Import Purchasing Manager

RJ Schinner Co•Menomonee Falls, WI

10d•Onsite

About The Position

RJ Schinner, a family-owned business established in 1951, is a leading distributor with 20 distribution centers across the U.S. and a team of over 600 employees. They specialize in stocking distributors in 48 states with essential items such as paper goods, foodservice packaging, and cleaning supplies. Headquartered in Menomonee Falls, WI, RJ Schinner has been recognized by Deloitte's Wisconsin 75 and BizTimes' Future 50 Program for its success and growth. The company emphasizes a team-oriented culture that values hard work, celebrates achievements, and promotes mutual growth.

Requirements

5+ years of purchasing, inventory planning, supply chain, or procurement experience.
Experience working with imported products, forecasting, and inventory management in a distribution environment preferred.
Experience managing vendor relationships and purchasing activities.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, business Administration, Logistics, Operations Management, or related field preferred.
Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
2+ years of leadership or supervisory experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Supervise, coach, and develop Import Buyers, establishing performance expectations and providing training.
Monitor buyer workload and purchasing activities to ensure timely replenishment and inventory availability.
Assist buyers with purchasing responsibilities during peak workload periods, staffing shortages, or special projects.
Lead inventory planning efforts for all import product categories, developing and maintaining strategies to meet service level objectives while minimizing excess inventory.
Create vendor forecasts using sales trends, historical demand, market intelligence, promotional programs, and cross-functional input.
Review forecast accuracy and adjust purchasing plans as business conditions change.
Identify inventory risks and develop mitigation strategies for potential shortages or excess inventory situations.
Review and approve Mixing Center sales orders to ensure inventory availability, proper allocation, and supply chain efficiency.
Create and maintain transfer forecasts for Mixing Centers and hub branches, partnering with Operations and Distribution leadership to support labor planning and warehouse resource allocation.
Monitor inventory flow between Mixing Centers and branch locations to maximize service levels and inventory turnover.
Maintain and update a list of trouble items, obsolete inventory, and excess inventory.
Partner with Sales and Category Management to develop action plans for reducing excess inventory exposure.
Maintain visibility of excess import inventory and communicate opportunities for sales force or category management initiatives.
Monitor inventory turns and recommend actions to improve inventory productivity.
Maintain strong working relationships with import vendors and suppliers, communicating forecasts and demand plans to support production scheduling and supply continuity.
Monitor vendor performance including service levels, fill rates, lead times, and forecast accuracy.
Collaborate with suppliers to address supply disruptions and inventory productivity.
Work closely with Sales, Operations, Category Management, Purchasing, and Finance teams to align inventory and forecasting strategies.
Provide inventory and forecasting insights to support business planning decisions.
Assist with new product introductions, inventory transitions, and vendor consolidation initiatives.
Develop and maintain inventory planning, forecasting, and performance metrics.
Analyze inventory trends, service levels, excess inventory, and purchasing performance.
Prepare regular reports and recommendations for leadership regarding inventory health and purchasing opportunities.
Identify process improvements that increase operational efficiency and inventory performance.
Perform other duties as assigned.