and required production lead times.
  • Support material shortage resolution and recovery planning.
• Supplier Management
  • Manage supplier performance related to delivery, quality, responsiveness, cost, and overall service.
  • Partner with Quality and Supply Chain Manager to address supplier performance concerns and corrective actions.
  • Support supplier business reviews, scorecards, audits, and supplier development activities.
  • Maintain appropriate supplier relationships and ensure timely escalation of significant supply risks.
  • Support qualification, evaluation, and onboarding of new suppliers.
  • Identify sourcing risks, capacity constraints, sole-source exposure, and other potential supply interruptions.
• Cost & Commercial Management
  • Support pricing visibility, purchase price analysis, and cost-control initiatives.
  • Identify opportunities for cost reduction, cost avoidance, supplier consolidation, and improved commercial terms.
  • Support supplier negotiations involving pricing, lead times, payment terms, minimum order quantities, freight, and other commercial conditions.
  • Monitor significant commodity, supplier, and market changes that may affect purchasing costs or availability.
  • Assist Supply Chain leadership with sourcing strategies and supplier negotiations.
• KPI & Performance Management
  • Establish, monitor, and report purchasing performance metrics.
  • Track supplier on-time delivery, purchasing execution, material shortages, cost savings, and other key procurement indicators.
  • Review purchasing trends and identify areas requiring corrective action.
  • Hold buyers and suppliers accountable for agreed performance expectations.
  • Provide regular purchasing status and risk updates to Supply Chain leadership.
• Process, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
  • Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies, procedures, work instructions, and internal controls.
  • Maintain accurate purchasing records and documentation for ISO, JSOX, and audit requirements.
  • Oversee purchasing logs, supplier records, purchasing reports, and vendor master data.
  • Maintain accuracy and integrity of the vendor database.
  • Identify opportunities to improve purchasing efficiency, accuracy, cycle time, reporting, and workflow.
• Cross-Functional Support
  • Partner with Planning to align purchasing priorities with manufacturing schedules.
  • Work closely with Engineering on drawings, bills of material, specifications, substitutions, and technical requirements.
  • Support Finance with pricing, invoice, supplier, and purchase order discrepancies.
  • Communicate supply risks and recommend actions to Supply Chain leadership and other stakeholders.
• Supervisory Responsibility
  • Directly supervise purchasing personnel, assigning work, establishing priorities, and providing performance feedback.
  • Promote accountability, teamwork, professionalism, proactive communication, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

This role operates primarily in a professional office and manufacturing environment, utilizing standard office equipment. Periodic interaction with production, warehouse, receiving, quality, and other operational areas may be required.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to talk, hear, sit, stand, and use a computer. Specific vision abilities include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The position may occasionally require lifting files, accessing filing cabinets, bending, standing, or walking through manufacturing and warehouse areas.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment.
• Previous experience leading, supervising, or managing purchasing personnel.
• Strong understanding of production purchasing, MRP-driven procurement, MRO, supplies, services, and outside processing.
• Experience managing supplier delivery, pricing, performance, and escalations.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, purchasing reports, purchase orders, and supplier data.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, bills of material, specifications, and technical purchasing requirements.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

Core Competencies

• Leadership and team development
• Supplier management
• Negotiation and commercial awareness
• Production and material planning awareness
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Cost and KPI management
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Change management and continuous improvement
• Attention to detail
• Sense of urgency
• Professional communication and judgment

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, particularly Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, manage competing priorities, and work independently.

Pay

$80,000 - $100,000