Purchasing Manager – Retail Operations & Indirect Procurement

Hot Topic & BoxLunch•City of Industry, CA

10d•$80,000 - $100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for managing the procurement of non-merchandise goods and services that support our retail stores, distribution centers, corporate teams, and overall business operations. This position does not purchase merchandise or products sold to customers in our stores. The Purchasing Manager will serve as a key liaison between external suppliers and internal business partners, including Store Development/Construction, Information Technology, Finance, Distribution, Store Operations, and Marketing. The role is responsible for vendor management, sourcing, contract and pricing negotiations, purchase order management, cost control, and ensuring goods and services are delivered on time and within budget.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience preferred.
5+ years of purchasing, procurement, sourcing, or supply chain experience, preferably supporting a multi-location retail organization.
Hands-on experience with Oracle accounting and/or procurement software is required.
Demonstrated experience managing vendors, purchase orders, pricing negotiations, and procurement processes.
Experience purchasing operational supplies, equipment, fixtures, services, or other indirect/non-merchandise categories.
Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to evaluate pricing, costs, bids, and purchasing trends.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard business applications.
Excellent organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Proven ability to work effectively across departments, including Finance, IT, Marketing, Operations, and Store Development/Construction.

Nice To Haves

Purchasing or procurement experience within a specialty retail, apparel, or multi-unit retail organization.
Experience managing store fixture vendors and purchasing fixtures for new stores, remodels, or refresh projects.
Experience purchasing supplies or commodities for distribution centers.
Experience sourcing printed materials, signage, displays, or other retail marketing materials.
Experience supporting IT procurement.
Experience with RFPs, contract negotiations, supplier scorecards, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
Professional procurement or supply chain certification such as CPSM, CPM, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Manage the purchasing process for non-merchandise goods, materials, equipment, and services supporting retail stores, distribution centers, and corporate operations.
Source and purchase commodities and operational supplies for distribution centers and retail locations.
Develop sourcing strategies that balance cost, quality, service, availability, and delivery requirements.
Solicit and evaluate bids and proposals, conduct competitive pricing analyses, and negotiate pricing and commercial terms with suppliers.
Create and manage purchase orders and ensure purchasing activities comply with company policies, approval requirements, and established budgets.
Identify opportunities to consolidate purchasing, standardize products, reduce costs, and improve procurement efficiency.
Serve as the primary purchasing contact for the company's store fixture vendor(s).
Coordinate fixture procurement for new stores, remodels, relocations, refreshes, and ongoing store maintenance needs.
Partner with Store Development, Construction, and Store Operations teams to ensure fixtures and related materials are ordered according to project schedules.
Track production, shipping, delivery, and installation requirements to help ensure store projects remain on schedule.
Manage fixture pricing, purchase orders, change orders, and related vendor documentation.
Work with vendors and internal teams to quickly resolve shortages, damages, delivery issues, and other procurement-related problems.
Partner with the Information Technology team to coordinate purchase orders, vendor quotes, approvals, invoicing, and delivery schedules.
Assist IT with vendor negotiations and purchasing strategies while ensuring technical specifications and business requirements are maintained.
Partner with the Marketing team to source and purchase in-store marketing materials and related products.
Manage purchasing for items such as signage, printed materials, displays, promotional materials, and other in-store marketing components.
Coordinate with Marketing and suppliers to ensure materials meet specifications, budgets, production timelines, and required store delivery dates.
Evaluate suppliers and negotiate pricing for recurring and project-based marketing purchases.
Work closely with the Finance and Accounting teams to ensure accurate purchase orders, invoices, coding, approvals, and financial reporting.
Utilize Oracle accounting/procurement software to create, maintain, track, and reconcile purchasing transactions.
Monitor open purchase orders, commitments, invoices, and purchasing activity.
Investigate and resolve purchase order and invoice discrepancies with vendors and internal departments.
Support budgeting, forecasting, accruals, and expense analysis by providing accurate purchasing information.
Maintain appropriate purchasing documentation and support internal and external audit requirements.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers.
Establish vendor performance expectations and regularly evaluate suppliers based on cost, quality, service, delivery, responsiveness, and reliability.
Lead or participate in vendor negotiations, requests for proposal (RFPs), and competitive sourcing initiatives.
Identify alternative suppliers and develop contingency plans for critical goods and services.
Address vendor performance issues and lead corrective-action efforts when appropriate.
Partner with Finance and other stakeholders to establish new vendors and maintain accurate vendor information.
Identify and implement opportunities for cost savings, cost avoidance, and improved purchasing terms.
Analyze purchasing data and spending patterns to identify sourcing and consolidation opportunities.
Develop and maintain purchasing standards, procedures, and controls.
Improve visibility into company-wide non-merchandise spending.
Establish and track key procurement metrics, including savings, vendor performance, purchasing cycle time, and on-time delivery.
Continuously improve purchasing processes to increase efficiency, accuracy, and accountability.