Purchasing Manager

Job summary

Lead purchasing operations, inventory replenishment, supplier performance, special orders, and the purchasing team while balancing customer service, profitability, and working capital. Use reporting and analysis to improve processes, manage risks and quality concerns, and coordinate purchasing priorities with internal teams and suppliers.

Job details

Who We Are We are strong, nimble, and growing! EB Horsman & Son is proud to be a fifth generation family-owned, successful Western Canadian electrical distributor with 20+ locations throughout BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, consistently recognized as one of Canada's Best-Managed companies. We take pride in living our core values and carrying out our mission of helping our communities thrive since the 1900s. At E.B. Horsman & Son, we're committed to a workplace where everyone belongs. If you're qualified, we'd like to hear from you. What We Offer Birthday off Health, dental, and employee assistance program benefits Annual profit-sharing Employee share ownership program (ESOP) RRSP matching after 1 year of employment Access to EBH University for personal & professional growth Onsite Work Location Located at 19295 25 Avenue Surrey, BC, this full-time permanent position offers a consistent Monday to Friday schedule, ensuring 40 hours per week with no weekend shifts. Why This Role Matters The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading the day-to-day purchasing operations of E.B. Horsman & Son, ensuring strong inventory performance, supplier relationships, purchasing effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. This role oversees inventory replenishment, special order execution, and team leadership while driving operational efficiency and supporting business growth. Working closely with Sales, Operations, Marketing, Finance, Branch Leadership, Distribution Centers, and Suppliers, the Purchasing Manager helps align inventory investments with customer demand and company objectives. The role also plays a key part in developing team capability, supporting continuous improvement initiatives, managing risk, and using data-driven insights to support sound business decisions. What To Expect In The Role Purchasing Leadership & Operational Execution Lead the day-to-day purchasing operations for E.B. Horsman & Son. Translate purchasing strategy and inventory objectives into clear team priorities, operating plans, and performance expectations. Monitor purchasing activity, critical shortages, special orders, and service levels while adjusting resources and priorities as required. Establish purchasing priorities based on customer requirements, inventory targets, supplier commitments, lead times, and business requirements. Review department performance and implement corrective action to achieve service, inventory, quality, and productivity targets. Develop and maintain purchasing processes, procedures, and service standards. Inventory Management & Working Capital Collaborate with VP Purchasing and Inventory Analyst to manage inventory turns, service levels, fill rates, forecast accuracy, stockouts, excess inventory, inventory aging, and dead stock. Partner with internal stakeholders to optimize working capital and identify inventory optimization opportunities. Support strategic inventory investments, product launches, seasonal programs, inventory disposition initiatives, and new branch openings. Ensure inventory decisions balance customer service, profitability, and operational efficiency. Supplier Relationship & Performance Management Build and maintain strong supplier relationships that support service, quality, and growth objectives. Conduct supplier reviews focused on service levels, lead times, delivery performance, product availability, quality, returns, and forecasting accuracy. Establish supplier performance expectations and support continuous improvement initiatives. Negotiate operational supplier terms, freight arrangements, returns programs, inventory initiatives, and purchasing opportunities. Collaborate with suppliers on continuous improvement activities, product transitions and continuity of supply. Strategic Purchasing, Profitability & Special Orders Prepare data-driven purchasing recommendations that consider demand, margin, carrying costs, cash flow, and supply risk. Participate in sourcing initiatives, supplier agreement reviews, purchasing strategy development, and evaluations of new suppliers and product categories. Oversee special orders, customer-specific inventory, and project purchases to ensure effective execution and service. Support budgeting, forecasting, and business planning activities by identifying purchasing opportunities and potential risks. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration Lead, coach, and develop the purchasing team through clear expectations, ongoing feedback, and performance management. Foster accountability, collaboration, customer service, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Partner closely with Branch Leadership, Sales, Customer Service, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and Distribution Centres to support business objectives. Resolve purchasing and inventory challenges across departments and support effective communication between stakeholders. Reporting, Analytics, Systems & Continuous Improvement Provide accurate reporting, forecasts, recommendations, and performance updates. Establish departmental metrics and reporting routines to support business objectives. Lead process improvements, workflow enhancements, automation initiatives, and system improvements. Support ERP enhancements through testing, process documentation, requirements gathering, and user adoption. Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier information within company systems. Risk Management & Compliance Identify and address supplier, inventory, operational, financial, and quality risks. Support business continuity through proactive planning and issue resolution. Make day-to-day purchasing and operational decisions in accordance with company policies and procedures. Ensure purchasing activities are conducted responsibly and ethically. Quality Control Document and investigate quality concerns and support root-cause analysis activities. Verify corrective actions are implemented and effective. Collaborate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve quality issues. Escalate significant quality concerns when required. Ideal Candidate Profile Post-secondary education in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Commerce, Operations Management, or a related field. 7+ years of purchasing, inventory management, supply chain, or related experience. 3+ years of leadership experience. Experience within a multi-location wholesale distribution environment is highly preferred. Strong knowledge of purchasing, inventory management, demand planning, supplier management, freight, working capital, and inventory lifecycle management. Demonstrated ability to use data and financial analysis to support purchasing and inventory decision-making. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience working within ERP and inventory management systems. Strong negotiation, commercial judgment, supplier management, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Demonstrated ability to lead change, improve processes, and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Professional supply chain designation such as SCMP, PMAC, or an equivalent credential is considered an asset. Our Core Values: Celebrating the Past, Empowering the Future Teamwork | Integrity | Continuous Improvement | Resilience | Empowered Compensation is determined by the candidate's experience, education, qualifications, role complexity, internal equity, and other relevant factors. We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those living in Canada with permanent work authorization will be considered. Please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

What you’ll do

Lead purchasing operations, inventory replenishment, supplier performance, special orders, and the purchasing team while balancing customer service, profitability, and working capital. Use reporting and analysis to improve processes, manage risks and quality concerns, and coordinate purchasing priorities with internal teams and suppliers.

Requirements

Candidates should have post-secondary education in supply chain, business, commerce, operations management, or a related field, along with at least 7 years of relevant experience and 3 years of leadership experience. The role also calls for strong purchasing and inventory expertise, advanced Excel and ERP experience, analytical and negotiation skills, and preferably experience in multi-location wholesale distribution; a professional supply chain designation is an asset.

Benefits

• Birthday Off
• Health Benefits
• Dental Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Annual Profit-Sharing
• Employee Share Ownership Program
• RRSP Matching
• Professional Development

Listed skills

• ERP systems · Preferred
• Risk Management · Preferred
• Quality Control · Preferred
• Negotiation · Preferred
• Team Leadership · Preferred
• Financial analysis · Preferred
• Inventory management · Preferred
• Process Improvement · Preferred
• Forecasting · Preferred
• Cross-Functional Collaboration · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Purchasing Operations
• Inventory Management
• Demand Planning
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Negotiation
• Working Capital Management
• Financial Analysis
• Data-Driven Decision-Making
• Team Leadership
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• ERP Systems
• Process Improvement
• Risk Management
• Quality Control
• Forecasting

Job areas

• Logistics
• Management & Leadership
• Data & Analytics

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