Director of Purchasing

StevenDouglas; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

StevenDouglas is seeking a Director of Purchasing in Orlando to lead the creation and execution of a scalable purchasing function. The role reports to the CFO and offers the chance to shape strategy, build a growing team, and implement systems to support ongoing expansion.

The ideal candidate will drive supplier negotiations, inventory planning, and process improvements across ERP and Finance, with potential for future VP-level leadership as the business scales.

Qualifications

• Progressive purchasing or supply chain leadership experience in B2B wholesale distribution.
• Experience scaling a purchasing function during meaningful business growth.
• Experience introducing product lines, expanding supplier programs, and developing systems and team capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a purchasing strategy aligned with growth plans.
• Build scalable processes for supplier onboarding, new product launches, inventory planning, and replenishment.
• Negotiate pricing, rebates, payment terms, freight, and stocking programs with manufacturers and suppliers.
• Establish inventory policies balancing product availability with working capital, turns, and obsolescence risk.
• Collaborate with ERP and Finance to improve purchasing workflows, data integrity, reporting, and automation.
• Implement supplier scorecards and purchasing metrics and drive performance improvements.
• Lead and develop the purchasing team with clear roles and standard work.
• Support the integration of new categories, locations, and acquisitions as the business grows.
• Remain involved through implementation, testing, refinement, and ongoing operation of processes.

Skills

B2B wholesale distribution

Purchasing leadership

Forecasting & inventory management

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

StevenDouglas is partnering with a private equity-backed, high-growth wholesale distributor to recruit a Director of Purchasing. This newly created position reports directly to the CFO and offers the opportunity to shape purchasing strategy, develop a growing team, and build the systems needed to support continued expansion.

The Opportunity

Lead the development of a purchasing function that supports new product lines, broader supplier relationships, and increasingly complex inventory needs. Partner closely with executive leadership, Sales, Product Management, Finance, and branch operations to connect purchasing decisions with profitability, customer service, and cash flow. As the business expands, this role has the potential to evolve into broader, VP-level leadership responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a purchasing strategy aligned with the company's growth plans.
• Build scalable processes for supplier onboarding, new product-line launches, inventory planning, and replenishment.
• Strengthen manufacturer and supplier relationships through negotiations covering pricing, rebates, payment terms, freight, and stocking programs.
• Establish inventory policies that balance product availability with working capital, inventory turns, and obsolescence risk.
• Partner with ERP and Finance resources to improve purchasing workflows, data integrity, reporting, and automation.
• Implement supplier scorecards and purchasing metrics, then use the results to improve performance.
• Lead and develop the purchasing team, establishing clear responsibilities, standard work, and accountability.
• Support the integration of new categories, locations, and acquired operations as the business grows.
• Remain directly involved through implementation, testing, refinement, and ongoing operation of the processes you build.

What You Bring

• Progressive purchasing or supply chain leadership experience within B2B wholesale distribution.
• Demonstrated success building or substantially scaling a purchasing function during meaningful business growth.
• Experience introducing product lines, expanding supplier programs, and developing the systems and team capabilities needed to manage greater complexity.
• Measurable results improving inventory turns, cash flow, supplier performance, service levels, or gross margin.
• Strong knowledge of forecasting, reorder points, safety stock, lead-time variability, and excess inventory management.
• Experience negotiating manufacturer and supplier programs.
• Hands-on ERP experience and strong analytical skills. NetSuite experience is preferred.
• Clear communication and the ability to work effectively with buyers, commercial leaders, Finance, and executives.
• A record of sustained ownership, with examples of seeing initiatives through implementation and measurable results.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Ability to work onsite in Orlando and travel to company locations or suppliers as needed.

Private equity experience is helpful, but not required. Experience building purchasing capabilities within a growing founder-led or privately held distributor is equally relevant. Candidates whose businesses were subsequently acquired are encouraged to highlight their role in the earlier growth phase.