Purchasing Manager

Confidential Careers; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits

Performance-based compensation

Job summary

Confidential Careers in Western North Carolina is seeking an experienced manufacturing purchasing professional to lead sourcing, supplier management and strategic purchasing for a discrete manufacturing operation. You will negotiate with suppliers and manage performance, while collaborating with Production, Engineering, Quality, and leadership.

This hands-on, on-site role offers growth into broader materials planning and inventory responsibilities, with a base salary of $90,000–$110,000 and

Qualifications

• Strong purchasing, sourcing, and supplier management in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience negotiating with manufacturing suppliers.
• Experience purchasing raw materials, machined parts, and outside services.
• Experience identifying, qualifying, and developing suppliers and alternate sources.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and how decisions affect material availability.
• Analytical, problem-solving skills with track record of cost/lead-time improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead purchasing and supplier management for a discrete manufacturing operation.
• Source raw materials, machined parts, tooling, and outside services.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, delivery terms, and purchasing agreements.
• Identify, qualify, and develop new suppliers and alternate sources of supply.
• Manage supplier performance and resolve quality, delivery, cost, and availability issues.
• Identify and implement purchasing cost-reduction opportunities.
• Partner with Production and planning to anticipate requirements and prevent shortages.
• Use ERP/MRP systems to manage purchasing, PO, supplier data, and material availability.
• Support inventory optimization while balancing working capital with production needs.
• Work cross-functionally to resolve material shortages and production constraints.
• Develop broader responsibility for materials planning and production support.
• Drive continuous improvement throughout purchasing and materials processes.

Skills

Purchasing

Supplier management

Negotiation

ERP/MRP

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Hands-on leadership

Tools

ERP systems

MRP systems

Job description

Join a Stable Precision Manufacturer Where Your Decisions Directly Impact the Business

Our client is a financially stable, privately owned precision manufacturer serving leading OEM and industrial customers with highly engineered components used in demanding applications. With a reputation built on quality, operational excellence, and long-term customer relationships, the company offers a collaborative environment where employees are empowered to make decisions and have a direct impact on the business.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced manufacturing purchasing professional who is strong in sourcing, supplier negotiations, and supplier management and is ready to broaden their responsibilities into materials planning, inventory, and production support.

You’ll take the lead on purchasing strategy and supplier performance while working closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, Customer Service, and executive leadership. You don’t need to already be an expert in every area of materials management—the company is willing to develop the right purchasing leader who understands manufacturing, is analytical and hands‑on, and wants to grow into broader materials responsibility.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys a smaller, team‑oriented manufacturing environment where people roll up their sleeves, solve problems together, and take ownership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead purchasing and supplier management for a discrete manufacturing operation.
• Source raw materials, manufactured components, tooling, and outside manufacturing services.
• Negotiate supplier pricing, lead times, delivery commitments, commercial terms, and purchasing agreements.
• Identify, qualify, and develop new suppliers and alternate sources of supply.
• Manage supplier performance and resolve quality, delivery, cost, and availability issues.
• Identify and implement purchasing cost-reduction opportunities.
• Partner with Production and materials planning to anticipate requirements and prevent shortages.
• Use ERP/MRP systems to manage purchasing requirements, purchase orders, supplier information, and material availability.
• Support inventory optimization while balancing working capital with production requirements.
• Work cross-functionally to resolve material shortages, changing demand, and production constraints.
• Develop broader responsibility for materials planning, inventory management, and production support.
• Drive continuous improvement throughout purchasing and materials processes.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong purchasing, sourcing, and supplier management experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience negotiating directly with manufacturing suppliers.
• Experience purchasing raw materials, machined parts, manufactured components, and/or outside manufacturing services.
• Experience identifying, qualifying, and developing suppliers and alternate sources of supply.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and how purchasing decisions affect material availability and production.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with demonstrated success improving cost, lead times, supplier performance, or material availability.
• Ability to work effectively with Production, Engineering, Quality, and suppliers to solve problems and keep manufacturing running.
• A hands‑on, accountable leadership style and comfort working in a smaller manufacturing organization.

Strongly preferred: experience purchasing metals, machined components, fabricated products, castings, or other engineered industrial components

Compensation & Location

Base salary: $90,000–$110,000, plus benefits and additional performance-based compensation.

This is a fully on‑site opportunity located east of Asheville in Western North Carolina.