Purchasing Manager

ExplorUS • Overland Park, KS

2d

About The Position

ExplorUS is a dynamic and growing company specializing in concession services for the great outdoors. We are committed to providing top-notch services to our visitors while fostering a fun and fast-paced work environment for our employees. Summary of Position: Lead companywide purchasing initiatives across our food & beverage, retail, lodging, and recreation operations. This role will build and manage vendor relationships, manage national contracts, and implement sourcing strategies that deliver cost savings and efficiency across over 100 sites nationwide.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Hospitality Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 3-6 years of experience in procurement, preferably within multi-site hospitality, recreation, or government concession operations
• Experience supporting vendor negotiations and contract administration.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen; skilled in spend analysis and budgeting
• Intermediate Excel skills and comfort working with purchasing and financial data.
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to write clear, plain language policies and guidance.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across operations, finance, and executive teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using AI tools in the procurement process
• Experience working within purchasing systems or ERP procurement modules preferred.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Procurement Improve and implement strategic sourcing and procurement plans that support corporate and all lines of business—food & beverage, retail, lodging, and recreation.
• Identify high-volume spend categories (e.g., vehicles, lawn mowers, golf and utility carts, tools, picnic tables, fire rings, kitchen equipment, furniture, linens, safety supplies, janitorial products) and cost-saving opportunities.
• Assist in negotiating national or regional contracts to reduce costs and improve service.
• Assist in establishing a preferred vendor program with negotiated terms, warranties, and delivery standards that benefit all locations.
• Partner with Accounting and Finance to monitor spend data, establish cost baselines, and track savings achieved through consolidated purchasing.
• Vendor and Contract Management Evaluate and select suppliers through RFPs, bids, and market analysis.
• Manage relationships with large vendors in our group purchasing organization.
• Establish long-term supplier relationships to ensure quality, reliability, and value.
• Coordinate with VPs, directors, and site managers to ensure vendors meet operational needs, sustainability goals, and compliance requirements.
• Maintain all procurement records and contract documentation in a centralized repository.
• Operational Integration Collaborate closely with the VPs of Operations, Food & Beverage, Retail, and Lodging to understand category-specific needs and ensure procurement supports operational goals
• Develop simple purchasing procedures and training materials for field staff to make adoption easy and efficient
• Create and maintain a catalog of approved products and pricing accessible to managers at all sites
• Support site openings, renovations, and capital projects with sourcing and logistics coordination
• Data, Systems, and Process Ensure proper budget approval, contract approval, and contract signature authority for covered purchases
• Work with IT to implement purchasing tools or ERP modules that enable tracking, approvals, and reporting
• Use data analytics to identify cost reduction opportunities, supplier performance issues, and process improvements
• Ensure compliance with all federal and state concession requirements regarding purchasing and contracting
• Other duties as requested

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager