Purchasing Manager

National Material Company - East Chicago, IN

Full-time - Mid Level

East Chicago, IN

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

About the position

The Purchasing Manager at National Material Company is responsible for overseeing all purchasing activities related to metal coils and sheets, focusing on prime, excess, and spot requirements. This role involves leading continuous improvement initiatives to enhance margins and efficiency within the purchasing department, including the management of obsolete and secondary materials.

Responsibilities

• Manage, monitor and measure purchasing activities to secure supplemental material (spot buys)
• Take a lead role in reviewing Excess/Secondary/Obsolete material with Supply Chain and sell to open market
• Manage margin enhancement opportunities with excess and slab lists
• Manage and measure purchase cost optimization within current and new suppliers
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, service centers, and internal team members
• Provide regular reporting of sales of obsolete/excess/secondary material, margin enhancement opportunities, and continuous improvement activities
• Work closely with supply chain to utilize current inventory in place of purchasing new
• Review material specifications with quality and inside sales as required to ensure accuracy and clarity
• Enter purchase orders and confirm with producing supplier (Back up to Purchasing Specialists)
• Update the ERP System with confirmed dates and continue to maintain accurate confirmation dates by updating the system with any changes (Back up to Purchasing Specialists)
• Gather and distribute supplier status updates to appropriate team members daily (Back up to Purchasing Specialists)

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a business-related field of study desired
• Prior experience purchasing steel & aluminum from other metals service centers/suppliers
• Working knowledge of the Metal Industry (ex. Carbon Steel, Aluminum, etc.) preferred
• Prior experience working in an ERP environment (ex. Microsoft AX, SAP, etc.) preferred
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word & Outlook
• Strong negotiation skills, ability to develop and cultivate supplier & sales relationships
• Advanced Excel skills required (ex. Pivot Tables, V-Lookups, etc.)
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Analytical & detail oriented
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced, collaborative environment

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the metal industry
• Familiarity with ERP systems