Trade Relations Manager

Smith Douglas Homes•Fairhope, AL

16h

About The Position

The Trade Relations Manager (also referred to as Purchasing Manager) manages procurement for homebuilding projects, ensuring the timely and cost-effective acquisition of materials, equipment, and services. The role builds and maintains relationships with trade partners and vendors, negotiates pricing, monitors partner performance and insurance, and identifies cost-saving and value-engineering opportunities. It also coordinates product development and pricing, supports community and model-home preparations, and collaborates with purchasing, estimating, sales, production, and construction teams.

Requirements

At least 4 years of experience in residential construction field operations.
Knowledge of home construction techniques.
Purchasing or procurement experience, preferably in construction or homebuilding.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the internet.
Ability to learn SMART, the company’s proprietary software.
Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
Knowledge of construction materials, equipment, and services.
Customer orientation.
Ability to think strategically.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Recruit, select, and hire trade partners, and oversee their internal setup.
Manage trade partner contracts and documentation, including TPBA, W-9, scopes of work, certificates of insurance, partner information, and bid lists.
Maintain accurate scopes of work and update them as needed.
Evaluate trade partner performance and address failures to follow plans, specifications, agreements, scopes of work, or schedules.
Maintain standard trade and trade bid lists in internal systems.
Collaborate with the National Purchasing Manager and Trade Relations Managers in other divisions on manufacturers, products, options, selections, and substitutions.
Oversee the Partners in Excellence program, including regular field meetings with trade partners to improve efficiency and identify cost savings.
Encourage communication between trades to improve accountability and efficiency.
Collaborate with the Sales and Production Support Manager to monitor option performance and pricing.
Monitor trade partners’ insurance expirations and renewals.
Collect, negotiate, and analyze trade partner bids; negotiate lower pricing or mitigate price-increase requests.
Work with trade partners to identify more competitive ways to purchase materials and services.
Identify cost-saving ideas, value-engineering opportunities, and alternatives; track hard-cost trends.
Monitor trade-partner-caused delays and work with trade leadership to reduce future delays.
Administer semiannual trade partner reviews through Construction Managers.
Coordinate product development, including estimating and architecture, to meet division needs.
Review monthly release notes and communicate changes to sales and production teams.
Review cost books for new communities for pricing accuracy and community-specific items.
Review new communities and plans with the Area Construction Manager and Construction Managers before model-home construction begins.
Collaborate with the Director of Operations on construction schedules.
Work with the Estimating team to track PCR progress.
Create and maintain site bid documents for each community, including model-home cleaning and maintenance and common-area maintenance.
Oversee division-level rebate and model-home programs.
Visit job sites regularly to verify that trades use specified materials and products and perform as agreed.