Purchasing Coordinator, Residential Construction

20/20 Foresight Executive Talent Solutions; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

20/20 Foresight Executive Talent Solutions is seeking a Purchasing Specialist for a Chicago-based residential builder. You will manage purchasing and coordination of interior finish materials across multiple projects, ensuring on-time delivery and budget adherence.

We value organized, detail-oriented professionals who can negotiate, compare quotes, and develop strong vendor relationships to achieve cost savings without compromising design intent.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in residential construction purchasing or related vendor environment.
• Experience with building materials suppliers, cabinetry, flooring, tile, fixtures is valued.
• Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented with strong follow-through.
• Able to manage multiple projects, vendors, orders, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Cost-conscious and proactive—seeking better pricing and smarter options.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Ownership of orders from quote through final delivery.

Responsibilities

• Purchase interior finish materials including cabinetry, countertops, tile, flooring, plumbing fixtures, lighting, appliances, hardware, glass, and other finish materials.
• Request and compare multiple quotes and negotiate pricing with vendors.
• Actively look for opportunities to reduce costs through better pricing, alternative suppliers, volume purchasing, and negotiated vendor agreements.
• Develop strong vendor relationships and establish preferred and volume pricing.
• Prepare and closely track purchase orders, approvals, lead times, deliveries, backorders, returns, and damaged items.
• Maintain organized and accurate purchasing records across all active projects.
• Coordinate purchasing schedules with our Design and Construction teams to ensure materials are ordered and delivered when needed.
• Track purchasing against project budgets and flag potential overruns early.
• Help standardize frequently used products and vendors across multiple homes.

Skills

Organized

Detail-oriented

Negotiation

Communication

Multitasking

Cost-conscious

Ownership

Job description

Our client is a residential developer and home builder completing approximately 30 high-end residential projects each year across Chicago’s most desirable neighborhoods and North Shore suburbs.

Position

Reporting to the COO, the Purchasing Specialist will manage the purchasing and coordination of interior finish materials across the company’s residential projects.

Organization, attention to detail, and follow-through are critical for this role. The Purchasing Specialist will be responsible to stay on top of many orders, vendors, deadlines, and projects without letting details fall through the cracks.

The ideal candidate combines strong organization, purchasing discipline, and a cost‑saving mindset to ensure the company purchases the right product, from the right vendor, at the right price, and at the right time.

Responsibilities

The Purchasing Coordinator’s responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Purchase interior finish materials including cabinetry, countertops, tile, flooring, plumbing fixtures, lighting, appliances, hardware, glass, and other finish materials.
• Request and compare multiple quotes and negotiate pricing with vendors.
• Actively look for opportunities to reduce costs through better pricing, alternative suppliers, volume purchasing, and negotiated vendor agreements — without compromising quality or design intent.
• Develop strong vendor relationships and establish preferred and volume pricing.
• Prepare and closely track purchase orders, approvals, lead times, deliveries, backorders, returns, and damaged items.
• Maintain organized and accurate purchasing records across all active projects.
• Coordinate purchasing schedules with our Design and Construction teams to ensure materials are ordered and delivered when needed.
• Track purchasing against project budgets and flag potential overruns early.
• Help standardize frequently used products and vendors across multiple homes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of relevant experience in residential construction, purchasing, building materials, interior finishes, or a related vendor/supplier environment.
• Experience with a building materials supplier, kitchen & bath showroom, cabinetry, flooring, tile, plumbing, lighting, appliance, or other residential finish‑material vendor is highly valued.
• Exceptionally organized and detail‑oriented, with strong follow‑through.
• Able to manage multiple projects, vendors, orders, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Cost-conscious and proactive — someone who naturally looks for better pricing and smarter purchasing options.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Comfortable taking ownership and following an order from quote through final delivery.

Note

• This is not an Interior Designer position. The company’s Design Team selects the materials and establishes the design direction.
• This is not a Construction Project Manager position. The Purchasing Coordinator will not be responsible for managing GCs or construction crews.