Purchasing Manager

Bridge Technical Talent; Rhode Island; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridge Technical Talent is seeking an experienced Purchasing Manager to lead the purchasing function in an electronics manufacturing operation in the United States. The role focuses on obtaining the right materials at the right cost and time to support production and customer commitments, including solving complex component availability challenges.

You will use ERP data, market intelligence, and alternate sourcing channels to locate hard-to-find materials while managing authenticity,

Qualifications

• 5+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply-chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing suppliers, purchase orders, material requirements, shortages, and difficult sourcing challenges.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, BOM requirements, inventory, lead times, and open purchase orders.
• Strong technology skills and demonstrated ability to use research tools, sourcing platforms, data, and technology to solve supply problems.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Resourcefulness, persistence, sound business judgment, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Strategic & Creative Component Sourcing: source hard-to-find, obsolete, allocated, and long-lead-time electronic components.
• Use online sourcing platforms, component databases, manufacturer resources, lifecycle/cross-reference tools, and market intelligence to identify availability and alternate sources.
• Leverage authorized distributors, manufacturers, independent distributors, brokers, excess inventory channels, and other qualified sources to locate constrained material.
• Challenge quoted lead times and pursue viable alternatives rather than accepting supplier availability.
• Develop and maintain a strong network of industry contacts and sourcing resources.
• Work with Engineering and Quality to identify alternate manufacturers, equivalent components, and substitutions when appropriate.

Skills

ERP/MRP proficiency

Supplier management

Sourcing & negotiation

Data analysis

Excel/Office

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

High school diploma

Associate or Bachelor's in supply chain/engineering

APICS/ASCM CPIM CSCP CPSM certification

Tools

Component databases

Lifecycle/cross-reference tools

Sourcing platforms

Job description

Seeking an experienced, hands-on Purchasing Manager to lead the purchasing function within an electronics manufacturing operation. This position is responsible for ensuring the organization has the right materials, at the right cost, at the right time to support production schedules and customer commitments. A major focus of this role will be creatively solving component availability challenges as supply chains tighten and lead times become increasingly difficult. The Purchasing Manager will use technology, market intelligence, alternate sourcing channels, and strong industry relationships to locate hard-to-find material while appropriately managing cost, quality, authenticity, traceability, and supply-chain risk.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Creative Component Sourcing

• Creatively source hard-to-find, obsolete, allocated, and long-lead-time electronic components.
• Use online sourcing platforms, component databases, manufacturer resources, lifecycle/cross-reference tools, market intelligence, advanced online research, and emerging technologies to identify availability and alternate sources.
• Leverage authorized distributors, manufacturers, independent distributors, brokers, excess inventory channels, and other qualified sources to locate constrained material.
• Challenge quoted lead times and actively pursue viable alternatives rather than simply accepting supplier availability.
• Develop and maintain a strong network of industry contacts and sourcing resources.
• Work with Engineering and Quality to identify alternate manufacturers, equivalent components, and potential substitutions when appropriate.
• Use ERP data, spreadsheets, analytics, AI-enabled research/productivity tools, and other technology to improve sourcing speed and effectiveness.
• Evaluate non-traditional sourcing opportunities while maintaining appropriate standards for component authenticity, traceability, quality, and supplier qualification.
• Balance availability, lead time, cost, quality, and risk when making sourcing recommendations and purchasing decisions.
• Manage purchasing of electronic components, printed circuit boards, fabricated parts, mechanical components, and other production materials.
• Review MRP requirements and translate material demand into effective purchasing decisions.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, payment terms, and delivery schedules.
• Develop sourcing strategies for critical and high-value materials and identify qualified alternate suppliers.
• Build strong relationships with key suppliers and evaluate performance based on quality, delivery, responsiveness, cost, and overall value.
• Hold suppliers accountable for commitments and collaborate with Quality to address supplier-related issues.

Material Availability & Expediting

• Take ownership of material availability required to support production schedules and customer delivery commitments.
• Proactively identify shortages and supply risks before they affect production.
• Monitor open purchase orders, supplier acknowledgments, promise dates, and delivery commitments.
• Personally expedite critical materials and develop recovery plans for late or constrained items.
• Coordinate partial shipments, alternate sourcing, and other solutions to minimize production disruptions.

Inventory, ERP/MRP & Business Support

• Balance material availability with responsible inventory investment and working-capital objectives.
• Monitor safety stock, MOQ/buy multiples, long-lead requirements, excess inventory, and obsolete material.
• Maintain accurate purchasing data including supplier pricing, lead times, acknowledgments, and promise dates.
• Use ERP/MRP information to identify shortages, late orders, inventory risks, and purchasing priorities.
• Serve as the primary point of ownership for purchasing and supplier-related material issues.
• Work closely with Operations, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Sales, Customer Service, and Finance.
• Support quoting and estimating with current material pricing, availability, and lead-time information.
• Recommend and implement improvements to purchasing processes, supplier management, and material planning.

Decision-Making & Accountability

• The Purchasing Manager is expected to independently evaluate supplier options, pricing, lead times, inventory requirements, expedite costs, sourcing channels, and material risks within established guidelines and authority levels. Success means not simply identifying material problems, but taking ownership of developing and executing solutions.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply-chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing suppliers, purchase orders, material requirements, shortages, and difficult sourcing challenges.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, BOM requirements, inventory, lead times, and open purchase orders.
• Strong technology skills and demonstrated ability to use research tools, sourcing platforms, data, and technology to solve supply problems.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Resourcefulness, persistence, sound business judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications.

Strongly Preferred

• Purchasing experience within electronics manufacturing, EMS, contract manufacturing, or similar environments.
• Experience purchasing electronic components, PCBs, and related production materials.
• Knowledge of component manufacturers, authorized distributors, independent distributors, brokers, and other electronics supply channels.
• Demonstrated success in creatively sourcing constrained, obsolete, allocated, or long-lead-time electronic components.
• Understanding of component lifecycle, obsolescence, allocation, authenticity/traceability risk, and alternate-component sourcing.
• Experience in a high-mix manufacturing environment; experience with manufacturing ERP systems is a plus.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering Technology, or a related field preferred.
• Relevant professional experience may substitute for formal education.
• Professional certifications such as APICS/ASCM, CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, or similar are a plus.

Measures of Success

• Material availability and reduction of preventable production shortages.
• Ability to locate difficult-to-source material and develop viable alternatives to unacceptable lead times.
• Supplier on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness, and cost performance.
• Purchase order and ERP data accuracy.
• Inventory levels, inventory turns, and reduction of excess and obsolete inventory.
• Effective shortage recovery and support of on-time delivery performance.