Manager Purchasing

The Manager, Purchasing is responsible for leading and executing the Company’s raw material purchasing strategy with a strong emphasis on fabric sourcing, vendor performance, cost management, and operational reliability. This role ensures consistent supply to the company’s manufacturing facilities while building supplier partnerships that support quality, speed, and cost targets. Critical to this role is the ability to drive process discipline, purchase planning, cross-functional communication, and measurable improvements in material availability. The manager leads the day-to-day purchasing team, oversees vendor negotiations, and coordinates closely with Sales, Scheduling, Product Development, Finance and Manufacturing Operations.

• Develops, leads, and implements purchasing strategies with a strong focus on optimizing fabric categories and other raw materials needed for production
• Monitors and forecasts material demand to meet production requirements while preventing shortages, over-stocking, and excess aged inventory
• Works closely with Scheduling, Sales, Manufacturing Operations, and Finance to align forecasted needs with accurate purchasing plans
• Partners with Logistics/Imports to ensure correct tariff classifications, documentation, and import compliance
• Ensures timely communication of material constraints, upcoming risks, and changes in supplier lead times
• Tracks, reports, and improves key purchasing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) - lead-time, cost variance, supplier reliability, planning accuracy)
• Leads the purchasing team in day-to-day operations, prioritization, and problem-solving
• Understands drivers of raw-material cost changes and proactively adjusts purchasing decisions and supplier negotiations
• Manages supplier relationships and leads contract negotiations, ensuring competitive pricing, quality, and delivery performance
• Conducts market research to benchmark pricing, understand macro supply-chain dynamics, and identify competitive sourcing opportunities
• Develops and maintains a competitive, diversified vendor base including international suppliers
• Conducts ongoing vendor evaluations; drives corrective actions when performance gaps occur
• Strengthens purchasing systems, processes, templates, and Standard Operating Procedures to enhance accuracy and efficiency
• Ensures accurate maintenance of supplier master data, purchasing records, and raw-material specifications
• Trains and mentors team members on purchasing processes, tools, standards, and best practices
• Drives accountability, clarity, and follow-through to achieve consistent and predictable departmental performance
• Supports team development to build future capacity
• Represents JL with professionalism, credibility, and integrity
• Meets with suppliers, attends trade shows, and monitors industry trends, innovations, and cost drivers

• 5+ years of experience in purchasing, supply chain, or sourcing within manufacturing (furniture or textiles strongly preferred)
• 2+ years of experience in a supervisory or managerial role
• BS in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or related discipline preferred
• Analytical capability with ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make informed decisions.
• Experience in textile or upholstery fabric sourcing highly preferred 
• Deep knowledge of raw-material inventory management, purchasing processes, and forecasting
• Experience managing international suppliers, imports, and harmonized tariff schedules
• Strong vendor-negotiation skills and understanding of contract terms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with ERP purchasing modules (Infor preferred)
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
• Clear communication and expectation-setting
• Critical-thinking and data-based decision-making
• Collaborative relationship-building across functions and plants
• Accountability and ownership
• Ability to lead change and drive process discipline
• Professionalism, emotional intelligence, and integrity
• Ability to occasionally travel internationally required