Senior Strategic Purchaser: Cost Leadership & Partnerships

General Kinematics; Crystal Lake (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit-sharing bonus

Health and well-being programs

PTO and career development

Job summary

General Kinematics is a premier manufacturer of vibrating equipment for bulk materials processing. The Sr. Purchasing Agent leads sourcing strategies, supplier performance, and cost optimization to support growth and operational excellence.

You will influence design, planning, and make-versus-buy decisions across engineering, operations, sales and finance. With 5–7+ years in manufacturing procurement, you will drive negotiations, supplier governance, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of progressive procurement experience in a manufacturing or engineered-to-order environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related discipline preferred (or equivalent experience).
• APICS CPIM or CPSM certification (or similar professional certification) is a plus.
• Demonstrated success in strategic sourcing, supplier development, and complex negotiations.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies balancing cost, quality, delivery, and risk.
• Analyze and manage material requirements through the ERP system and align with production scheduling.
• Lead supplier relationship management including performance reviews and capability assessments.
• Partner with Supplier Quality to establish supplier governance, audits, and corrective action.
• Drive commercial negotiations and contracting strategies to achieve sustainable value.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, sales and finance on make-versus-buy decisions.
• Champion cost leadership initiatives, including should-cost analysis and value engineering.
• Provide procurement leadership on key projects and early involvement in planning.
• Analyze market dynamics to inform sourcing strategy and executive decisions.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance procurement efficiency and data integrity.
• Mentor and develop purchasing team members.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Negotiations

Supplier development

Cross-functional influence

Data analytics

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related discipline preferred (or equivalent experience)

APICS CPIM or CPSM certification (or similar)

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

General Kinematics is a premier manufacturer of vibrating equipment for bulk materials processing. The Sr. Purchasing Agent leads sourcing strategies, supplier performance, and cost optimization to support growth and operational excellence.

You will influence design, planning, and make-versus-buy decisions across engineering, operations, sales and finance. With 5–7+ years in manufacturing procurement, you will drive negotiations, supplier governance, and continuous improvement.