Purchasing Director, Raw Materials & Supply Chain (Chesterfield, MO Area)

You've built a career knowing supply chain from the ground up, not because a system walked you through every step, but because you actually understand it. You can read a lead time, spot a vendor risk, and negotiate a contract without waiting for a dashboard to tell you what to do.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a director-level seat at a growing food and ingredient manufacturer and own the purchasing function completely. You'll report directly to the CEO and set the standard for how this team operates going forward.

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𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬

Pave Talent is hiring on behalf of our client, a multi-site food ingredient manufacturer in the greater St. Louis area. The company has recently completed an acquisition and expansion, is launching a new product line, and has another acquisition in the near future. This is a company in growth mode with long-term stability and a clear strategic vision. The CEO leads with high expectations and direct access, and he wants a purchasing leader who matches that energy.

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𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧

Most director-level purchasing roles at this level sit inside a large bureaucracy where you're executing against someone else's strategy. This one is different.

You will report directly to the CEO. You will own the purchasing function with real authority. The company is actively expanding its portfolio, which means the complexity and the opportunity are only going to grow.

If you have been waiting for a role where your decisions actually move the needle, this is it.

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𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬

You will lead purchasing for a multi-facility operation, overseeing raw material procurement across multiple locations. You will have one direct report, a purchasing manager who handles day-to-day execution, and you will report directly to the CEO. This is a lean structure, which means you will have high visibility and real ownership, and you will be expected to stay connected to the work, not just manage from a distance.

The company uses SAP (currently at a foundational implementation level with an upgrade planned) alongside multiple inventory tracking spreadsheets. The ability to work through complexity and make sound decisions without a fully automated system is not a nice-to-have here. It is the job.

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𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗪𝗡

• Lead raw material procurement across multiple facilities, managing inventory levels, supplier relationships, lead times, and order accuracy

• Negotiate vendor contracts and manage supplier performance, including navigating current tariff and surcharge environments

• Monitor and manage freight, tariff, and crude oil-related surcharge impacts on cost and availability

• Maintain purchasing accuracy across a high volume of SKUs and ingredient categories without leaning entirely on system automation

• Oversee CAPEX and office purchasing in addition to raw materials

• Manage and develop one purchasing manager (remote) and cover department functions as needed

• Serve as the primary purchasing liaison to the CEO and leadership team

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𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞

This is not a role where you delegate everything and review reports. The purchasing team is lean by design. There will be weeks where you are hands-on in the system, covering workload, and making time-sensitive calls. The hiring manager was direct about it: "We can't spend a week on one order. We need somebody who can capture all of it, accurately and efficiently."

The SAP environment is basic right now. If you need a best-in-class ERP to do your job, this will be frustrating. If you have worked in supply chain long enough to do it right regardless of the system, you will thrive.

Travel during the first six to twelve months will be higher than average as you get oriented across facilities. After that, it settles into roughly 15 to 20 percent.

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𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱:

• Senior-level purchasing or supply chain leadership experience (Director, Senior Manager, or equivalent)

• Raw material procurement background; understanding vendor lead times, inventory levels across multiple locations, and contract negotiation

• Experience in food manufacturing or a closely related ingredient-based industry (dairy, bakery, tortilla, spice, or similar categories strongly preferred)

• Demonstrated ability to work through supply chain complexity without full ERP automation

• Strong leadership and decision-making confidence; this role requires someone who moves with conviction, not someone who needs to escalate every call

• Master's degree preferred (Supply Chain Management, Logistics, MBA, or related field); bachelor's degree with equivalent senior-level experience considered

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀:

• SAP experience (any version or implementation level)

• Familiarity with tariff and surcharge management in a procurement context

• Experience working in a multi-site or multi-facility operation

• Background working with suppliers across dairy, tortilla, bakery, or spice ingredient categories

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𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦

𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆: Competitive, commensurate with experience

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: tied to company performance results

𝗣𝗧𝗢: 15 to 20 days to start, negotiable based on experience; max accrual of six weeks

𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀: 11 paid holidays plus one floating holiday

𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲: Monday through Friday, core hours between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM Central; flexibility on start time (7 to 8 AM range)

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Chesterfield, MO area (commutable from St. Louis metro and surrounding communities); hybrid schedule possible after initial onboarding period

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹: ~15 to 20% once fully onboarded; higher during the first year as you get oriented across locations

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: Medical, dental, and vision (details shared during interview process)

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Apply via LinkedIn and we'll reach out to schedule a conversation. Confidential search; your application is fully private. The company name will be shared once you are selected for an interview.

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𝗣𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 | 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱