Purchasing Manager

America's Floor Source; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AFS Group in Columbus, Ohio is seeking a Purchasing Manager to lead day-to-day procurement for 10 store locations, ensuring product availability while optimizing inventory investment and cost.

Reporting to the Director of Purchasing, you will supervise staff, manage vendor relationships, place purchase orders, monitor inbound shipments, and coordinate cross-channel needs to keep shelves stocked and customers served.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of purchasing, buying, or inventory management experience; leadership experience preferred.
• Strong Excel skills with pivot tables and lookups.
• Experience with ERP or RFMS.
• Ability to leverage technology and AI-assisted solutions for purchasing efficiency.
• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop purchasing staff; establish expectations and coordinate workloads.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities through vendor relationships and pricing analysis.
• Coordinate purchasing priorities across business channels to support product availability.
• Partner with sales, operations, warehouse, and location leaders to anticipate product needs.
• Place and manage purchase orders with flooring vendors for stock and special-order needs.
• Monitor inbound shipment ETAs and notify delays to stakeholders.
• Manage vendor programs and promotions and report performance.
• Review vendor performance and report scorecards to the Director.
• Manage globally sourced products and international vendor relationships.
• Forecast demand and set reorder points; reduce aged inventory in coordination with location teams.

Skills

Purchasing leadership

Excel skills

Vendor relations

International sourcing

Detail oriented

AI-assisted tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or supply chain

Tools

RFMS ERP

Job description

The Purchasing Manager leads day-to-day procurement for AFS Group, supporting 10 store locations with timely product availability, responsible inventory investment, and competitive purchasing costs. Reporting to the Director of Purchasing, this position supervises purchasing staff and coordinates vendor relationships, purchase orders, inbound delivery timelines, globally sourced products, and stocking and reorder decisions. The role identifies opportunities to improve purchasing efficiency and vendor performance while supporting the needs of multiple business channels.

• Lead, coach, and develop purchasing staff; establish clear expectations, coordinate workloads, and support performance accountability.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and purchasing process improvements through vendor relationships, pricing analysis, and sourcing decisions. relationships.
• Coordinate purchasing priorities across AFS business channels to support product availability and operational needs.
• Partner with sales, operations, warehouse, and location leaders to anticipate product needs and resolve availability issues.
• Place and manage purchase orders with flooring vendors for stock and special-order needs.
• Monitor inbound shipment ETAs, communicate with vendors regarding delays, and notify sales and store personnel promptly of any changes to expected delivery dates.
• Manage assigned vendor programs and promotions, and report on their performance.
• Review vendor performance (on-time delivery, accuracy, claims) and report scorecard results to the Director.
• Manage globally sourced products, including international vendor relationships, lead times, shipping and import logistics.

Position Summary

The Purchasing Manager leads day-to-day procurement for AFS Group, supporting 10 store locations with timely product availability, responsible inventory investment, and competitive purchasing costs. Reporting to the Director of Purchasing, this position supervises purchasing staff and coordinates vendor relationships, purchase orders, inbound delivery timelines, globally sourced products, and stocking and reorder decisions. The role identifies opportunities to improve purchasing efficiency and vendor performance while supporting the needs of multiple business channels.

Key ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Strategy

• Lead, coach, and develop purchasing staff; establish clear expectations, coordinate workloads, and support performance accountability.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and purchasing process improvements through vendor relationships, pricing analysis, and sourcing decisions. relationships.
• Coordinate purchasing priorities across AFS business channels to support product availability and operational needs.
• Partner with sales, operations, warehouse, and location leaders to anticipate product needs and resolve availability issues.

Vendor & Order Management

• Place and manage purchase orders with flooring vendors for stock and special-order needs.
• Monitor inbound shipment ETAs, communicate with vendors regarding delays, and notify sales and store personnel promptly of any changes to expected delivery dates.
• Manage assigned vendor programs and promotions, and report on their performance.
• Review vendor performance (on-time delivery, accuracy, claims) and report scorecard results to the Director.
• Manage globally sourced products, including international vendor relationships, lead times, shipping and import logistics.

Inventory & Demand

• Monitor on-hand inventory and sales demand to set reorder points and quantities for stocking programs.
• Forecast demand and analyze purchasing trends to meet established stock-on-hand targets while balancing inventory investment.
• Reduce aged and excess inventory in coordination with location teams through transfers, markdowns and returns.

Cost & Pricing

• Maintain vendor cost and price-level data, ensure vendor invoices and purchase orders comply with agreed costs, and review pricing changes against current sell prices.
• Reconcile receiving and vendor invoices, and resolve discrepancies with vendors and accounting.
• Monitor purchasing and inventory indicators, including product availability, aged inventory, vendor delivery performance, order accuracy, and cost-saving opportunities; recommend corrective actions.
• Evaluate vendor pricing, purchasing terms, and service performance; elevate commitments requiring Director approval.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of purchasing, buying, or inventory management experience; demonstrated team leadership experience preferred. Flooring or building-products and international sourcing experience preferred.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables and lookups; comfortable working with large sales and inventory reports.
• Ability to leverage technology, reporting tools, and AI-assisted solutions to improve purchasing analysis and efficiency.
• Experience with an ERP or retail system such as RFMS preferred.
• Strong communication and vendor relationship skills; able to collaborate effectively with sales teams, direct reports, and outside vendors.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and able to manage many open orders at once across different channels and lines of business.
• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience.

Position Details

• Reports to: Director of Purchasing
• Location: Columbus, Ohio
• Travel: Light travel to other locations