Purchasing Manager – Retail Operations & Indirect Procurement

Hot Topic; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Hot Topic is seeking a Purchasing Manager to oversee the procurement of non-merchandise goods and services—supporting stores, distribution centers, corporate teams, and operations. The role focuses on vendor management, sourcing, contract negotiations, and on-time delivery within budget.

Hybrid work from our City of Industry, CA HQ three days a week is required. Ideal candidates have strong procurement experience in multi-location retail and know Oracle procurement software.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years purchasing/procurement experience.
• Experience with Oracle accounting/procurement.
• Strong vendor-management and negotiation skills.
• Excellent Excel and MS Office skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage purchasing for non-merchandise goods and services supporting stores, DCs, and HQ.
• Source and purchase operational supplies and equipment.
• Develop sourcing strategies balancing cost, quality, service and delivery.
• Solicit bids, analyze pricing, and negotiate terms with suppliers.
• Create and manage purchase orders; ensure policy compliance and budgets.
• Coordinate fixture procurement for new stores and remodels; support IT and Marketing purchasing.

Skills

Vendor management

Purchasing & procurement

Sourcing strategies

Budgeting & cost control

Oracle procurement

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

5+ years purchasing experience

Tools

Oracle

Excel

Job description

Description

Do you have organization skills so strong that your name might as well be Hermione? We’re looking for a Purchasing Manager to join our team! The Purchasing Manager is responsible for managing the procurement of non-merchandise goods and services that support our retail stores, distribution centers, corporate teams, and overall business operations. This position does not purchase merchandise or products sold to customers in our stores.

Description

Do you have organization skills so strong that your name might as well be Hermione? We’re looking for a Purchasing Manager to join our team! The Purchasing Manager is responsible for managing the procurement of non-merchandise goods and services that support our retail stores, distribution centers, corporate teams, and overall business operations. This position does not purchase merchandise or products sold to customers in our stores.

The Purchasing Manager will serve as a key liaison between external suppliers and internal business partners, including Store Development/Construction, Information Technology, Finance, Distribution, Store Operations, and Marketing. The role is responsible for vendor management, sourcing, contract and pricing negotiations, purchase order management, cost control, and ensuring goods and services are delivered on time and within budget.

The successful candidate will have strong procurement and vendor-management experience in a multi-location retail environment and must have experience working with Oracle accounting/procurement software.

This role operates on a hybrid schedule and will require to work from our HQ located in the City of Industry, CA three days a week.

Pay range

$80,000 - $100,000 a year

Please note the pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but other factors such as an individual’s education, location, meeting the minimum job requirements for the role, training and experience, will determine the final salary for potential new hires.

What You’ll Do

• Manage the purchasing process for non-merchandise goods, materials, equipment, and services supporting retail stores, distribution centers, and corporate operations.


• Source and purchase commodities and operational supplies for distribution centers and retail locations.


• Develop sourcing strategies that balance cost, quality, service, availability, and delivery requirements.


• Solicit and evaluate bids and proposals, conduct competitive pricing analyses, and negotiate pricing and commercial terms with suppliers.


• Create and manage purchase orders and ensure purchasing activities comply with company policies, approval requirements, and established budgets.


• Identify opportunities to consolidate purchasing, standardize products, reduce costs, and improve procurement efficiency.


• Serve as the primary purchasing contact for the company's store fixture vendor(s).


• Coordinate fixture procurement for new stores, remodels, relocations, refreshes, and ongoing store maintenance needs.


• Partner with the Information Technology team to coordinate purchase orders, vendor quotes, approvals, invoicing, and delivery schedules.


• Assist IT with vendor negotiations and purchasing strategies while ensuring technical specifications and business requirements are maintained.


• Partner with the Marketing team to source and purchase in-store marketing materials and related products.


• Manage purchasing for items such as signage, printed materials, displays, promotional materials, and other in-store marketing components.


• Work closely with the Finance and Accounting teams to ensure accurate purchase orders, invoices, coding, approvals, and financial reporting.


• Utilize Oracle accounting/procurement software to create, maintain, track, and reconcile purchasing transactions


• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers.


• Establish vendor performance expectations and regularly evaluate suppliers based on cost, quality, service, delivery, responsiveness, and reliability.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience preferred.


• 5+ years of purchasing, procurement, sourcing, or supply chain experience, preferably supporting a multi-location retail organization.


• Hands-on experience with Oracle accounting and/or procurement software is required.


• Demonstrated experience managing vendors, purchase orders, pricing negotiations, and procurement processes.


• Experience purchasing operational supplies, equipment, fixtures, services, or other indirect/non-merchandise categories.


• Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to evaluate pricing, costs, bids, and purchasing trends.


• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard business applications.


• Excellent organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills.


• Proven ability to work effectively across departments, including Finance, IT, Marketing,