Purchasing Director

JC Ford Company; Columbia (TN); On-site; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

JC Ford Company in Columbia, Tennessee, seeks a Purchasing Director to organize tactical and strategic procurement initiatives and develop purchasing standards that support company objectives while ensuring continuity of supply for manufacturing operations.

The role leads all procurement activities, develops supplier partnerships, drives continuous improvement, and implements best practices to improve material availability, reduce lead times, and optimize total cost of ownership (TCO).

Qualifications

• 7–10 years purchasing or procurement in manufacturing.
• 5+ years in purchasing leadership and supervision.
• Experience negotiating supplier contracts and strategic sourcing.
• Experience with MRP/ERP systems, Traverse preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision making.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement to reduce lead times and costs using TCO/landed cost approaches.
• Develop and execute strategic sourcing for direct and indirect materials.
• Manage supplier relationships to ensure quality, delivery, cost, and service.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, terms, and long-term supplier agreements.
• Develop purchasing policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Production, and Sales for NPIs and changes.
• Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Drive Lean initiatives and continuous improvement across procurement.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Supplier negotiation

Data-driven analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Lean methodologies

Tools

Traverse

Job description

Essential Functions

The Purchasing Manager will organize all tactical and strategic procurement initiatives and define/develop purchasing standards that support company objectives while ensuring continuity of supply for manufacturing operations. This position is responsible for leading all procurement activities, developing supplier partnerships, driving continuous improvement, and implementing purchasing best practices that improve material availability, reduce lead times, and optimize total cost of ownership (TCO).

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Purchasing Director

The Purchasing Manager will organize all tactical and strategic procurement initiatives and define/develop purchasing standards that support company objectives while ensuring continuity of supply for manufacturing operations. This position is responsible for leading all procurement activities, developing supplier partnerships, driving continuous improvement, and implementing purchasing best practices that improve material availability, reduce lead times, and optimize total cost of ownership (TCO). This position will be responsible for developing a high-performing purchasing team and driving procurement excellence to support the company's operational and financial goals. The Manager will also assist in production risk assessment, mitigation activities, schedule delays and action plans, to both internal and external customers Success in this role is measured by supplier performance, material availability, cost savings, quality, lead time reduction, and continuous process improvement.

Specific Responsibilities Include

• Lead and continuously improve the Procurement function to reduce lead times, improve supplier performance, and optimize material costs through a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and total landed cost approaches
• Develop and execute strategic sourcing initiatives for direct and indirect materials.
• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and manage supplier relationships to ensure quality, delivery, cost, and service expectations are consistently achieved.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, terms, and long-term supplier agreements that support company objectives.
• Develop and maintain purchasing policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Utilize purchasing methodologies including Purchase Orders, Blanket Orders, supplier agreements, and strategic sourcing programs.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Production, and Sales to support new product introductions, engineering changes, and supplier development activities.
• Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions when necessary to ensure continuity of supply.
• Analyze market conditions, supplier capabilities, pricing trends, and supply risks to proactively support business needs.
• Drive alignment between changing procurement requirements and the company's ERP system to ensure accurate purchasing data and optimal system performance.
• Develop, track, and continuously improve key procurement performance indicators, including supplier on-time delivery, lead times, cost savings, purchase price variance, and supplier quality.
• Develop and maintain transparent communication with internal departments and external suppliers.
• Document purchasing processes, workflows, and standard operating procedures while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Assist in developing new purchasing processes and procedural enhancements.
• Implement best practices utilizing Lean methodologies.
• Coach, mentor, and develop purchasing employees while monitoring compliance with company policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism while fostering mutual trust and respect with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers.
• Generate ideas and initiate action to solve problems and improve procurement processes.
• Comply with company safety policies, attendance expectations, and all company procedures while leading by example.
• Balance team and individual responsibilities, encourage collaboration, welcome feedback, and promote a positive, accountable team environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Experience and Background:

• 7-10 years of purchasing or procurement experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably supporting machining, fabrication, and assembly operations.
• 5+ years of purchasing leadership and supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating supplier contracts and developing strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Experience with MRP/ERP systems, preferably Traverse.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing procurement processes, supplier management, and purchasing best practices.
• Strong analytical ability to evaluate supplier performance, purchasing metrics, and cost-saving opportunities using a data-driven approach.
• Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and build strong supplier partnerships.
• Proven ability to drive results, hold self and team accountable, and promote continuous improvement.

Physical Requirements

The job function is a mix of production floor, warehouse, and office environments.

Salary Description

$115,000-$130,000