Strategic Purchaser

Wurth Group of North America Inc.; Wayne (NJ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Wurth Group of North America Inc. is seeking a Strategic Purchasing Manager in Wayne, New Jersey. The role involves managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and maintaining high performance in procurement activities. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree and over three years of experience in purchasing strategy and operations.

Responsibilities include supplier evaluation, contract management, and ensuring compliance with purchasing conditions. The position promotes collaboration and continuous improvement, aiming for operational excellence in procurement processes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in Purchasing Strategy and Operations, working knowledge in trading.
• Experience in Supplier Management and Development, Contract & Agreement Negotiation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Manage strategic procurement and supplier relationships.
• Negotiate and manage long-term contracts.
• Monitor supplier performance and drive improvements.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Supplier management

Communication skills

Process thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree (Business, Supply Chain, International Trade)

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

This role drives company growth and competitiveness by managing strategic procurement, supplier relationships, and negotiating long-term contracts for quality materials and services. It ensures operational excellence through effective purchasing processes, pricing accuracy, and data management. The position also supports innovation and continuous improvement by collaborating across various teams within the Wurth Group.

Strategic Purchasing

• Build and maintain partnerships with key suppliers by overseeing strategic procurement for specific product ranges, conducting supplier searches and assessments, and ensuring optimal sources of goods to support company growth.
• Evaluate, select, and develop suppliers based on quality, value, service, responsiveness, and innovation, including managing supplier ratings, conducting risk management, and seeking access to technologies or components that enable product development and improvement.
• Negotiate, manage, and regularly review long-term contracts and purchasing conditions—covering prices, quality standards, cost-reduction targets, delivery terms, and commercial/legal requirements.
• Monitor and rate supplier performance against contractual obligations, collaborate to drive continuous improvements in cost and performance, and manage purchasing risks through regular negotiations and supplier talks.
• Onboarding of new suppliers by negotiating framework agreements, delivery terms, and additional contracts such as bonuses or rebates, all while ensuring compliance with the General Purchasing Conditions of Würth International.
• Organize and carry out meetings, workshops, visits to customers and suppliers (such as Rapid Plant Assessments), participate in joint negotiations, and attend industry-specific trade fairs to create and execute effective purchasing strategies.
• Stay informed about commodity prices, market trends, and political developments to assess their impact on operations.
• Collaborate with other Würth International locations and participate in cross‑functional teams.
• Contribute to departmental innovation and continuous improvement by implementing modern digital tools and supporting initiatives from the Würth Purchasing Council.

Operations Management

• Manage traditional purchasing activities, including processing requests, following up on deliveries, and preparing expenditure reports.
• Collaborate with suppliers to achieve service level targets and ensure timely delivery as requested.
• Managing both internal and external requests to ensure a streamlined delivery process, including the utilization of the Würth Supplier Portal
• Address daily issues as they arise and escalations to higher authorities when necessary.
• Oversee all aspects of purchasing‑related master data management within SAP and the SRM system, including vendor setup, supplier relationship management, info record maintenance, and ensuring customer pricing accuracy.
• Maintenance of relevant master data to ensure system accuracy.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (Business, Supply Chain, International Trade, or related)
• 3+ years in Purchasing Strategy and Operations, working knowledge in trading (import/export)
• Supplier Management and Development, Contract & Agreement Negotiation
• Proficiencyin Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Multilingualism a plus
• ERP experience (SAP preferred)
• Stakeholder satisfaction (response & resolution times)

Preferred Skills

• Accuracy and diligence
• Strong communication, prioritization, and stakeholder management skills
• Solid troubleshooting and problem‑solving
• Customer Centricity — Communicates proactively; balances service and policy
• Process Thinking — Documents SOPs; identifies root causes and drives improvements
• Judgment & Ownership — Makes sound decisions under time pressure; follows through

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.