Assistant Purchasing Manager – Mechanical & Electrical Components

Rhodes Wolfe; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k) Match

PTO & Paid Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Rhodes Wolfe is seeking an Assistant Purchasing Manager to partner with the Purchasing Manager in leading a purchasing team. You will manage 80,000+ SKUs across 200+ suppliers (domestic and international), execute purchasing activities, and support trade compliance and tariff management in a high-mix, low-volume environment.

The role requires a technical background with hands-on experience buying electrical and mechanical components.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 3+ years experience purchasing mechanical and electrical components.
• Experience forecasting, planning, and managing domestic and international suppliers.
• Experience with ERP systems and advanced Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP) required.
• Prior leadership experience with desire to manage others.

Responsibilities

• Lead purchasing of direct/indirect materials, equipment, and services.
• Manage and execute purchasing strategies aligned with operational/financial objectives.
• Generate, modify, and cancel purchase orders and supplier confirmations in SAP.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal teams on procurement and delivery schedules.
• Obtain quotes, evaluate suppliers, and negotiate pricing, terms and agreements.
• Monitor supplier performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Expedite purchase orders; determine appropriate air, ocean, rail, or ground freight methods.
• Maintain vendor master data, purchasing records, and inbound shipment information.
• Support inventory management/optimization, new part creation, and ECO processes.
• Monitor tariff and trade regulation changes; manage import/export compliance.
• Analyze tariff impacts on costs, pricing, margins, and operations.
• Maintain HTS codes and country-of-origin documentation.
• Coordinate with brokers and forwarders; develop strategies to mitigate tariff costs/risks.
• Ensure accurate landed cost calculations, duties, taxes, and tariff reporting.
• Develop purchasing metrics and reporting to support decision-making.
• Provide leadership with tariff impact reports and cost-saving recommendations.
• Lead sourcing projects and cost-reduction initiatives.

Skills

Purchasing experience

Leadership experience

Forecasting & planning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SAP

Advanced Excel (PivotTable, VLOOKUP)

Job description

Rhodes Wolfe is seeking an Assistant Purchasing Manager to partner with the Purchasing Manager in leading a purchasing team. You will manage 80,000+ SKUs across 200+ suppliers (domestic and international), execute purchasing activities, and support trade compliance and tariff management in a high-mix, low-volume environment.

The role requires a technical background with hands-on experience buying electrical and mechanical components.