Purchasing Manager

Position Summary: The Purchasing Manager supervises the process of sourcing and purchasing raw material and components that are essential for current and future business operating at the right quality, quantity, and price, while maintaining inventory at optimal level. Collaborate with suppliers, negotiating contracts as needed by evaluating vendor performance to optimize the procurement process while boosting customer service.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Supports the Director of Procurement on the creation and implementation of procurement strategies that align with the organization's goals.
• Reviews bid proposals and negotiate contracts within budgetary limitations and scope of authority.
• Meets with existing vendors to negotiate improved pricing, product quality, and delivery.
• Negotiates and supervises supply contracts and formulates policies with suppliers, identifies and evaluates potential suppliers, establishing terms and conditions and manages ongoing relationships.
• Participate in the development of specifications for services, products, materials, or substitute materials.
• Attends internal product development meetings to identify new product demands, schedules, and procurement needs.
• Forecasts requirements and orders products to meet sales demands within established inventory parameters.
• Conducts meetings, prepares and presents reports, and provides information to identify purchasing requirements, establish business plans and performance objectives, and report performance against plan and business objectives.
• Identifies and mitigates potential risks in the sourcing of material and components, such as disruptions, material discontinuation, quality issues or regulatory compliance concerns, working with the corresponding Swiss American Departments.
• Collaborates with various departments, such as production, finance, and logistics, to ensure that procurement aligns with their needs and supports overall business operations.
• Collaborates with product development teams to source materials and components for new products, considering factors like cost, availability, and lead times.
• Keeps abreast of market trends, changes in business practices in the assigned markets, new or altered types of materials entering the market, etc.
• Oversee all aspects of the team lifecycle, including recruitment, hiring, training, performance management, employee relations, problem-solving, and fostering a positive work environment.
• Engages and motivates the team members, providing coaching and evaluating performance for continuous improvement and development of the Purchasing team.
• Complete other duties and projects assigned.
  
  
  

Qualifications

Essential Skills And Qualifications

• 3 years of Purchasing Manager experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Proven experience managing a team of at least 5-8 employees
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents, such as scientific journals, financial reports, and legal documents
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to write clear, concise, and professional content for various audiences
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address issues impacting the team
• Experience interpreting and analyzing data (e.g., pricing trends, supplier performance metrics) to support informed decision-making
  
  
  

Preferred Skills And Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field
• Experience in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, or supplier relationship management
• Familiarity with procurement software or ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics)
• Experience in regulated or technical industries (e.g., pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, or scientific sectors)
  
  
  

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.