Purchasing Manager Jobs in Wausau, WI (NOW HIRING)

Job Title:             Purchasing Manager

Reports to:         Supply Chain Director

Job Summary

The Purchasing Manager leads, develops, and mentors the procurement team while establishing cross-functional policies and procedures. This role requires a high level of integrity, strong relationship-building skills, and broad experience in supply chain, contract review, negotiation, supplier qualification, and volume contract bidding. The position is responsible for mitigating supplier and service-related risk across Volm Companies and ensuring cost reductions through effective sourcing strategies. The Purchasing Manager partners closely with the procurement team to drive cost savings, reduce inventory, strengthen supplier performance, and implement best practices in procurement and bidding processes. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provide strong leadership, setting a positive example and fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Manage and develop a team, providing feedback, coaching, and guidance to support their growth and success.
• Set goals, plan work, and allocate tasks to ensure efficient utilization of resources and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Maintain open and effective communication channels within the team and with other stakeholders.
• Monitor team performance, provide timely feedback, and address performance issues as needed.
• Identify training and development needs and support the professional growth of team members.
• Resolve conflicts and make informed decisions to drive success.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and regulations.

Essential Duties

• Directs, mentors and trains procurement team to be the best that they can be in their roles offering the opportunity for cross-training, growth and development within the organization.  
• Develops and maintains a strong professional partnership with key suppliers.
• Acts as the lead facilitator for issue resolution & provides superior customer service in all aspects of purchasing.
• Develop and maintain Vendor score card system on a regular basis
• Ensure the following are considered SOP by the purchasing team:  PO entry, acknowledgment, follow up, inventory control and reduction, updating supplier contracts and promoting optimum system setup for best ordering practices.
• Controls purchasing departmental budget.
• Capture and report savings thru bid process and negotiations utilizing volume contract bidding tools where appropriate to ensure savings are achieved for all of the Volm companies shared commodities.
• Researches products and services across departmental lines to consolidate and leverage spend to achieve best value (quality, service, and price) for VOLM. Taking into account total cost of ownership. 
• Provide direction relative to New Product Development initiatives, ensuring complete data is provided to the plants for item setup in accordance SOP’s.  Ensuring supplier contracts are created and updated in systems by team.
• Continue to source products, research, develop, audit, review capacity of new suppliers working toward building relationships, and obtain appropriate documentation such as COI-certificates of insurance and indemnification requirements based on supplier risk level.  
• Drive continuous improvement efforts for the team and attend cross-functional meetings to improve processes across all Volm Companies.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership and management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to plan, organize and oversee multiple projects and operations.
• Knowledge of purchasing, manufacturing, logistics and warehousing best practices and standards.
• Proficiency in lean, continuous improvement and quality methodologies and tools.
• Commitment to safety, compliance and customer satisfaction.
• Analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Experience with D365 Fin Ops, Cyberquery and other relevant software systems.
• Proven ability to provide leadership and identify opportunities for development to accomplish the company goals and objectives.

Education and Experience

• Knowledge of business-related competencies and principles normally acquired by the completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in a business-related field and/or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of supply chain experience in domestic and international sourcing. 
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with emphasis on teambuilding
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, and move around for extended periods of time.
• Capability to lift and carry objects of various weights up to 50 pounds (occasionally/ routinely/frequently).
• Proficiency in using hands, fingers, and arms for tasks such as typing and writing.
• Sufficient visual acuity to read documents and recognize details at close and distant ranges.
• Ability to hear and understand verbal communication.
• Flexibility to bend, stoop, and reach low or high objects.
• Ability to perform physically demanding tasks, such as lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy objects.
• Adaptability to work in varying environmental conditions, such as temperature extremes, noise, dust, or fumes, depending on the nature of the job.
• Willingness to adhere to safety protocols and wear protective gear, including helmets, goggles, gloves, and safety shoes, as required by the job.

Company Culture & Values

• A Commitment to Our Purpose (COMMITTED PEOPLE) – Our mission is to serve and build up our customers, suppliers, communities, and each other, guided by the principles of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The commitment to serving and building up is easily seen in those employees that exemplify this value.
• Without Our Customers We Are Nothing (CUSTOMER FIRST) – We realize that we are blessed to serve our customers and without them, our company does not exist.  They rely on us for their success and that is a responsibility we cannot take lightly.  Our focus must be on serving them with as seamless communication and access to products as possible.
• Kind, Humble and Positive (HUMBLE) – These positive traits do not mean being a doormat to others.  But when a person is kind, humble and positive it comes through in their genuine caring for those around them.
• A Desire For “Expert” (EXPERTS) – Our people want to be seen as the experts in their specific roles.  From how we convert a bag efficiently and with highest quality, to knowledge of the product portfolio, to desiring to know more about tax or human resource policy – the desire for “expert” drives us in each of our roles.
• Intentional Growth – Developing of Self and Others (PERSONAL GROWTH)– Times, tools, and customer expectations change.  Our team members are interested in developing themselves and those around them.   We know that a stronger team is one that makes our customers and our fellow employees happier.
• Strong Work Ethic (HARD WORKERS) – The commitment to serve those around us is honorable and we respond to this by putting our strongest effort into that purpose.
• High Expectations of Self and Others (HIGH EXPECTATIONS) – We expect ourselves, and those around us, to put in our best effort.  When others struggle, we help them align towards perfection.  When we struggle, we are open and humble to hear it and course-correct accordingly.
• If It Isn’t Safe, We Don’t Do It (SAFETY) – All people deserve to return home to their loved ones safely and work in an environment where they can best execute their tasks safely.  When choosing between safety and profit, safety and efficiency, safety and feelings, safety, and “x” – we choose safety.

Travel Requirements 

This position requires occasional overnight travel and occasional travel within the workday.   

Driver Qualification

The ability to drive a company owned/leased vehicle or personal vehicle on behalf of the company is required. Inclusion in the company’s driver qualification program is required to drive a company owned/leased vehicle or personal vehicle. 

Becoming a qualified driver includes:

• Agree to the company driving policies that apply to company owned/leased vehicle or personal vehicle as applicable.
• Possess and maintain a valid driver license and be a minimum of 21 years of age.
• Maintain an acceptable driving record, as evidenced by completion of a baseline motor vehicle record check and ongoing monitoring.
• When driving a personal vehicle on behalf of the company, must provide a copy of the declaration page from personal auto insurance that shows the policy dates and minimum coverage amounts ($300,000 bodily injury per accident/$100,000 property damage per accident or if driving less than 5 hours/200 miles a year $50,000 bodily injury per accident/$10,000 property damage per accident or the state minimum, whichever is more). This requirement is initially and then annually thereafter.

This job description is intended as a general outline of the primary responsibilities of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, or activities that may be required. The employer reserves the right to modify, add, or remove any responsibilities, duties, or activities as deemed necessary with or without notice. 

Volm Companies is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and other protected characteristics. If you require reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job, please inform us and we will work with you to address your needs.

Benefits

As a family-owned and operated company, we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family. We offer a strong foundation of benefits, including access to medical, dental, and vision coverage, an HSA employer contribution, and a 401k with profit sharing to secure your future. To support your overall well-being and family life, we offer additional benefits beyond the core package, such as paid vacation, wellness stipends, childcare reimbursement assistance, and much more. We are committed to continuously enhancing our benefits to meet the evolving needs of our team.