Director of Purchasing – Lead Strategic Procurement and Cost-Control for Premier Residential Builds
Job Overview
- Company: Elevate Design + Build
- Salary/Pay Rate: $105,000 - $135,000+ per yearÂ
- Location: Lee's Summit, MO
- Job/Employment Type: Full Time
- Project Scope: Residential Home Building
The Opportunity
Elevate Design + Build is seeking a true Director-level Purchasing leader with deep experience in single-family residential new construction. This role is responsible for leading the full purchasing, estimating, vendor/trade coordination, scheduling support, and cost-control function across the complete homebuilding life cycle - from preconstruction through final home completion.
This is not a procurement-only or preconstruction-only role. The ideal candidate must understand how a home is built in the field, how trades sequence together, how cost codes impact profitability, and how purchasing decisions affect schedules, budgets, vendor relationships, and construction execution.
How You Will Make an Impact
- Lead and oversee the purchasing department, including delegation, team direction, process improvement, and accountability.
- Manage purchasing, estimating, vendor/trade coordination, cost control, and systems across the full residential construction life cycle.
- Partner closely with field operations, construction managers, estimators, and trade partners to ensure homes are built on schedule, on budget, and to quality standards.
- Maintain strong working knowledge across all residential construction trades and cost codes, including foundation, framing, electrical, HVAC, drywall, painting, landscaping, sod, cleaning, and all other scopes tied to building a single-family home.
- Negotiate and manage vendor and trade partner relationships to support cost savings, production timelines, and long-term partnerships.
- Review budgets, estimates, job costs, EPOs, scopes of work, trade performance, and material sequencing to identify risk and protect profitability.
- Resolve real-time trade, vendor, field, scheduling, and cost-related issues that could impact home completion.
- Support value engineering efforts while maintaining build quality, customer experience, and construction timelines.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Minimum of 5+ years of purchasing, estimating, or construction operations leadership experience within single-family residential new construction, with direct ownership of full-cycle homebuilding purchasing, vendor/trade coordination, cost codes, estimating, and field operations support.Â
- Director-level purchasing leadership experience, or equivalent department ownership in a smaller residential homebuilding company.
- Experience overseeing a purchasing function, delegating work, and leading others- not just operating as an individual contributor.
- Single-family residential new construction experience is required.
- Experience with custom homes and/or production homebuilding is acceptable.
- Full life-cycle homebuilding experience from preconstruction through completion.
- Strong knowledge of residential construction methods, trade scopes, field sequencing, material flow, vendor management, estimating, scheduling, and cost codes.
- Hands-on field operations knowledge, with the ability to understand how purchasing and estimating decisions affect construction execution.
- Experience coordinating vendors, trades, estimators, purchasing teams, and field operations.
- Strong communication, organization, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
- Proven work experience as a Director of Purchasing in the construction industry.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management or Business Management.
- Advanced knowledge of value engineering, organizational effectiveness, and financial principles.
- Demonstrated experience in mentorship or training junior team members in a fast-paced environment.
Compensation & Benefits
- Bi-weekly pay cycle and IRA retirement savings program with employer matching (up to 3%).
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
- Life and disability insurance coverage selections.
- Robust paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
- Flexible paid parental leave for maternity and paternity needs.
- Corporate technology package providing a smartphone or tablet.
- Invitation to annual company trips, outings, and team events.
About Us
Elevate Design + Build is a trusted residential home builder creating vibrant communities and delivering unforgettable customer experiences. We foster a flexible, entrepreneurial, and collaborative culture where long-term careers are built through dedication and continuous improvement.Â
Learn more at www.elevatedesignbuildkc.com.
Elevate Design + Build is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or any other status protected by law or regulations. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.