Purchasing Operations Manager

Southern Hobby Distribution, LLC was founded in 1991 with one simple goal: to become our customers’ greatest asset by delivering top-quality products, unmatched customer service, and the most knowledgeable sales staff in the hobby industry.

Southern Hobby Distribution is a Collectivus Holdings company, serving retailers and collectors across the hobby and collectibles industry.

Website: www.collectivusholdings.com

Company: Southern Hobby Distribution | A Collectivus Holdings Company

Job Title: Purchasing Operations Manager

Reporting Line: EVP, Product

Job Location: Remote - US

Southern Hobby Distribution is seeking a Purchasing Operations Manager to oversee its buying function, with direct management responsibility for all SHD Buyers and accountability for purchasing execution, inventory performance, and day-to-day vendor relationships.

The Buying Leader partners closely with the EVP, Product on category direction, assortment priorities, significant inventory investments, and strategic vendor matters. The role translates agreed priorities into actionable purchasing plans and holds the buying team accountable for results.

Working with Sales, Finance, Warehouse Operations, and Technology, this leader balances product availability and customer demand with margin, cash flow, and inventory discipline.

Key Responsibilities

Buying Strategy & Category Execution

• Develop buying and category strategies aligned with business priorities.
• Translate approved category direction into purchasing plans, assortment priorities, and measurable goals for Buyers.
• Review sales trends, market conditions, collector demand, and product performance to recommend buying adjustments.
• Oversee replenishment and purchasing execution within approved budgets and decision guidelines.
• Recommend category expansion, assortment changes, and inventory investments for alignment with the EVP, Product.

Buyer Team Leadership

• Directly manage, coach, and evaluate all SHD Buyers, including hiring, development, and performance management.
• Assign clear category ownership, purchasing responsibilities, approval limits, and escalation expectations.
• Set consistent standards for purchase orders, product setup, vendor communication, forecasting, and inventory management.
• Conduct regular individual and team performance reviews using defined metrics and corrective action plans.
• Build capabilities in data analysis, forecasting, vendor management, and purchasing discipline.

Inventory & Financial Performance

• Develop and manage purchasing plans and open-to-buy budgets with the EVP, Product and Finance.
• Monitor inventory turns, stock availability, weeks of supply, aged and excess inventory, and purchasing commitments.
• Oversee demand forecasting and replenishment to reduce avoidable stockouts and overbuying.
• Identify slow-moving inventory and recommend markdown, liquidation, and end-of-life actions in partnership with Product and Finance.
• Track purchasing budget adherence, category margin trends, and inventory investment risks; recommend timely corrective action.

Vendor & Manufacturer Relationships

• Oversee day-to-day vendor relationships and effective communication by the buying team.
• Partner with the EVP, Product on strategic vendor relationships, major negotiations, and commercial agreements, while managing day-to-day vendor execution and escalating significant commercial matters.
• Ensure Buyers execute agreed pricing, terms, allocations, and vendor commitments accurately.
• Monitor vendor fill rates, lead times, availability, and delivery reliability; address operational issues and escalate material commercial matters.
• Identify potential improvements to allocations, purchasing terms, and vendor performance for review with the EVP, Product.
• Coordinate vendor updates, launches, and industry event participation as needed.

Operational Execution & Collaboration

• Oversee timely, accurate purchase orders and product records, including SKUs, pricing, descriptions, and vendor attributes.
• Coordinate with Sales on demand, customer needs, promotions, and launch planning.
• Work with Warehouse Operations to resolve receiving discrepancies, damages, and product availability issues.
• Partner with Finance on inventory budgets, working capital, and purchasing reporting.
• Work with Technology and Business Intelligence to improve ERP workflows, forecasting, dashboards, and data quality.
• Establish consistent purchasing controls, decision rights, and escalation processes.

Business Performance & Accountability

• Establish KPIs for the buying function and individual Buyers, with regular reviews and clear ownership of corrective actions.
• Report purchasing performance, inventory health, risks, and recommendations to the EVP, Product.
• Use data to prioritize process improvements and strengthen execution across categories.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 8+ years of experience in buying, purchasing, merchandising, or category management, ideally in distribution, wholesale, or the collectibles and hobby industry.
• 4+ years directly leading and developing buying or merchandising teams.
• Experience managing purchasing budgets, replenishment, inventory investment, and category performance.
• Strong understanding of collector markets, licensed merchandise, trading cards, and allocation-driven release cycles preferred.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and supporting commercial negotiations.
• Strong analytical, financial, and organizational skills; proficiency in Excel, ERP systems, and BI reporting tools.
• Ability to partner across Product, Sales, Finance, and Operations and communicate actionable recommendations.
• Willingness to travel for vendor meetings, trade shows, and industry events as needed.

Leadership Competencies

• People Leadership: Develops Buyers, sets clear expectations, and addresses performance issues.
• Execution & Accountability: Converts agreed strategy into accurate purchasing decisions and measurable results.
• Commercial Judgment: Balances demand, availability, margin, and working capital.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Uses forecasts, inventory metrics, and market insights to guide action.
• Operational Discipline: Creates repeatable processes, sound controls, and timely escalation.

Measures of Success

• Clear category ownership, goals, and performance accountability across all Buyers.
• Improved inventory turns, lower aged and excess inventory, and appropriate in-stock availability.
• Purchasing budget adherence, forecast accuracy, and purchase order and product data accuracy.
• Improved vendor reliability, fill rates, and resolution of operational vendor issues.
• Effective execution of approved buying and category plans, with timely escalation of risks.
• Strong collaboration with the EVP, Product, Sales, Finance, and Operations.