Purchasing Manager

Ermco•Greeneville, TN

About The Position

ERMCO has an opening in its Materials Department for a Purchasing Manager. The role leads strategic procurement of materials, components, and services needed for manufacturing operations. The Purchasing Manager aligns sourcing strategies with business objectives and maintains a dual-source supplier program to strengthen supply-chain resilience, cost competitiveness, and business continuity. The position leads a team of buyers, builds supplier partnerships, and collaborates across departments to support material availability, mitigate risk, and uphold customer and business standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Proven experience in procurement supervision, ideally as a Purchasing, Buyer, or Expeditor Lead, Supervisor, or Manager.
Strong negotiation, supplier contract management, and strategic sourcing skills.
Knowledge of supply-chain principles, procurement best practices, and vendor relations.
Analytical mindset and experience with cost analysis and procurement forecasting.
Experience with sourcing tools, ERP or procurement systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
Analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Strong people skills and ability to build trust with teams and vendors.
Ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Knowledge of relevant industry regulations and compliance standards.
Ability to lead, develop, and inspire high-performing teams.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of 8-D and 5 Why Root Cause Analysis.
Experience with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement tools, including Six Sigma.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute procurement strategies to ensure material availability, meet production requirements, and optimize cost, quality, and lead-time performance.
Lead, mentor, and develop the purchasing team by establishing goals, performance metrics, and accountability while fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.
Partner with Operations, Production, Engineering, Quality, Receiving, and Finance to support business objectives and improve supply-chain performance.
Build and strengthen strategic supplier relationships, including implementing a dual-source supplier strategy for continuity, competitiveness, and risk mitigation.
Negotiate supplier pricing, contracts, and commercial terms to maximize value, reduce risk, and achieve cost savings.
Monitor supplier performance, market conditions, and industry trends to identify opportunities for improvement, cost optimization, and supply assurance.
Oversee procurement processes, including purchase order management, supplier issue resolution, and compliance with company policies and ethical standards.
Drive inventory optimization to maintain appropriate stock levels, reduce excess inventory and waste, and improve working capital performance.
Lead vendor return, recovery, and escalation processes, including RMA management, supplier corrective actions, cost recovery, and expedited freight mitigation.
Promote ethical sourcing, supplier diversity, and sustainable procurement practices across the supply base.
Use ERP, MRP, procurement, and business intelligence systems to analyze data, monitor KPIs, improve decisions, and enhance procurement effectiveness.
Promote innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence to deliver sustainable cost savings and long-term business value.
Strengthen the skills, capabilities, and engagement of direct reports to maximize their contribution to organizational success.