Director of Purchasing

Fabcon; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 117,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

Fabcon in Santa Ana, CA is seeking a Director of Procurement to own the supply chain strategy for a fast‑growing, project‑driven backlog. You will negotiate with mills and service centers, build a scalable procurement function, and align procurement with design changes and project schedules. This leadership role requires hands‑on execution and supplier‑risk management to protect delivery dates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Experience in metal fabrication, structural steel, or project-based manufacturing.
• Direct experience negotiating with mills or service centers and managing price risk.
• Familiarity with UL listing and code-driven sourcing for electrical/enclosure products is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end procurement strategy for raw materials and outside services.
• Negotiate and manage supply agreements to secure pricing and capacity.
• Lead supplier qualification, approval, and performance management.
• Manage supplier risk across price volatility and lead times.
• Partner with Engineering and Project Management to align procurement with schedules.
• Drive cost reduction and value engineering without compromising quality.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Negotiation

Supplier management

Leadership

Cost reduction

Forecasting

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field

CPSM/CPM certification

Tools

Epicor ERP

JobBOSS

Global Shop

Job description

Since 1977, Fabcon has been providing manufacturing services to a diverse range of customers and industries based in both domestic and international markets earning a stellar reputation for ISO certified quality products and customer support. The company is now a “One Stop” resource with a vertically integrated manufacturing facility that includes engineering design services, precision sheet metal, machining, electronic assembly, powder coat, paint, silk screen, final assembly & test as well as worldwide logistics.

The Role

We're looking for a Director of Procurement to own the overall supply chain strategy. This is a hands‑on leadership role — you'll be negotiating with steel and aluminum suppliers, managing capacity and lead‑time risk across a fast‑growing, project‑driven backlog, and building out a procurement function that can scale with a business riding the data center buildout wave.

What You'll Do

• Own end‑to‑end procurement strategy for raw materials (cold-rolled/hot-rolled steel, aluminum, stainless), hardware, finishing (powder coat, plating), and outside services (laser cutting, welding, machining)
• Negotiate and manage supply agreements with steel/aluminum mills, service centers, and finishing partners to secure pricing and capacity in a tight, project‑driven demand environment
• Lead supplier qualification, approval, and performance management, including UL‑listed component sourcing where required for data center electrical/enclosure products
• Manage supplier and commodity risk across steel/aluminum price volatility and constrained mill lead times
• Partner with Engineering and Project Management to align procurement timing with project schedules, submittals, and customer‑driven design changes
• Drive cost reduction and value engineering initiatives without compromising quality, code compliance, or delivery
• Build and mentor a team of buyers/planners; establish procurement processes, KPIs, and reporting
• Manage inventory and buy‑ahead strategy across raw materials, WIP, and project‑specific components to protect customer delivery dates
• Collaborate with Finance and Estimating on cost forecasting, project bid support, and supplier payment terms
• Ensure compliance with relevant codes, quality standards, and customer specifications (e.g., UL, NEMA, customer‑specific data center standards)

What You Bring

• 8+ years in procurement/supply chain, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role
• Experience in metal fabrication, structural steel, electrical enclosures, or another project‑based manufacturing environment; data center or mission‑critical construction exposure a strong plus
• Direct experience negotiating with steel/aluminum mills or service centers and managing commodity price risk
• Familiarity with UL listing requirements and code‑driven sourcing for electrical/enclosure products a plus
• Experience with ERP systems (Epicor, JobBOSS, Global Shop, or similar)
• Strong negotiation skills and comfort managing supplier relationships in a capacity‑constrained, high‑growth environment
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience); CPSM/CPM a plus

Competitive compensation package starting at $130,000