Purchasing Manager-Construction

Asphalt Specialists, Inc; Pontiac (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Asphalt Specialists, Inc. is seeking an experienced Purchasing Manager to lead purchasing, sourcing, vendor management, and commercial negotiations across our organization.

This newly created role reports to Finance and partners with Legal, IT, Facilities, and Operations at our Pontiac, Oxford, and Flat Rock garages. The role requires strong negotiation skills, a track record of managing high-dollar supplier commitments, and the ability to balance cost, quality, timing, and service in a

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success negotiating high-dollar vendor or supplier commitments.
• 5+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, sourcing, or category management.
• Direct experience negotiating commercial contracts and supplier agreements.
• Strong understanding of purchasing workflows, competitive quoting, purchase orders, and supplier performance management.
• Ability to read, understand, and administer commercial contracts and collaborate effectively with Legal.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a high volume of concurrent purchasing activities.
• Strong communication, follow-through, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to balance cost, quality, timing, service, and business requirements when making purchasing decisions.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day purchasing activities across multiple locations and business functions.
• Create and manage purchase orders, obtain and compare vendor quotes, and follow up on deliveries.
• Manage vendor communications and assist with invoice matching and resolution.
• Execute technology purchases in partnership with IT.
• Execute building, facility, and operational purchases in partnership with Facilities.
• Lead negotiations with vendors and suppliers at all levels, including major and strategic suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, service levels, warranties, delivery requirements, and other commercial terms.
• Work within established purchasing policies, pricing targets, and approval requirements.
• Review and administer commercial agreements and serve as the day-to-day purchasing contact throughout the contract process.
• Partner with Legal on contract drafting, redlines, and negotiation support.
• Coordinate telecom and Verizon purchasing and negotiations in partnership with IT.
• Support Finance in supplier partnerships, buying alliances, and strategic pricing programs.
• Administer the company\'s preferred vendor program and purchasing platform.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships while holding vendors accountable to agreed-upon pricing, service, and performance expectations.
• Track supplier rebates and ensure the company receives available program benefits.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Manage the day-to-day administration of the company\'s fuel program, including WEX.

Skills

Vendor negotiations

Purchasing experience

Contract negotiations

Purchasing workflows

Contract review

Organization skills

Communication

Decision making

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Purchasing Manager to leadpurchasing, sourcing, vendor management, and commercial negotiationsacross our organization.
This is a newly created role with significant responsibility andvisibility. The Purchasing Manager will own the day-to-day executionof our purchasing function—from sourcing and quote evaluationthrough vendor negotiation, contracting, purchase orders, deliveryfollow-up, equipment transactions, and supplier program management.
Negotiation is at the heart of this position. The idealcandidate has a demonstrated track record of negotiating high-dollarsupplier commitments, improving commercial terms, and buildingstrong vendor relationships while protecting the company's financial interests.
This role works closely with Finance, Legal, IT, Facilities,Operations, Production, and our Pontiac, Oxford, and Flat Rockgarages to ensure we are making smart, timely, and well-supportedpurchasing decisions.

Experience and Skills:

Purchasing & Procurement Operations

• Manage day-to-day purchasing activities across multiplelocations and business functions.
• Create and manage purchase orders, obtain and compare vendorquotes, and follow up on deliveries.
• Manage vendor communications and assist with invoicematching and resolution.
• Execute technology purchases in partnership with IT.
• Execute building, facility, and operational purchases inpartnership with Facilities.
• Lead negotiations with vendors and suppliers at all levels,including major and strategic suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, service levels,warranties, delivery requirements, and other commercial terms.
• Work within established purchasing policies, pricingtargets, and approval requirements.
• Review and administer commercial agreements and serve as theday-to-day purchasing contact throughout the contract process.
• Partner with Legal on contract drafting, redlines, andnegotiation support.
• Coordinate telecom and Verizon purchasing and negotiationsin partnership with IT.
• Support Finance in supplier partnerships, buying alliances,and strategic pricing programs.
• Administer the company's preferred vendor program andpurchasing platform.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships whileholding vendors accountable to agreed-upon pricing, service, andperformance expectations.
• Track supplier rebates and ensure the company receivesavailable program benefits.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and identifyopportunities for improvement.
• Manage the day-to-day administration of the company's fuelprogram, including WEX.

Equipment & Fleet

• Source and execute purchases and resales of equipment,yellow iron, trucks, and trailers.
• Work with Finance and Facilities on equipment purchasingdecisions and required approvals.
• Source equipment rentals and manage relationships with fleetand rental vendors.
• Review equipment utilization and provide recommendationsregarding whether equipment should be buy, rent, or dispose.
• Support the organization in identifying market opportunitiesfor equipment acquisition and resale.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated success negotiating high-dollar vendor orsupplier commitments. This is the primary qualification for the role.
• 5+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, sourcing,or category management.
• Direct experience negotiating commercial contracts andsupplier agreements.
• Strong understanding of purchasing workflows, competitivequoting, purchase orders, and supplier performance management.
• Ability to read, understand, and administer commercialcontracts and collaborate effectively with Legal.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage ahigh volume of concurrent purchasing activities.
• Strong communication, follow-through, andrelationship-management skills.
• Ability to balance cost, quality, timing, service, andbusiness requirements when making purchasing decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in construction, contracting, heavy equipment,transportation, or a related industry.
• Familiarity with equipment, truck, and trailer acquisitionand resale markets.
• Experience managing fuel card programs, supplier rebateprograms, or purchasing/buying alliances.
• Experience with HeavyJob, HeavyBid, Motive, or comparableconstruction and operations systems.
• Experience working across multiple locations or business units.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, success means building a purchasing functionthat is organized, commercially disciplined, responsive, andtrusted by the business.

You'll be successful when:

• Vendors know you as a knowledgeable and effective negotiator.
• The company consistently receives competitive pricing andfavorable commercial terms.
• Purchasing requests move efficiently from quote through PO,delivery, and invoice resolution.
• Contracts are organized, properly reviewed, and executedthrough the appropriate process.
• Preferred vendor and rebate programs are actively managedand delivering value.
• Equipment and fleet purchasing decisions are supported bysound commercial analysis.
• Internal teams know where to go for purchasing support andreceive timely follow-through.
• Supplier performance issues are identified and addressedbefore they become larger problems.

Key Relationships

This position works closely with:

• VP of Finance — purchasing strategy, policies, approvalrequirements, commercial targets, and major purchasing decisions.
• Legal — contract review, redlines, drafting support, andcontract negotiations.
• IT Director and IT Manager — technology and telecomrequirements, with Purchasing responsible for execution andcommercial negotiations.
• Facilities Leader — facility purchasing, equipment rentals,fleet vendors, and related operational needs.
• Asset Administration — equipment acquisition and disposaldocumentation, titles, registrations, and asset records.
• Production — materials, equipment, and service needs foractive jobs, with Purchasing responsible for sourcing, timelydelivery, and vendor follow-through.
• Garages (Pontiac, Oxford, and Flat Rock) parts, repairs,fleet maintenance, and service vendors, with Purchasingsupporting sourcing, pricing, and delivery follow-up at each location.

Why This Role Matters

This role has a direct impact on how effectively the companymanages one of its largest areas of ongoing operational spending.

We are looking for someone who doesn't simply process purchaseorders. We want a commercially minded purchasing professional whoknows how to negotiate, knows how to manage vendors, and knows howto turn purchasing activity into measurable value for the business.

If you are an experienced negotiator who enjoys working in afast-paced, operational environment and wants meaningful ownershipover purchasing and supplier relationships, we'd like to hear from you.

Garages (Pontiac, Oxford, and Flat Rock) parts, repairs, fleetmaintenance, and service vendors, with Purchasing supportingsourcing, pricing, and delivery follow-up at each location.
Why This Role Matters
This role has a direct impact on how effectively the companymanages one of its largest areas of ongoing operational spending.
We are looking for someone who doesn't simply process purchaseorders. We want a commercially minded purchasing professional whoknows how to negotiate, knows how to manage vendors, and knows howto turn purchasing activity into measurable value for the business.
If you are an experienced negotiator who enjoys working in afast-paced, operational environment and wants meaningful ownershipover purchasing and supplier relationships, we'd like to hear from you.