Purchasing Manager – Manufacturing – Waupun, WI Full Time

Eagle Flexible Packaging is seeking a Purchasing Manager who will lead and execute all procurement and purchasing functions with a strategic, proactive, and financially driven approach. This role ensures the timely, cost-effective, and quality-focused acquisition of raw materials and supplies required for manufacturing operations. The Purchasing Manager is responsible for developing and optimizing supply chain and inventory management processes, ensuring material availability while reducing excess and obsolete inventory. This role leads, develops, and mentors the purchasing team, collaborates cross-functionally to support operational goals, and drives continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall supply chain performance.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead, develop, and manage the purchasing team, including recruiting, training, coaching, performance management, and fostering a high-performing, accountable, and engaged team environment, ensuring retention and development of a team capable of consistently meeting departmental KPIs.
• Oversee daily purchasing operations, ensuring efficient workflows, clear prioritization, and alignment with production and organizational needs.
• Develop and execute sourcing and purchasing strategies that deliver optimal value, balancing cost, quality, service, and reliability of supply.
• Align purchasing strategies with organizational goals to rationalize the supply base, achieve cost reduction targets, and support long-term business objectives.
• Drive measurable cost savings initiatives across all purchasing categories through strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, and process improvements, achieving or exceeding established cost reduction goals.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, proactively managing performance related to quality, delivery, responsiveness, and lead times, and resolving issues effectively, resulting in improved supplier performance and reduced purchasing lead times.
• Collaborate with Production Scheduling, Planning, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to ensure accurate forecasting, material availability, and alignment with production requirements, driving high internal customer satisfaction through timely and accurate material availability.
• Monitor and optimize inventory levels to support Just-In-Time (JIT) principles, reducing overall inventory value, minimizing aged and obsolete stock, and improving inventory turns, achieving or exceeding targets for aged inventory and total inventory value reduction.
• Maintain high internal customer satisfaction by ensuring materials are available accurately and on time to support production and operational needs, as measured through service levels and stakeholder feedback.
• Utilize ERP and MRP systems to manage purchasing activities, ensuring accurate data related to material costs, inventory levels, usage, and transactions.
• Improve and optimize use of MRP tools, including setting and managing appropriate stocking levels to prevent shortages while minimizing excess inventory, contributing to reduced excess and obsolete stock levels.
• Partner with IT and cross-functional teams to enhance ERP functionality and implement tools that drive efficiency, visibility, and cost savings.
• Manage relationships and agreements with outsourced production and service partners, ensuring performance expectations and contractual obligations are met.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and applicable regulations related to procurement and purchasing activities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the purchasing function using Lean, Six Sigma, and other methodologies to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and cost control, resulting in measurable improvements in purchasing performance metrics.
• Perform administrative and reporting functions required to support purchasing operations.
• Ensure that all company food safety and quality assurance procedures are followed at all times. Escalate any issues/concerns to management.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• High school degree or equivalent (GED).
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain roles with complex responsibilities.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading and managing a team, including performance management and employee development.
• Strong knowledge of purchasing principles, supplier management, and supply chain best practices.
• Demonstrated success in managing purchasing operations, achieving cost reductions, and optimizing inventory and procurement processes.
• Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing, Just-In-Time (JIT), and inventory management methodologies.
• Proficiency in ERP systems and MRP tools, with the ability to manage data accuracy and leverage systems for decision-making.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and perform effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement and implement efficiency and cost-saving initiatives.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Self-motivated with a high sense of urgency, accountability, and ownership.
• Professional proficiency in verbal and written English, including ability to effectively and professionally communicate with internal and external customers.
• Enthusiasm for the Eagle mission of embracing our Guiding Values, which focus on developing and empowering our team members to create valued, trusted, and lasting relationships with both customers and suppliers.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with EPS Radius.
• Experience in the flexible packaging industry.

Flex Your Potential with Eagle! We are committed to supporting our employees’ career growth and aspirations and provide full-time team members with the following benefits:

• Medical Insurance – On the first of month following 60 days of employment, employees can choose from 1 PPO/HRA plan and 2 PPO/HSA plans, all provided by BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois.
• HRA / HSA Contributions – Participants in the employer-provided medical insurance program will receive funds from Eagle for either their HRA (for PPO/HRA enrollees) or HSA (for PPO/HSA enrollees). The annual amount provided to each participant is based on one’s enrollment tier per the following schedule: $1,500.00 for Employee Only coverage, $3,000.00 for Employee + Spouse or Employee + Child(ren), and $4,500.00 for Family coverage.
• Dental Insurance – On the first of month following 60 days of employment, employees can enroll in dental insurance provided by BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois.
• Vision Insurance – On the first of month following 60 days of employment, employees this voluntary benefit through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois.
• 401K Plan – Plan entry date is the first of the month following 6 months of service. Eagle provides its employees with a 100% match up to 1% and 50% match up to 6%.
• Company Paid Short Term Disability – The Short Term Disability premium is 100% paid by Eagle.
• Company Paid Long Term Disability – The Long Term Disability premium is 100% paid by Eagle.
• Life Insurance – The Basic Life premium is 100% paid by Eagle and is a flat $20,000 benefit for all FT, benefit eligible employees. Employees have the option to purchase additional voluntary life insurance for self, spouse, and dependent children.
• Vacation/PTO: The amount of vacation/paid time off (PTO) employees receive each year starts at 80 hours (2 weeks) each year, which accrues at a rate of 1.538 hours per week, and increases with the length of employment.
• 8 Company Paid Holidays – Eligible after 60 days of employment.
• Sick Leave – Eligible for paid sick days at the rate of 3 days (24 hours) per year after 6 months of service (prorated for per the calendar year).
• Tuition Reimbursement – Following 6 months of employment, employees are eligible for reimbursement for courses, certifications, and training programs that support their Eagle careers.

Eagle Flexible Packaging is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $100,000.00 – $140,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person