Industry: Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings (PEMB) / Metal Building Manufacturing

Position Overview

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading all procurement activities for a metal building manufacturer. This individual will develop and execute purchasing strategies that ensure the timely and cost-effective acquisition of raw materials, structural components, building accessories, and indirect materials necessary to support manufacturing and project operations.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with strong supplier management and negotiation skills who can balance inventory levels, material costs, and production demands in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This role will serve as a key liaison between operations, manufacturing, engineering, and vendors to ensure materials are available when needed while driving continuous improvement and cost savings initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement purchasing strategies that support company growth objectives and operational efficiency.
• Establish procurement policies and best practices to improve purchasing performance.
• Identify opportunities for cost reductions, supplier consolidation, and process improvements.
• Create long-term sourcing strategies for critical materials and services.

Supplier Management

• Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers and vendors.
• Evaluate supplier performance based on:
  • Cost competitiveness
  • Delivery performance
  • Product quality
  • Responsiveness
  • Service levels
• Conduct supplier reviews and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Source and qualify new vendors to improve pricing and reduce supply chain risk.

Contract Negotiation

• Negotiate pricing agreements, contracts, and purchasing terms.
• Secure favorable payment terms, freight agreements, and volume discounts.
• Manage contract renewals and vendor agreements.
• Mitigate exposure to commodity price fluctuations, particularly steel pricing.

Inventory Management

• Monitor inventory levels and purchasing activity to ensure adequate stock while minimizing excess inventory.
• Establish reorder points and safety stock levels.
• Analyze demand trends and forecast future purchasing requirements.
• Work closely with production and project management teams to ensure material availability.

Supply Chain Coordination

• Oversee the entire procurement lifecycle:
  • Requisitions
  • Purchase Orders
  • Vendor acknowledgments
  • Expediting
  • Delivery coordination
  • Invoice resolution
• Ensure materials are delivered on time and in accordance with project schedules.
• Resolve material shortages, delivery delays, and supplier issues.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Analyze purchasing metrics and develop KPIs related to:
  • Material costs
  • Supplier performance
  • Inventory turns
  • Purchase price variance
  • On-time delivery
• Utilize purchasing data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare reports and recommendations for senior leadership.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with:
  • Operations
  • Manufacturing
  • Engineering
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • Sales
• Align purchasing strategies with production schedules and project timelines.
• Participate in planning meetings and provide material availability updates.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with company policies and procurement procedures.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records and documentation.
• Monitor market conditions and supply chain risks.
• Develop contingency plans for critical suppliers and materials.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience.
• Experience in:
  • Manufacturing
  • Construction
  • Steel fabrication
  • Pre-engineered metal buildings strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success negotiating high-value contracts and achieving measurable cost savings.
• Strong understanding of inventory management principles.
• Experience managing multiple vendors and supplier relationships.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and purchasing software.

Preferred Industry Experience

Candidates coming from the following industries would be highly attractive:

• Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings (PEMB)
• Structural Steel
• Steel Fabrication
• Building Materials Manufacturing
• Construction Products Manufacturing
• Industrial Manufacturing

Technical Skills

• ERP systems:
  • MBS
  • Epicor
  • SAP
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Oracle
  • NetSuite
• Microsoft Excel (advanced)
• Inventory management software
• Data analysis and reporting tools

Key Competencies

• Strategic sourcing
• Negotiation and contract management
• Supplier relationship management
• Inventory planning
• Cost reduction initiatives
• Supply chain optimization
• Problem solving
• Analytical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Communication and collaboration
• Project management
• Leadership and decision making

Success Metrics (First 12 Months)

• Reduce material costs through strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Improve supplier on-time delivery performance.
• Increase inventory accuracy and inventory turns.
• Shorten procurement cycle times.
• Establish measurable procurement KPIs.
• Build strong supplier partnerships and improve purchasing processes.
• Support manufacturing and project teams by ensuring uninterrupted material availability.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This person is likely coming from a metal building manufacturer, structural steel fabricator, or industrial manufacturer and has experience purchasing:

• Structural steel
• Coil and sheet products
• Secondary framing components
• Fasteners and hardware
• Insulation
• Building accessories
• Paint and coatings
• Manufacturing consumables

They are data-driven, highly organized, comfortable negotiating with vendors, and capable of operating in a fast-paced manufacturing environment where production schedules and project deadlines are constantly changing.