Senior Buyer/Purchasing Business Unit Leader

Wilson Tool International•White Bear Lake, MN

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a leader at Wilson Tool, the Business Unit Leader – Purchasing serves as both a strategic procurement professional and a people leader. This role is responsible for leading purchasing operations, managing supplier relationships, overseeing procurement personnel, and ensuring the efficient acquisition of materials, equipment, commodities, and services required to support business objectives. The Business Unit Leader must be committed to upholding Wilson Tool's values, policies, and standards while fostering a high-performance team environment. Success in this role requires strong leadership, communication, coaching, and organizational skills, along with advanced purchasing expertise and sound business judgment. This position is responsible for critical and complex procurement activities requiring a high degree of experience, professionalism, negotiation, independence, and strategic thinking. The role establishes and administers long-term purchasing agreements, manages supplier performance, supports inventory management initiatives, and collaborates cross-functionally to drive operational excellence.

Requirements

Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
Excellent negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
Proven organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to build effective relationships with suppliers, customers, and all levels of the organization.
Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
Strong analytical and mathematical skills.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel.
Experience with ERP/MRP systems; SAP experience preferred.
Strong computer skills, including Internet research and business applications.
Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Materials Management, Operations, or related field.
5–8 years of progressive purchasing, procurement, supply chain, inventory control, or related experience.
Manufacturing industry experience strongly preferred.
Experience negotiating supplier agreements and managing strategic supplier relationships.
Experience with ERP systems, preferably SAP.

Nice To Haves

APICS certification or other supply chain certification is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, develop, and support purchasing team members while fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
Maintain a visible leadership presence and promote a positive, collaborative work environment.
Provide guidance and day-to-day direction to buyers and other procurement personnel.
Ensure purchasing team members understand and follow company procurement policies, procedures, and best practices.
Advocate for team members while maintaining performance expectations and departmental standards.
Support organizational change initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.
Review requisitions and purchase requests for completeness and accuracy.
Select reliable sources of supply, solicit quotations and bids, evaluate proposals, and make supplier selections.
Establish, coordinate, negotiate, and administer long-term purchase agreements and contracts for assigned commodities.
Negotiate pricing, delivery schedules, terms, conditions, and service agreements with suppliers.
Ensure active purchase orders remain accurate, complete, and compliant with company requirements and governing regulations.
Investigate, qualify, and evaluate new suppliers and sourcing opportunities.
Develop and maintain strong supplier partnerships while driving cost, quality, and delivery improvements.
Conduct supplier meetings regarding value analysis, engineering improvements, process enhancements, and strategic initiatives.
Develop and document vendor certification requirements, inspection criteria, and quality specifications.
Monitor, analyze, and support daily decisions within the formal MRP/ERP system.
Maintain and monitor inventory levels for assigned commodities and materials.
Manage and maintain master data for assigned parts, materials, and commodities.
Monitor supplier lead times, delivery performance, safety stock levels, and inventory strategies.
Identify and communicate potential financial exposure related to excess and obsolete inventory.
Provide monthly and annual purchasing, inventory, and consumption forecasts to management.
Collaborate with Production Planning, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Operations, Finance, and other departments regarding material specifications, sourcing strategies, and procurement recommendations.
Coordinate purchasing activities across Wilson Tool locations and global operations as needed.
Serve as a liaison between suppliers, internal stakeholders, and leadership teams.
Stay informed on industry trends, market conditions, global sourcing developments, and procurement best practices.
Maintain compliance with company policies, supplier agreements, and applicable regulations.
Participate in strategic sourcing initiatives and cost-reduction programs.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.