Procurement Manager

Whelan Machine; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Great benefits

Quarterly incentive pays

Brand-new 70,000 sq ft facility

Job summary

Whelan Machine in Louisville, KY is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management for defense-grade production. This role ensures DFARS, ITAR, and CMMC compliance while driving cost control and on-time delivery.

You will negotiate terms, maintain ASL scorecards, and collaborate with engineering and finance. Requires 5+ years in procurement, a related degree, and ERP/Excel proficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• 5+ years procurement/purchasing experience, ideally in manufacturing.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and vendor management skills.
• ERP system experience (e.g., NAV/Business Central, or similar).
• Proficiency in Excel.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing & Supplier Management: Identify, qualify, and manage suppliers for raw materials, tooling, MRO, and outside processing.
• Purchasing Operations: Manage PO lifecycle, monitor lead times, and reconcile pricing discrepancies with suppliers.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure procurement practices comply with DFARS, ITAR/EAR, and CMMC; track conformance and audits.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Align purchasing with production schedules and collaborate with engineering.

Skills

Negotiation

Vendor management

Analytical

Excel

Education

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

Tools

NAV/Business Central ERP

Job description

Attention! Now Hiring ...

Looking forward to your next big opportunity?

Whelan Machine is growing, and we want YOU to join our team!

We're proud to be part of the Department of Defense (DoD) and offer you a chance to work in an exciting, fast-paced industry.

Supporting the mission with world-class precision is at the heart of what we do.

Whelan Machineis a mission-critical supplier of high-precision machining for the U.S defense industrial base. We offer quarterly incentive pay and the opportunity to work in our new and improved 70,000-square foot facility!

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain documentation supporting DCAA/DCMA audit readiness (purchase order files, competitive quotes, sole-source justifications)

• Competitive pay
• Great benefits
• Quarterly incentive pays
• A workplace that values YOUR skill and growth
• Be part of the DoD and helping make a difference
• Supporting the mission with world-class precision
• Brand-new 70,000 sq. ft. facility

Our mission is to build a world-class team of skilled professionals, and we want YOU to be a part of it.

If you're in Louisville or nearby, don't miss this opportunity!

Position Summary

The Procurement Manager leads sourcing, purchasing, and supplier management activities to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of materials, components, and services required for production. This role is critical to maintaining supply continuity for a defense manufacturing operation subject to DFARS, ITAR, and CMMC requirements, and works closely with production planning, quality, engineering, and finance to support on-time delivery to customers.

Key Responsibilities

Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Identify, qualify, and manage suppliers for raw materials (steel, alloys, etc.), tooling, MRO, and outside processing (e.g., heat treat, plating, NDT)
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and long-term agreements to control cost and mitigate supply risk
• Maintain and monitor an Approved Supplier List (ASL); manage supplier scorecards for quality, delivery, and cost performance
• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers, including flow-down of applicable FAR/DFARS clauses and Nadcap/AS9100 or ITAR-related requirements where applicable

Purchasing Operations

• Manage the purchase order lifecycle from requisition through receipt, ensuring accurate ERP records
• Monitor lead times, safety stock, and reorder points to prevent production disruptions
• Resolve pricing discrepancies, delivery delays, and quality non-conformances with suppliers
• Manage credit terms and work with finance on payment holds, credit limits, and vendor disputes

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure procurement practices comply with DFARS, ITAR/EAR (export control on materials and technical data), and CMMC related handling requirements for supplier-shared CUI
• Maintain documentation supporting DCAA/DCMA audit readiness (purchase order files, competitive quotes, sole-source justifications)
• Track certificates of conformance, material certs, and traceability documentation required for aerospace/defense end customers
• Monitor for counterfeit parts risk and maintain segregation of authorized distributors per customer flow-downs

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with production planning/scheduling to align purchasing with the master production schedule and sales forecast
• Work with engineering on new part sourcing, make-vs-buy decisions, and alternate material qualification
• Support cost estimating and quoting with current material and outside-process pricing
• Report on key metrics: PPV (purchase price variance), on-time delivery, supplier lead times, and open PO aging

Team Leadership

• Supervise buyers/purchasing agents, if applicable; set priorities and review workload
• Develop and maintain purchasing policies, procedures, and desk-level work instructions

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of procurement/purchasing experience, ideally in manufacturing
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and vendor management skills
• ERP system experience (e.g., NAV/Business Central, or similar)
• Proficiency in Excel

Preferred

• Experience in defense/aerospace manufacturing (ITAR, DFARS, CMMC awareness)
• Familiarity with machining/metals supply chains (steel service centers, heat treat, plating)
• APICS/CPSM or similar certification
• Experience supporting DCAA/DCMA audits

Physical & Itar Requirements

• Primarily office-based with periodic visits to the WMT production floor; standard PPErequiredwhen on the shop floor.
• Access to ITAR-controlled technical data and CUI requires verification of U.S. Person status prior to employment.
• Ability to stand for extended periods on a manufacturing floor; regularly lift and carry up to 35 lbs.; frequent bending, reaching, and use of hand tools; use of appropriate PPE (safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toe footwear) at all times on the production floor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Whelan Machine & Tool, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. This position requires access to information subject to U.S. export control regulations (ITAR/EAR); employment is contingent upon verification of U.S. Person status.