Manager, Purchasing

Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries•Murrieta, CA

7d•$80,000 - $100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading and managing the day-to-day purchasing function in support of production, quality, inventory, cost, and operational objectives. This position provides leadership and direction to the purchasing team while ensuring materials, services, MRO, supplies, and outside processing are procured at the required quality, cost, and delivery expectations. The Purchasing Manager is responsible for supplier performance, purchasing execution, team development, purchasing controls, KPI management, supplier escalations, cost improvement initiatives, and continuous improvement of procurement processes. This role serves as a key liaison between Purchasing, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Finance, Materials, and Supply Chain leadership to proactively identify supply risks and support business requirements.

Requirements

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.
Demonstrated experience managing supplier delivery, pricing, performance, and escalations.
Strong 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.
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
High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
Minimum five years of progressively responsible purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment preferred.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, particularly Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, manage competing priorities, and work independently.
Ability to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism, maturity, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
An equivalent combination of education and/or experience that provides an applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the position may be accepted.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

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.
Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards for the purchasing team.
Provide backup coverage and purchasing support as necessary to maintain continuity of operations.
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.
Ensure purchase orders are placed accurately and timely in accordance with production requirements, demand, approved requisitions, 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.
Ensure purchasing activities align with inventory objectives and required production lead times.
Support material shortage resolution and recovery planning.
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.
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.
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.
Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies, procedures, work instructions, approval requirements, and internal controls.
Maintain accurate purchasing records and documentation in support of ISO, JSOX, internal, and external 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.
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 when needed.
Communicate supply risks and recommend actions to Supply Chain leadership and other stakeholders.