Procurement Operations Manager / Director of Purchasing

Mai Placement•Parsippany, NJ

3d•$150,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Procurement Operations Manager / Director of Purchasing leads the company’s purchasing and supplier management function to ensure consistent material availability, reliable supplier performance, and strong cost control. This role owns the operational execution of procurement, including supplier relationships, purchasing workflows, production alignment, and procurement process governance. The position sits at the center of supply chain operations, ensuring materials arrive on time, purchasing systems operate with discipline, and supply risks are identified early and resolved quickly. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for improving purchasing execution, strengthening supplier accountability, and ensuring procurement supports production schedules and operational goals.

Requirements

5+ years leading procurement or purchasing operations in a manufacturing or distribution environment
Experience managing supplier relationships including international sourcing
Strong understanding of purchasing workflows, supply planning, and production alignment
Experience improving supplier performance and mitigating supply risks
Strong analytical skills with experience using ERP systems and procurement dashboards
Ability to coordinate across procurement, warehouse, and production teams
Strong leadership and communication skills

Responsibilities

Oversee end-to-end purchasing operations including purchase order management and supplier confirmations
Ensure timely placement of orders aligned with production schedules and demand forecasts
Monitor open orders, supplier lead times, and potential supply disruptions
Maintain accurate pricing and purchasing data within ERP systems
Resolve order discrepancies, delivery delays, and invoice issues
Manage relationships with both domestic and international suppliers
Monitor supplier performance including delivery reliability, quality, and responsiveness
Implement corrective action plans when supplier performance declines
Identify and qualify alternative suppliers to reduce supply risk
Partner closely with production planning to ensure materials are available for scheduled manufacturing
Support weekly production scheduling by aligning procurement priorities with operational needs
Develop mitigation strategies for long lead-time or constrained materials
Escalate supply risks early with clear solutions
Reduce reliance on single-source suppliers where possible
Develop contingency plans for high-risk materials or supply disruptions
Identify opportunities to improve purchasing efficiency and cost control
Serve as the operational link between Procurement and Warehouse teams
Ensure inbound materials align with receiving capacity, storage constraints, and production timing
Improve communication between purchasing, receiving, and quality teams
Establish structured workflows for reporting material discrepancies, damages, and supplier defects
Lead resolution of inbound supply issues impacting warehouse or production operations
Establish and enforce procurement SOPs and purchasing workflows
Ensure purchasing controls and approval processes are consistently followed
Improve internal request intake processes to prevent bypassing procurement procedures
Develop dashboards and reporting that provide visibility into purchasing performance
Improve manual processes through automation and better system utilization
Lead and develop purchasing staff
Set clear performance expectations and accountability standards
Conduct regular one-on-one meetings and performance reviews
Foster a culture of responsiveness, ownership, and operational discipline