Purchasing Manager

Description

About the role:

George T. Sanders Company is seeking a hands-on Purchasing Manager to lead purchasing, supplier relationships, and warranty returns. This role supports reliable product availability, purchasing, and disciplined inventory investment. You will work closely with the Director of Supply Chain and Inventory Control to meet branch needs, improve replenishment, and reduce surplus inventory.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the purchasing team through coaching, training, performance expectations, and regular team meetings. Ensure accountability for open orders, back orders, supplier commitments, and timely issue resolution.
• Plan purchases around sales forecasts, seasonal demand, customer commitments, and lead-times. Negotiate pricing, rebates, cooperative advertising (co-op) funds, freight, payment terms, and return. Balance availability, landed cost, inventory turns, and cash commitments.
• Collaborate with the Director of Supply Chain and Inventory Control on replenishment, lead times, authorized usage adjustments, and inventory accuracy.
• Help coordinate and manage efficient distribution from suppliers and within GTS’ infrastructure.
• Execute surplus reduction through supplier returns, stock rotations, transfers, and order adjustments. Support approved SKU additions, product transitions, cycle counts, and inventory investigations.
• Streamline new-product integration with Inventory Control, Marketing, Sales, and Branch Management. Maintain and expand product knowledge through supplier training, and share relevant updates with the team.
• Lead procurement matters related to our buying group, Affiliated Distributors (AD).
• Partner with Accounting on accruals, statement reconciliation, and collection of unpaid or disputed remittances.
• Oversee warranties and returns.
• Monitor supplier delivery, quality, and shipping accuracy. Create a vendor scorecard.
• Communicate supplier price increases, freight changes, lead times, shipping disruptions, allocations, product changes, and warranty updates.
• Maintain documented procedures, accurate ERP records, and auditable purchasing and recovery records.

Requirements

Qualifications and capabilities

• Five or more years of purchasing, inventory or supply chain experience in wholesale distribution, including at least two years leading a team. Plumbing, hydronics, and HVAC experience are preferred.
• Strong product knowledge in plumbing, hydronics, and HVAC. Understand seasonal demand, replenishment, supplier programs, and warranty administration. AD or comparable buying-group experience preferred.
• Formidable negotiation, analytical, and financial skills, with the ability to evaluate purchasing economics, manage inventory exposure, recover credits, and resolve operational issues.
• Comfortable and experienced in Public Relations.
• Proficiency in Excel and distribution ERP systems. Infor CloudSuite Distribution or SX.e experience is helpful.
• Clear communication, sound judgment, attention to detail, and effective collaboration across departments. Relevant education or equivalent industry experience; purchasing or supply chain certification is a plus.

Measures of success

Success is measured by product availability, fill rates, inventory turns, limited surplus, and successful relationships with both suppliers and GTS team. Must hold suppliers and direct reports accountable and help these relationships grow and succeed. Shrewd negotiation tactics aimed at improving purchase price and rebates, while managing leverage through buying power, PR, and markets.

Working relationships and travel

Report directly to the Vice President of Sales. Maintain and strengthen relationships with suppliers, Sales and Branch Management. Serve as a key company representative and the face of GTS to supply partners, building trust. Represent the company professionally at meetings, conferences, and industry events. Be accountable to the Director of Supply Chain as well as the VP of Sales. Partner with Inventory Control, Distribution Center, Quotes, Accounting, Pricing, Marketing and eCommerce.

This primarily office-based role requires travel to branches, AD conferences, supplier meetings, training and industry events, plus Distribution Center visits. Overnight travel is limited but necessary.

Schedule

Monday through Friday with a hybrid schedule: Mondays and Fridays work from home and Tuesdays - Thursdays on-site at the Corporate location.