Purchasing Assistant Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Purchasing Manager

Location: Merrillville, IN

Department: Purchasing and Pricing

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: CFO

Salary: $80,000 - $95,000 + Bonus

Job Summary

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading the company's purchasing and pricing function to support profitability, market competitiveness, and customer satisfaction.

This role provides strategic direction, oversight, and accountability for inventory purchasing, vendor management, and pricing operations, ensuring alignment with company objectives and market conditions.

The Purchasing Manager oversees purchasing activities to ensure materials are procured in a timely manner and at the most favorable cost while also directing pricing strategies, policies, and execution to maintain competitive positioning and margin objectives. This position analyzes vendor pricing, market trends, product costs, and sales activity to support informed purchasing decisions and effective pricing management.

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Purchasing Manager works closely with the marketing, sales, and operations teams to identify opportunities that drive growth, profitability, and operational efficiency.

Essential Functions

• Provide strategic leadership, oversight, and performance management for the Purchasing and Pricing Department, including establishing goals, priorities, and accountability measures.
• Develop, implement, and maintain company pricing strategies to support profitability, competitiveness, and customer value.
• Monitor market conditions, competitive pricing trends, vendor cost changes, and margin performance to recommend pricing adjustments and purchasing strategies.
• Oversee pricing administration, ensuring accurate and timely maintenance of product costs, sell prices, contracts, promotions, and customer-specific pricing programs.
• Maintain and strengthen ongoing relationships with suppliers, including attending supplier meetings and negotiating pricing for current and new products to ensure continued market competitiveness.
• Collaborate with company leadership in the evaluation and selection of vendors, assessing supplier performance, quality, service, and overall value.
• Identify vendor-related risks and opportunities and provide recommendations to the CFO regarding supplier performance, retention, and potential alternatives.
• Partner with sales, operations, and marketing teams to evaluate pricing opportunities, promotional programs, and market initiatives that support company objectives.
• Evaluate inventory reorder levels and quantity price breaks to determine the most economical purchasing strategies in relation to the company's cost of capital.
• Achieve inventory turn objectives and optimize inventory performance.
• Analyze trends in vendor pricing and sales activity to determine the optimal timing of purchases.
• Maintain accurate purchase order pricing and vendor catalog information.
• Prepare ad hoc reports and review purchasing forecasts and commitments with the CFO.
• Monitor supplier orders to maximize buying group incentives and overall company profitability.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to purchasing and pricing team members while ensuring departmental objectives are achieved through effective planning, communication, and accountability.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, automation, and operational efficiencies within purchasing and pricing functions.
• Perform other purchasing and inventory control responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• Demonstrated success with budgeting and managing inventory, including auditing, forecasting, and planning.
• Proven history of profit and loss management to maximize financial performance.
• Strong listening, communication (verbal and written), and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated integrity and ethical standards.
• Strong project management and multitasking abilities.
• Proven ability to hire, develop, coach, and evaluate employees to achieve corporate and individual objectives.
• Advanced knowledge of Eclipse ERP or similar systems and reporting tools, with the ability to leverage system capabilities to support purchasing and pricing decisions.
• Strong understanding of inventory management principles, vendor negotiations, pricing administration, and margin management.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in purchasing, pricing, supply chain, or related business functions.
• 3+ years of leadership or management experience.