Strategic Purchasing Lead – Manufacturing & Supply Chain

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

Benefits offered by this job

Profit-sharing bonus

Health benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

General Kinematics Vibrating Equipment, a premier manufacturer of vibrating equipment, seeks a Sr. Purchasing Agent in Crystal Lake, IL. You will lead strategic sourcing, supplier performance, and cost optimization to support growth and operational excellence.

You will manage supplier relationships, negotiations, and cross‑functional partnerships across engineering, operations, sales, and finance, guiding continuous improvement and risk management within procurement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline preferred.
• APICS CPIM or CPSM certification is a plus.
• 5–7+ years of progressive procurement experience in manufacturing environment.
• ERP systems and data analytics experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies balancing cost, quality, delivery, and risk.
• Analyze and manage material requirements through MRP to align with production scheduling.
• Lead supplier relationship management including performance reviews and capability assessments.
• Partner with Supplier Quality on governance, audits, metrics, and corrective actions.
• Drive negotiations and contracting strategies to achieve value and mitigate risk.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, sales and finance on make‑vs‑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 strategies and executive decisions.
• Identify process improvements to enhance procurement efficiency and data integrity.
• Mentor purchasing team members to sustain high performance.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier development

Negotiations

ERP systems

Data analytics

Cross-functional influence

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related discipline

APICS CPIM or CPSM certification (or equivalent)

Job description

General Kinematics Vibrating Equipment, a premier manufacturer of vibrating equipment, seeks a Sr. Purchasing Agent in Crystal Lake, IL. You will lead strategic sourcing, supplier performance, and cost optimization to support growth and operational excellence.

You will manage supplier relationships, negotiations, and cross‑functional partnerships across engineering, operations, sales, and finance, guiding continuous improvement and risk management within procurement.