Procurement Operations Manager

Job description

Location: Newark, NJ | Full-Time | M–Th 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, F 8:00 AM–1:00 PM Position Overview The Procurement Operations Manager is responsible for leading the company’s purchasing operations to ensure materials are available when needed, supplier performance meets expectations, and procurement processes support efficient manufacturing. This role partners closely with Production Planning, Warehouse, Quality, and Operations to drive reliable material flow, minimize supply risk, and improve purchasing performance through strong processes, supplier relationships, and operational discipline. Key Responsibilities • Lead day-to-day purchasing operations, ensuring purchase orders are issued accurately and suppliers meet delivery commitments. • Monitor open purchase orders, lead times, pricing, and material availability while proactively resolving supply risks. • Build and manage strong supplier relationships, measuring performance in delivery, quality, responsiveness, and cost. • Identify and qualify alternative suppliers to reduce supply chain risk and improve continuity. • Partner with Production Planning to ensure purchased materials support production schedules and customer demand. • Collaborate with Warehouse, Receiving, and Quality teams to improve inbound material flow, resolve discrepancies, and maintain inventory accuracy. • Develop contingency plans for critical materials and proactively communicate supply risks with recommended solutions. • Establish, document, and enforce procurement policies, SOPs, and purchasing workflows across the organization. • Develop reporting and performance dashboards that provide visibility into purchasing metrics, supplier performance, and procurement effectiveness. • Identify opportunities to automate and improve purchasing processes while eliminating manual work and inefficiencies. • Lead, coach, and develop the purchasing team by establishing clear expectations, accountability, and continuous improvement. Qualifications • 7+ years of procurement, purchasing, or supply chain management experience within a manufacturing environment. • Proven experience leading purchasing operations and supplier relationships. • Strong understanding of production planning, inventory management, and material requirements planning (MRP/ERP). • Experience negotiating with suppliers and improving supplier performance. • Ability to identify operational risks and implement practical solutions. • Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills. • Experience developing standard operating procedures, reporting, and process improvements. • Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to develop high-performing teams. • Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.