Purchasing and Materials Manager

Chief Agri•Kearney, NE

About The Position

The Purchasing and Materials Manager leads and manages purchasing and procurement activities to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and quality-driven acquisition of materials, equipment, and services. The role develops supplier relationships, negotiates pricing and terms, monitors inventory and production needs, and collaborates with operations, production, engineering, and finance to support manufacturing goals and customer commitments. The position is strongly preferred to work in the Kearney, Nebraska office, though other arrangements may be considered for the right individual. The role oversees purchasing and materials planning activities, maintains appropriate inventory levels and accurate cost data, resolves supplier-related issues, and ensures compliance with company policies. It also leads strategic sourcing, supplier evaluation and performance monitoring, and cost-reduction initiatives. The position oversees the Purchasing department and provides direct oversight of the Buyer.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management or a related field preferred.
Work in the Kearney, Nebraska office is strongly preferred, though other arrangements may be considered.

Responsibilities

Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, freight arrangements, service levels, warranties, and other commercial terms to achieve the best overall value for Chief Agri.
Build and maintain supplier relationships that support reliable delivery, open communication, continuous improvement, and timely issue resolution.
Identify, evaluate, and qualify potential suppliers based on cost, quality, capacity, delivery performance, technical capability, financial stability, and business risk.
Monitor supplier performance, including quality, on-time delivery, responsiveness, lead times, cost competitiveness, and corrective-action effectiveness.
Maintain accurate material, component, freight, and supplier cost data, and work with internal departments on product costing, quoting, budgeting, and financial analysis.
Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, competitive bidding, supplier consolidation, value analysis, and cost-reduction efforts while preserving quality, availability, and production requirements.
Monitor market conditions, commodity trends, tariffs, freight costs, supply constraints, and other factors that may affect pricing or material availability; develop alternative sources and contingency plans as needed.
Oversee purchasing and materials planning, maintain appropriate inventory levels, resolve supplier-related issues, and ensure compliance with company policies.
Establish departmental goals and performance expectations.
Oversee the Purchasing department, including providing direct oversight of the Buyer.