Amerex - Purchasing Manager

Thank you for your interest in a career at Amerex. Our company stands as a global leader in fire suppression products, driven by our commitment to our team members, communities, and customers. We embrace individual differences and actively recruit team members from diverse backgrounds and skill sets, irrespective of race, gender, or ethnicity. At Amerex, we are dedicated to continuous collaboration and innovation, striving to remain leaders in our industry.

Every position is rooted in a culture that aligns with eight guiding principles: Teamwork, Excellence, Communication, Leadership, Environment, Safety, Accountability, and Trust. These principles are the foundation of McWane, Inc. and serve as a compass, offering personal guidance to navigate daily work situations.

Overview

Oversees and directs procurement of components, materials, MRO, and contracted services based on MRP/ERP directives, known priorities, usage history, and/or sales forecast. Leads and develops the purchasing team to ensure procurement activities align with production schedules, cost targets, and strategic business objectives

Responsibilities

• Direct and monitor the entire procurement process, including the issuance and management of purchase orders to support production and operational requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop purchasing team members; set clear performance expectations and conduct regular performance reviews.
• Monitor the status of open and partial purchase orders to ensure on-time delivery of all components, raw materials, MRO, and services, including timely resolution, communication, and mitigation of future potential problems.
• Direct and monitor expedite or de-expedite orders as required based on schedule and inventory changes.
• Establish and maintain optimal inventory levels and safety stock strategies based on demand, lead times, seasonal peaks, and service level targets.
• Lead material planning and coordination efforts during product lifecycle changes, including new product introductions (NPI), engineering changes (ECN), and obsolescence management.
• Manage inventory flows across multiple warehouse and distribution locations to ensure efficient material availability and minimize excess or obsolete stock.
• Resolve supplier-related issues, including purchase order discrepancies, invoicing variances, returns, and quality concerns, while driving long-term corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships, ensuring performance expectations for cost, quality, and delivery are met or exceeded.
• Lead supplier sourcing events, RFQ/RFP processes, and contract negotiations to achieve optimal cost, quality, and delivery terms.
• Manage procurement KPIs including on-time delivery, purchase price variance (PPV), inventory turns, and supplier scorecards; report results to Supply Chain Manager on a regular cadence.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, engineering, finance, and logistics teams to align procurement strategies with business goals and operational needs.
• Support broader supply chain operations as needed, including shipping, receiving, and material handling activities to ensure continuity of operations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within procurement processes to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service levels.
• Coordinate material flows throughout product/BOM changes, obsolescence, and the introduction of new suppliers and/or materials due to new product development.

• BS/BA in Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in procurement or supply chain roles, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or lead purchasing capacity in a manufacturing environment. Candidates with only individual contributor experience will not be considered for this role.
• Demonstrated track record of managing procurement KPIs (on-time delivery, PPV, inventory turns, supplier scorecards) and delivering measurable results.
• Proven experience leading supplier negotiations, sourcing events, and contract management.
• Knowledge of forecasting, ERP/MRP operations, transportation, and inventory management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Previous experience with Microsoft D365 strongly preferred.
• Ability to influence others and manage conflict effectively in an OEM manufacturing environment.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• High degree of attention to detail; demonstrates accuracy and is self-directed.

Working Conditions

This job primarily operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines, and may involve exposure to moderate noise levels from high-speed printers and other peripherals. This position routinely requires exposure to the plant floor environment to perform responsibilities associated. When working in the plant, this position may involve potential exposure to hazardous materials, and environmental changes (heat/cold). Must be able to work under stress occasioned by production requirements and personnel.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job. Employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, and walk. The employee may be required to frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA- gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.