Manager of Stores and Purchasing

A Finkl & Sons Co•Chicago, IL

5d•$85,000 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of Purchasing & Stores is responsible for leading all procurement, sourcing, inventory management, stores operations, supplier performance, and contract management activities to support business objectives. This role ensures uninterrupted supply of materials and services while driving cost optimization, supplier development, inventory accuracy, and operational excellence. This position collaborates closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Finance, and Supply Chain leadership to implement strategic sourcing initiatives and support organizational growth. The position also oversees Source-to-Contract (S2C) activities, supplier relationship management, category strategy deployment, and warehouse/storeroom operations while ensuring adherence to company policies, quality standards, and best practices.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
5-7+ years of progressive experience in procurement, sourcing, supply chain, inventory management, or materials management.
3+ years of leadership experience managing procurement and warehouse teams.
Experience in steel manufacturing, heavy industry, machining, or metals.
Experience with ERP systems and strategic sourcing programs required.

Responsibilities

Lead all purchasing activities for components, consumables, MRO supplies, tooling, spare parts, and contract services.
Develop and implement sourcing strategies that support cost reduction, supplier reliability, risk mitigation, and production continuity.
Negotiate supplier contracts, pricing agreements, payment terms, service levels, and commercial conditions.
Manage supplier selection, qualification, onboarding, performance evaluation, and phase-out processes.
Maintain approved supplier lists and drive supplier development initiatives.
Coordinate purchasing activities with Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, Quality, and Finance to align procurement with production requirements and budget objectives.
Ensure compliance with company procurement policies, internal controls, and purchasing procedures.
Conduct market intelligence and supplier research to support sourcing decisions and category strategies.
Lead RFx processes including RFI, RFQ, and RFP activities, supplier evaluations, and recommendation development.
Prepare negotiation strategies, business cases, and sourcing recommendations for management review.
Support global and regional category managers in the development and deployment of category strategies.
Align sourcing requirements with business objectives and category plans.
Execute sourcing strategies through supplier identification, tender management, commercial negotiations, supplier selection, and contract execution.
Manage the full contract lifecycle, including implementation, compliance monitoring, renewals, amendments, and termination activities.
Monitor contract utilization and support e-catalog and preferred supplier programs.
Maintain supplier master data and procurement records within ERP and procurement systems.
Track and report sourcing project status, savings performance, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
Oversee warehouse and storeroom operations including receiving, stocking, issuing, shipping, cycle counting, and inventory control.
Establish and maintain inventory management systems that reduce excess inventory, stockouts, and obsolete materials.
Define and maintain appropriate reorder points, minimum/maximum levels, and safety stock for critical materials.
Ensure inventory transactions are accurately maintained within the ERP system.
Conduct periodic audits to validate inventory accuracy between physical counts and system records.
Maintain safe, clean, organized, and efficient warehouse facilities.
Oversee receiving inspections and ensure discrepancies, damage, shortages, and non-conforming materials are addressed promptly.
Coordinate expediting activities for critical materials and urgent production requirements.
Collaborate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve delivery, quality, and service issues.
Monitor supplier delivery performance and implement corrective actions as necessary.
Build and maintain strategic supplier partnerships focused on quality, delivery, innovation, and cost competitiveness.
Conduct supplier performance assessments using established KPIs and scorecards.
Develop supplier improvement plans to address performance gaps and mitigate supply risks.
Support supplier audits, capability assessments, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Collaborate with strategic suppliers to identify value engineering and cost-saving opportunities.
Monitor supplier compliance with contractual obligations, quality expectations, sustainability goals, and ethical business standards.
Develop and manage annual budgets for procurement, inventory, warehouse, and stores operations.
Analyze spending trends, cost drivers, inventory investment, and savings opportunities.
Identify and implement cost reduction, process efficiency, and working capital improvement initiatives.
Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls, quality requirements, and audit standards.
Maintain procurement documentation, supplier certifications, quality records, and traceability requirements.
Support internal and external audits and ensure corrective actions are effectively implemented.
Support sustainability, risk management, and supply chain resilience initiatives.
Lead, coach, and develop procurement, and stores personnel.
Establish clear performance expectations, accountability measures, and professional development plans.
Train team members on procurement processes, ERP systems, inventory controls, and safety standards.
Develop and monitor departmental KPIs related to cost savings, supplier performance, inventory accuracy, service levels, and operational efficiency.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, customer service, and operational excellence.
Partner with operations leadership to implement lean initiatives and improve materials management processes.
Ensure achievement of departmental goals and key performance indicators.
Deliver annual cost savings and procurement performance objectives.
Track and report sourcing pipeline activity, supplier performance metrics, and risk indicators.
Monitor procurement efficiency, contract compliance, inventory accuracy, and working capital metrics.
Prepare regular management reports and dashboards to support strategic decision-making.