Our client is looking to add a Purchasing Manager to their team in Woodstock Ontario.

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of product vendors, including pricing, inventory management, rebate programs, and marketing initiatives. This role requires maintaining and adjusting pricing within the company’s system (S4), overseeing special pricing negotiations, and ensuring fulfillment. The manager will serve as a key point of contact for partnership management and will be responsible for placing purchase orders, managing the end-to-end purchasing process, and collaborating with Production, Finance and Service/Parts as needed.

Specific Duties for this position include:

Participate in collaborative teams to resolve conflicting priorities surrounding capacity, engineering workload inclusion, Manage aging inventory and ensure accurate inventory information for purchasing decisions Tracking forecast accuracy, supplier reliability, lead time adherence, and inventory health supports identifying improvement opportunities. Improve operational flexibility to manage demand variability while maintaining delivery and cost control. Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Buyers providing both daily transactional oversight and long-term strategic direction Serve as the primary liaison and negotiator with all key vendors, with executive support and assistance, securing favorable pricing, terms, and supply commitments Develop and execute category strategies that balance cost, quality, lead time, and risk across multiple product lines Own the entire product lifecycle, including leadership on how inventory is purchased, managed, handled, and stored Work in partnership with the COO and other senior operations leaders to align procurement with sales forecasting, demand planning, and broader business objectives Support all channels within the organization, including manufacturing, distribution, and retail Negotiate, structure, and manage supplier contracts, service agreements, and rebate programs Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while developing contingency and dual-source strategies to protect supply continuity Establish and monitor key performance indicators for spend, savings, supplier performance, and inventory turns, reporting results to the executive team Support just-in-time (JIT) or lean inventory practices when applicable. Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, systems, and reporting, including effective use of SAP Manage procurement budgets and contribute to annual planning, forecasting, and cost-reduction initiatives Ensure purchasing practices remain compliant, ethical, and aligned with company policy and applicable regulations

General Duties:

Perform all work in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act / Occupational Health & Safety Administration, and company policies and procedures.

Complete all job tasks in a timely manner while maintaining quality results.

Maintain all necessary documentation.

Ensure that his/her workstation area is kept clean and orderly daily.

Use all tools and equipment properly.

Assist in other areas of the department when required.

Train new and/or other workers as required to perform the tasks.

Improve level of knowledge and skills through additional training.

SKILL COMPETENCY

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Analytical - Collects and researches data; uses intuition and experience to complement data; designs workflows and procedures.

Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills.

Interpersonal - Focuses on solving conflict and productive problem-solving, not blaming; maintains confidentiality; listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control.

Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in and leads meetings. Demonstrated ability to present information to diverse groups.

Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team environment; puts success of team above own interests; recognizes accomplishments of other team members.

Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; presents numerical data effectively.

Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Inspires respect and trust.

Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; displays orientation to profitability; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals.

Diversity & Inclusion - Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences and fosters a sense of belonging with the team and subordinates.

Ethics - Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.

Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; completes administrative tasks correctly and on time.

Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

Dependability - Keeps commitments; commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals.

Initiative - Takes independent actions and looks for and takes advantage of opportunities.

Judgment - Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; makes timely decisions.

Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks.

Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.

Confidentiality- demonstrates a high level of confidentiality when handling employee and company information

Discretion- Use discretion when dealing with company and employee information

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education: College Diploma/University degree in Business A professional designation such as SCMP, CPSM, or equivalent considered an asset Experience: 10 years’ related of senior procurement leadership experience Demonstrated leadership of a procurement function at a similarly sized organization or larger Proven ability to lead and motivate a team of purchasing professionals Strong negotiation skills and a track record of managing high-value vendor relationships and contracts Solid understanding of strategic sourcing, category management, and total cost of ownership principles Strong analytical skills, with the ability to use spend data and reporting, to drive decisions Solid experience with SAP and procurement or inventory management systems Strategic mindset balanced with the ability to manage day-to-day operations Excellent interpersonal, communication, and team leadership skills Willingness to travel as required

Language Ability: Ability to read and comprehend complex instructions, short correspondence, and memos in the English language; demonstrated ability to write simple correspondence; demonstrated ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations with suppliers, technical representatives, or other employees.

Mathematical Ability: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Demonstrated ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations. Demonstrated ability to apply calculus, advanced geometry and trigonometry to problem solving.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form; ability to deal with problems involving several distinct variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills: Experience and proficiency in the MS Suite of products, Dayforce, SAP and other cloud-based applications