Purchasing Manager

East West Manufacturing•Whitewater, WI

31d

About The Position

Calling all creatives, solvers, analysts, planners, doers, and visionaries! East West is looking to add a talented Purchasing Manager to our team. East West's vision is to make the world a better place - cleaner, safer, healthier, and smarter. Come join a team with a strong, collaborative culture and help us bring that vision to life. JOB SUMMARY: The Purchasing / Supply Chain Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's procurement, inventory, and supply chain activities to ensure timely, cost-effective, and reliable delivery of materials and components. This role directs a five-person purchasing team, manages vendor relationships, and partners with internal stakeholders to support production, control costs, and drive operational excellence. ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead Purchasing Team: Direct all activities of a 5-person purchasing team organized by commodity; provide coaching, mentoring, and performance management to ensure best-in-class sourcing practices and professional growth of the team. Inventory & Materials Management: Manage inventories, establish targets, and develop policies to optimize working capital while ensuring material availability to meet production schedules and customer commitments. Cost Savings & Value Creation: Initiate, track, and report cost-saving initiatives through supplier negotiations, strategic sourcing, and process efficiencies; ensure annual savings targets are met or exceeded. Obsolescence Control: Proactively decrease obsolete and excess inventory by collaborating with production planning, engineering, and sales to identify at-risk materials and implement disposition or repurposing strategies. Supplier & Stakeholder Liaison: Serve as the primary liaison between suppliers, customers, and internal operations to resolve issues, align supply with demand, and maintain strong supplier performance standards. Demand Planning Communication: Collaborate closely with suppliers, production teams, and customers to forecast needs, reduce demand fluctuations, and ensure reliable delivery performance. Supply Chain Risk Mitigation: Identify and recommend actions to mitigate supply chain risks such as supplier dependency, geopolitical challenges, and logistics disruptions; implement contingency plans to safeguard continuity of supply. Company Culture & Vision: Support East West's strategic direction and long-term vision by embodying and promoting East West's core values and fostering a positive, collaborative culture across teams. Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds. An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Minimum of 5 years of supply chain management experience, with a strong background in purchasing electronic components.
Experience working in an MRP environment (Epicor preferred).
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a high-performing team.
Strong analytical skills with experience in cost reduction and process improvement initiatives.
Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook).

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CPM, CPSM, CPIM, or CSCP.
Strong negotiation skills with proven results in supplier contract management.
Experience in a manufacturing or electronics environment.
Familiarity with Lean / Six Sigma methodologies.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence across functions and levels.
Track record of implementing supply chain risk mitigation strategies.

Responsibilities

Lead Purchasing Team: Direct all activities of a 5-person purchasing team organized by commodity; provide coaching, mentoring, and performance management to ensure best-in-class sourcing practices and professional growth of the team.
Inventory & Materials Management: Manage inventories, establish targets, and develop policies to optimize working capital while ensuring material availability to meet production schedules and customer commitments.
Cost Savings & Value Creation: Initiate, track, and report cost-saving initiatives through supplier negotiations, strategic sourcing, and process efficiencies; ensure annual savings targets are met or exceeded.
Obsolescence Control: Proactively decrease obsolete and excess inventory by collaborating with production planning, engineering, and sales to identify at-risk materials and implement disposition or repurposing strategies.
Supplier & Stakeholder Liaison: Serve as the primary liaison between suppliers, customers, and internal operations to resolve issues, align supply with demand, and maintain strong supplier performance standards.
Demand Planning Communication: Collaborate closely with suppliers, production teams, and customers to forecast needs, reduce demand fluctuations, and ensure reliable delivery performance.
Supply Chain Risk Mitigation: Identify and recommend actions to mitigate supply chain risks such as supplier dependency, geopolitical challenges, and logistics disruptions; implement contingency plans to safeguard continuity of supply.
Company Culture & Vision: Support East West's strategic direction and long-term vision by embodying and promoting East West's core values and fostering a positive, collaborative culture across teams.

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