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Sourcing & Purchasing Manager

Company: Columbia Woodworking

Location: Capitol Heights, MD

Job Type: Full-Time (In Office)

Industry: Custom Commercial Architectural Millwork Manufacturing

About Columbia Woodworking

For over 50 years, Columbia Woodworking has been a trusted leader in premium architectural millwork across the mid-Atlantic region. From our state-of-the-art 70,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, we transform complex design visions into world-class commercial realities. We don't just follow blueprints—we help shape them.

Our team operates on five cultural pillars: Service is the standard, Own it!, Keep getting better, Built to last, and Problem? Bring it. If you are a solutions-oriented professional who treats estimation as a strategic partnership rather than a data-entry task, we invite you to build your career with us.

Job Summary

We are seeking a hands-on Sourcing & Purchasing Manager who can lead both the day-to-day execution of purchasing and the continuous improvement of our sourcing and material-planning practices. This role works closely with Project Management, Estimating, Production, and vendors to anticipate material needs, manage risk, improve supplier performance, and support reliable project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing Execution & Material Availability

• Own purchasing execution to support project schedules, production requirements, and committed delivery dates.
• Purchase materials and services using bills of material, production schedules, forecasts, project requirements, and approved submittals.
• Identify and manage shortages, substitutions, long-lead items, expedited orders, and other supply risks before they disrupt production or project schedules.
• Prepare, issue, and manage purchase orders and vendor agreements with strong attention to accuracy, price, lead time, terms, and delivery requirements.
• Coordinate with Production on equipment, tooling, and critical supply needs to minimize avoidable downtime.

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Identify, qualify, develop, and manage suppliers and industry partners that can support Columbia Woodworking's quality, service, cost, and schedule requirements.
• Lead supplier negotiations and resolve vendor-related delivery, quality, pricing, and service issues.
• Source new materials, products, vendors, and methods that improve cost efficiency, availability, quality, or customer value.
• Develop alternate sources and contingency plans for critical or high-risk materials.
• Monitor supplier performance and use data to drive corrective action and continuous improvement.

Inventory & Material Planning

• Maintain appropriate inventory levels that balance material availability, working capital, inventory turnover, and project needs.
• Analyze demand, lead times, market conditions, and supply-chain dynamics to anticipate availability constraints and purchasing requirements.
• Partner with internal teams to improve planning inputs, material visibility, and the timing of purchase commitments.
• Reduce excess, obsolete, duplicate, and avoidable rush purchases through disciplined planning and purchasing practices.

Project & Cross-Functional Support

• Partner with Project Managers and Estimators on samples, material selections, substitutions, lead-time questions, and supplier communications that support project awards and execution.
• Support material submittals and documentation requirements, including LEED, FSC, DC Green, or similar project requirements when applicable.
• Communicate material risks, purchasing constraints, and recovery plans clearly to internal stakeholders.
• Build practical purchasing controls and hold internal requestors accountable to agreed purchasing processes and authorization requirements.

Systems, Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Use ERP/MRP and purchasing data to maintain accurate purchasing information, lead times, order status, and material visibility.
• Establish and report key purchasing metrics and use them to identify trends, root causes, and improvement priorities.
• Improve purchasing workflows, vendor-management practices, approval controls, and documentation.
• Serve as a practical thought leader for sourcing, purchasing, and supply-chain improvements appropriate to a project-based manufacturing environment.

What Success Looks Like

• Materials are available when projects and production need them, with fewer preventable shortages and disruptions.
• Long-lead and high-risk items are identified early and actively managed.
• Supplier on-time delivery, responsiveness, quality, and commercial performance improve over time.
• Purchasing decisions support project budgets, total-cost improvement, and responsible inventory levels.
• Purchase orders, supplier data, and purchasing processes are accurate, timely, and consistently followed.
• Expedite costs and emergency purchasing caused by planning or process failures are reduced.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, operations, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• 5+ years of purchasing experience, including at least 2 years in made-to-order manufacturing, project-based purchasing, architectural products, millwork, construction-related manufacturing, or a similarly complex environment.
• Strong experience working with bills of material, production schedules, forecasts, project requirements, inventory, and material-planning inputs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage shortages, substitutions, long-lead materials, expedited orders, and changing project priorities.
• Experience negotiating with suppliers and managing supplier performance, commercial terms, and service issues.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP or purchasing systems; strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-moving, project-driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• APICS/ASCM certification such as CPIM or CSCP, or other relevant purchasing/supply-chain certification.
• Experience with architectural millwork, casework, commercial interiors, woodworking, or construction-related materials.
• Experience with LEED, FSC, DC Green, material submittals, samples, and project documentation.
• Experience improving purchasing controls, supplier scorecards, inventory practices, or ERP/MRP processes.

Why Join Columbia Woodworking?

• Legacy of Excellence: Join a company with more than five decades of craftsmanship and a strong reputation for quality.
• Visible Impact: Purchasing decisions directly influence project success, production reliability, and company performance.
• Collaborative Environment: Work closely with experienced Project Management, Estimating, Production, and supplier partners.
• Opportunity to Improve: Help strengthen the systems, supplier relationships, and purchasing practices that support Columbia Woodworking's next stage of growth.

Compensation & Comprehensive Benefits

We take care of our employees by offering an exceptional, stable workplace environment and a generous employment benefits framework:

• Competitive base salary $85,000 - $130,000, based on experience and millwork knowledge
• Comprehensive Health and Dental insurance programs
• 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan with company match
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid company holidays
• Company-paid Life Insurance and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Dedicated career development paths and ongoing software/industry training