Job description
Purchasing Manager
Location: Pomona, CA (Onsite)
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Department: Purchasing
Direct Reports: 3 (Domestic Purchaser, Import Coordinator, Purchasing Clerk)
Compensation: $100,000 - $150,000 / year, depending on experience
About Us
Privately held growing consumer products manufacturer headquartered in Pomona, California. We manufacture and supply major retailers nationwide plus export. We move fast,run lean, and we expect our people to own their areas and drive results.
The Role
This is a hands-on, player-coach role leading our Purchasing department and, more importantly, taking real ownership of our domestic purchasing spend. The day-to-day mechanics of the department - issuing POs, processing payments, import coordination, freight arrangement, and keeping the ERP current - are handled by the existing team. What we need from this resourceful, creative self-starter is leadership on the strategic side: building a real sourcing process, digging into where our money goes, and aggressively driving cost down while holding or improving quality.
What You'll Own
Strategic Sourcing & Cost Reduction
• Own domestic purchasing spend and drive measurable, ongoing cost reduction without sacrificing quality.
• Build and run a structured sourcing process - from intake of sourcing requests through award and follow-up.
• Analyze current spend by category and vendor to find the savings opportunities, then go get them.
• Personally lead negotiations with our largest domestic vendors. Multiple quotes and persistence to achieve correct cost and quality.
• Manage categories including facility supplies, corrugate, displays, ingredients, and outside services.
Team Leadership
• Lead a team of three: a domestic purchaser, an import coordinator, and a purchasing clerk.
• Direct the team's day-to-day output - PO issuance, payment processing, import coordination, freight arrangement, and ERP accuracy - while staying hands-on yourself.
• Set priorities, hold the team accountable, and develop their capabilities over time.
Process & Systems
• Bring modern purchasing methodology and a data-driven approach to a function that has historically run on manual habits.
• Use the ERP system as a real tool - for spend visibility, vendor performance, and decision-making, not just record-keeping.
What We're Looking For
• 5+ years in purchasing, procurement, or strategic sourcing, with a clear track record of negotiating cost out and managing a department to efficiency and success.
• Real negotiation. You know how to run a competitive bid and find multiple qualified vendors.
• Strong analytical skills - comfortable pulling spend data apart in Excel and turning it into action.
• Hands-on ERP experience; able to work in the system, not just direct others to.
• People management experience with team building and cross department communication.
• Manufacturing or consumer products background preferred.
• Direct, organized, and self-driven. Comfortable owning numbers and being measured on them.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
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