Purchasing Manager

American Electric Power; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 118,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

American Electric Power in Columbus, OH is seeking a senior Purchasing Manager to lead enterprise-wide procurement strategies, supplier performance, and risk management across multiple business units. You will mentor analysts, drive strategic sourcing, and negotiate high-stakes contracts to support corporate objectives.

You will collaborate with Legal, Finance, Engineering, and Operations, guiding governance and continuous improvement while shaping supplier relationships and risk controls.

Qualifications

• Seven years of progressively responsible purchasing or supply chain experience.
• Experience leading complex sourcing initiatives and enterprise negotiations.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and drive cross-functional results.
• Advanced negotiation, stakeholder management, and strategic thinking skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise level leadership for highly complex, high value purchasing activities across multiple business units.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for purchasing strategy, supplier performance issues, and contract negotiations.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business unit and senior leadership on purchasing strategy and market conditions.
• Lead development and execution of enterprise sourcing strategies and supplier consolidation initiatives.
• Drive complex negotiations with pricing, terms, risk allocation, and performance commitments.
• Partner with Legal, Risk, Finance, Engineering and Operations to align on contracts and strategy.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Financial acumen

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Associate’s degree in related field

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Maximo

Ariba

Celonis

Agiloft

Job description

Job Posting End Date

10-11-2026

Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.

Job Summary

The Purchasing Manager is the highest level individual contributor and functional leader within the purchasing organization, providing enterprise wide leadership for complex procurement activities, strategic sourcing execution, and business unit alignment. This role serves as the primary escalation point for high risk, high value, and highly complex procurement initiatives and acts as a trusted advisor to senior business, operational, and supply chain leadership.

The Purchasing Manager leads cross functional sourcing strategies, mentors procurement professionals, drives continuous improvement of purchasing processes, and ensures alignment with corporate objectives, risk management requirements, and long term supply strategies.

Job Description

Where Putting the Customer First Powers Everything We Do!

What You'll Do:

Enterprise Purchasing Leadership

• Provide enterprise level leadership for highly complex, high value, and mission critical purchasing activities across multiple business units.

• Serve as the senior escalation point for purchasing strategy, supplier performance issues, commercial disputes, and contract negotiations.

• Act as a trusted advisor to business unit and senior leadership on purchasing strategy, market conditions, and supply risk.

Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Excellence

• Lead the development and execution of enterprise sourcing strategies, including competitive sourcing events, long term agreements, and supplier consolidation initiatives.

• Drive complex, high impact negotiations involving pricing, commercial terms, risk allocation, and performance commitments.

• Ensure sourcing strategies align with financial objectives, risk management standards, and operational requirements.

Cross Functional & Stakeholder Leadership

• Partner closely with Legal, Risk Management, Finance, Engineering, Operations, and Category Management to ensure alignment on contracts, specifications, and commercial strategy.

• Lead and influence cross functional teams without direct authority to achieve purchasing and sourcing objectives.

• Represent the Purchasing organization in senior level discussions, governance forums, and enterprise initiatives.

Supplier Relationship & Performance Management

• Provide executive level oversight of critical and strategic supplier relationships.

• Guide supplier performance management frameworks, including scorecards, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Support supplier innovation, value creation, and long term partnership development.

Talent Development & Mentorship

• Serve as a mentor and technical authority for Purchasing Analyst, Senior, and Principal level professionals.

• Provide guidance on complex sourcing strategies, negotiations, and issue resolution.

• Contribute to the development of purchasing standards, best practices, and knowledge sharing across the organization.

Governance, Risk & Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance purchasing processes, tools, and governance.

• Ensure compliance with corporate purchasing policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.

• Support enterprise initiatives related to cost optimization, risk mitigation, supplier diversity, and operational resilience.

What We're Looking For:

Education/Experience:

Bachelor's degree in related field of study + 8 years of relevant work experience.

(Or) In lieu of Bachelor’s degree must possess an Associate’s degree in related field of study, and a minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience.

(Or) In lieu of Associate’s degree must possess a High School Diploma or equivalent, and a minimum of 12 years of relevant work experience.

Additional Expectations:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible purchasing or supply chain experience.

• Demonstrated success leading complex sourcing initiatives, enterprise negotiations, and cross functional teams.

• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive results across multiple business units.

• Experience with Maximo, Ariba, Celonis, and/or Agiloft

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) or equivalent professional certification.

• Experience leading enterprise level sourcing strategies or major capital and O&M procurement initiatives.

• Advanced negotiation, stakeholder management, and strategic thinking skills.

• Strong analytical, financial, and risk management acumen.

Additional Information:

• Travel to business unit facilities, supplier locations, and construction sites may be required.

• May be assigned to support critical operational events, outages, or emergency response activities.

• Expected to lead with a continuous improvement mindset and proactively identify opportunities to enhance purchasing value.

What You'll Get:

Expected Salary Range: $118,000.00-$128,000.00 (USD)

Compensation Data

Compensation Grade:

SP20-009

Compensation Range:

$116,255.00 - $151,132.50

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.