Strategic Purchasing Manager – Multi-Location Retail (Hybrid)

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

Job summary

Hot Topic & BoxLunch is seeking a Purchasing Manager to lead procurement of non-merchandise goods across stores, DCs, and corporate teams. You will manage vendor relationships, contracts, and POs to ensure on-time delivery within budget.

The role requires multi-location retail procurement experience, Oracle experience, and a hybrid work setup at HQ in City of Industry, CA three days per week.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent professional experience preferred.
• 5+ years of purchasing, procurement, sourcing, or supply chain experience in a multi-location retail organization.
• Hands-on experience with Oracle accounting/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, Operations, and Store Development/Construction.
• Purchasing or procurement experience within a specialty retail, apparel, or multi-unit retail organization.
• Experience managing store fixture vendors and purchasing fixtures for new stores, remodels, or refresh projects.
• Experience purchasing supplies or commodities for distribution centers.
• Experience sourcing printed materials, signage, displays, or other retail marketing materials.
• Experience supporting IT procurement.
• Experience with RFPs, contract negotiations, supplier scorecards, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Professional procurement or supply chain certification such as CPSM, CPM, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Manage the procurement 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 Store Development, Construction, and Store Operations teams to ensure fixtures and related materials are ordered according to project schedules.
• Track production, shipping, delivery, and installation requirements to help ensure store projects remain on schedule.
• Manage fixture pricing, purchase orders, change orders, and related vendor documentation.
• Work with vendors and internal teams to quickly resolve shortages, damages, delivery issues, and other procurement-related problems.
• 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.
• Coordinate with Marketing and suppliers to ensure materials meet specifications, budgets, production timelines, and required store delivery dates.
• Evaluate suppliers and negotiate pricing for recurring and project-based marketing purchases.
• 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.
• Monitor open purchase orders, commitments, invoices, and purchasing activity.
• Investigate and resolve purchase order and invoice discrepancies with vendors and internal departments.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, accruals, and expense analysis by providing accurate purchasing information.
• Maintain appropriate purchasing documentation and support internal and external audit requirements.
• 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.
• Lead or participate in vendor negotiations, requests for proposal (RFPs), and competitive sourcing initiatives.
• Identify alternative suppliers and develop contingency plans for critical goods and services.
• Address vendor performance issues and lead corrective-action efforts when appropriate.
• Partner with Finance and other stakeholders to establish new vendors and maintain accurate vendor information.
• Identify and implement opportunities for cost savings, cost avoidance, and improved purchasing terms.
• Analyze purchasing data and spending patterns to identify sourcing and consolidation opportunities.
• Develop and maintain purchasing standards, procedures, and controls.
• Improve visibility into company-wide non-merchandise spending.
• Establish and track key procurement metrics, including savings, vendor performance, purchasing cycle time, and on-time delivery.
• Continuously improve purchasing processes to increase efficiency, accuracy, and accountability.

Skills

Vendor management

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management or related field

Tools

Oracle procurement software

Excel

Job description

Hot Topic & BoxLunch is seeking a Purchasing Manager to lead procurement of non-merchandise goods across stores, DCs, and corporate teams. You will manage vendor relationships, contracts, and POs to ensure on-time delivery within budget.

The role requires multi-location retail procurement experience, Oracle experience, and a hybrid work setup at HQ in City of Industry, CA three days per week.