Purchasing Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

With over $2B in revenue, 80+ manufacturing facilities across 6 continents and over 9,000 employees worldwide, Signode is a leading manufacturer of a broad spectrum of transit packaging consumables, tools, software, and equipment that optimize end-of-line packaging operations and protect products in transit. Signode brings this extensive product portfolio together under hundreds of trusted brands to offer complete transit packaging solutions to its customers.
We produce strap, stretch and protective packaging. We also manufacture packaging tools and equipment used to apply the bulk packaging materials. These commercial packaging products are used to pack, bundle, unitize, protect, and secure goods during warehousing and transit. Our company is a pioneer in the industrial packaging sector with a long history of customer-focused innovations in materials, processes and automation technology that have revolutionized the sector.
Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, we are proud to be the Transit Packaging Division of Crown Holdings, Inc. We are excited to go to market as Signode and to share the portfolio of products, services and capabilities that make us the world’s premier end-of-line packaging company.

Benefits:

Signode offers a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees, which includes health, dental, vision, 401k, paid time off, life insurance, wellness perks, and more. Benefits begin the month following the hire date.

Salary:

The annual salary for this position ranges from $110,000 - $125,000 + 15% bonus target and varies based on specific responsibilities and geographic location. Starting annual salary within this range will be determined based on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and/or skillset. 

Summary:

The Purchasing Manager – APT is responsible for leading and developing a team of six Purchasing Planners supporting the APT business. This role owns purchasing execution, inventory planning performance, supplier alignment, and cross‑plant coordination to ensure uninterrupted production and customer fulfillment.

The manager is accountable for inventory health, service levels, backorder reduction, supplier performance, and talent development, while aligning planning activities with corporate inventory, cost, and service goals across all APT manufactured equipment product lines.

Essential Functions:

• Directly manage, coach, and develop six Purchasing Planners responsible for mechanical and electrical purchasing and inventory planning.
• Set clear performance expectations, objectives, and priorities aligned to business and corporate supply chain goals.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, development planning, and talent assessments.
• Build a high performance team culture emphasizing accountability, collaboration, urgency, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure coverage, workload balance, and succession planning across planners and product categories.
• Own overall inventory planning and purchasing execution for the APT business across all supported manufacturing plants.
• Ensure inventory levels, turns, service levels, and backorders align with KPIs and corporate targets.
• Oversee purchasing strategies for mechanical and electrical categories, ensuring alignment with capacity, demand, and supplier constraints.
• Partner with Category Manager to align sourcing strategies, supplier selection, and risk mitigation plans.
• Lead supplier engagement strategy in collaboration with planners, including: 
  • Capacity planning
  • Lead time management
  • Inventory positioning
  • Escalation and recovery planning
• Serve as an escalation point for supplier performance, shortages, or critical supply risks.
• Drive continuous improvement with suppliers to support reliability, responsiveness, and cost objectives.
• Act as the primary procurement planning interface between: 
  • Manufacturing plants
  • Supply base
  • Category Management
  • Logistics and Warehousing
• Ensure effective communication regarding plant requirements, supplier capacity, and demand changes.
• Partner with plant leadership to validate inventory targets and production support needs.
• Ensure planners prepare effectively for demand variability and forecast accuracy.
• Lead procurement planning input into monthly SIOP meetings, ensuring risks, constraints, and mitigation plans are visible and actionable.
• Oversee development and execution of recovery plans for material shortages and backorders.
• Ensure expediting, logistics coordination, and material movement are executed effectively and consistently.
• Define, monitor, and drive performance against KPIs including: 
  • Inventory turns and value
  • Backorder levels
  • On time delivery to plants
  • Supplier performance
• Use data and analytics to identify trends, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Champion process standardization, automation, and best practices across the planning team.
• Ensure compliance with RGA processes and act as point of accountability for audit readiness.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree required; Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or Engineering preferred

Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, inventory planning, or supply chain.
• 7+ years of people management experience, preferably managing planners or buyers.
• Strong background in manufacturing, equipment, or industrial supply chains.
• Working knowledge of inventory financials, working capital, and cost drivers.
• Ability to balance service, inventory, and cost tradeoffs at a portfolio level.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex supplier networks and multi‑plant inventory models.
• Proven experience working in matrixed, fast‑paced environments, with high SKU variety and low volumes
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Vavision
• Advanced Excel skills (planning models, analysis, reporting).
• Ability to leverage ERP and reporting tools for KPI management and decision making.

Functional Success Drivers: These competencies are what we require for an individual to be successful in this role.

• Analytical Skills
• Coaching
• Adaptability
• Sense of Urgency
• Escalation Management
• Influence
• Conflict Resolution
• Resourcefulness

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The Company does not sponsor for employment-based visas for this position now or in the future.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities.

Signode is committed to providing equal opportunities to all qualified applicants, including providing reasonable accommodations during our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodation in applying for this position, please contact us at HRRecruiting@Signode.com.

The Company has reviewed this job description to ensure that essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and the Company reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as the Company may deem appropriate.

Signode participates in E-Verify and will provide the Department of Homeland Security your Form I-9 information to confirm your authorization to work in the United States.

Signode Industrial Group, LLC is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.